Marvel's 'Doctor Strange 2' And 'The Eternals' Are Still Forging On With Remote Production
Virtually every major Hollywood production has shut down or been delayed in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But some productions are finding a way to forge ahead through virtual means. Two Marvel productions still going are Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Eternals, which are getting pre-production and VFX work done, respectively, through remote means.
Buried in a report from Variety on the multiple productions delayed by the coronavirus crisis, it's revealed that Doctor Strange 2 is still on track to begin filming in June. How did they achieve this? They're in the midst of pre-production being conducted remotely, presumably over Skype or the popular video-chatting app Zoom.
The pre-production work on Doctor Strange 2 suggests that Sam Raimi is on board to direct the sequel, after being courted by Marvel following the exit of the first film's director Scott Derrickson. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is being rewritten by Michael Waldron (the head writer for Disney+'s Loki), and will star Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sorcerer Supreme as well as Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch in a reported tie-in to WandaVision.
Doctor Strange 2 is not the only Marvel production still grinding away. The Eternals is currently getting its VFX work done by Scanline VFX Studios, which confirmed in a statement on Twitter that its artists are working remotely on the project despite the coronavirus outbreak. The statement clarifies that the studio will remain remote for the foreseeable future to curb the spread of the virus, and that they remain open to new work and collaborations. See the full statement is below.
— Scanline VFX – Powered by Netflix (@Scanline_VFX) March 24, 2020
The Eternals wrapped production in February of this year, right before the coronavirus threat started to register in the U.S. While filming is done for the highly anticipated Marvel film, the lengthy pre-production for an effects-heavy blockbuster like The Eternals put into question whether the film could make its November 2020 release date. But with its VFX artists chugging away, it seems that The Eternals will be able to finish pre-production on a relatively uninterrupted schedule.Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is scheduled to hit theaters on May 7, 2021, while The Eternals is slated for November 6, 2020.