Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

[tv echo]

Current Release Date: March 25, 2022

Recent interviews by Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writer Michael Waldron (who also wrote Loki)...

How the Man Behind Loki Is Shaping Marvel’s Phase 4 and Beyond
BY JOANNA ROBINSON     JUNE 3, 2021
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/06/loki-michael-waldron-doctor-strange-star-wars-rick-and-morty 

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[Michael] Waldron wasn’t even on set while Loki was shooting because in February of last year, just before he was to leave for Atlanta, Kevin Feige called and let Waldron know “they were going in a different direction on Doctor Strange.” Original Strange director Scott Derrickson left the project over “creative differences,” and Feige, likely eager to hit the target production date of May, made an offer to Waldron.

“I knew I wanted to stay in the family,” Waldron says. “I felt like Loki was in a great place and I was eager for what the next challenge would be.” Director Sam Raimi, a longtime hero of Waldron’s and someone Feige knows from his early days as a producer on Raimi’s Spider-Man films, was brought on board a week later to direct.
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Time was tight. “How do we just make a movie in two months?” Waldron recalls thinking. “But COVID quickly descended upon us. We’re not shooting now until November. So I got to spend my 2020 on Zooms with Sam Raimi. Not too bad.” While acknowledging the foundation Derrickson laid for him, Waldron says he and Raimi started “from scratch.”
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... For Benedict Cumberbatch’s Dr. Stephen Strange, Waldron says, “I gravitated toward [travel documentarian and chef] Anthony Bourdain. Strange is an elitist as a neurosurgeon and a sorcerer. Anthony Bourdain was a man of the people, but there was that intense intellect. You always felt like he could eviscerate anybody with his words at any time. But yet, Anthony Bourdain never really punched down. That was the first ingredient in the stew for Doctor Strange.”

Waldron also connects Bourdain’s world traveling to Strange’s own reality-hopping adventure: “Anthony Bourdain had been everywhere, seen everything. What surprises you at this point? I think for all of the heroes in the MCU, in a post-Endgame world, how do you rally yourself to fight the stand-alone movie villains after you fought Thanos?”

Strange’s fighting spirit led Waldron to his next inspiration. “He’s Indiana Jones in a cloak to me,” he says. “He’s a hero who can take a punch. That’s what made those Harrison Ford heroes so great. Those guys get their asses kicked. Look at Stephen Strange in the first movie. He’s really getting beat up but he’s very capable and everything. I can tell you that it’s a ride…very Sam Raimi. The film is incredibly visually thrilling. John Mathieson, our D.P., who shot Gladiator and Logan—I think the look of it is going to be unlike anything you’ve seen in the MCU before.” 
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“He just wanted to write a really great Indiana Jones–esque blockbuster,” Waldron’s close friend, fellow Rick and Morty alum and Ant-Man 3 writer Jeff Loveness, says. “He nailed it. It’s a kind of throwback.” Waldron, he adds, may have an even more personal connection to Strange: “His wife is a [physician assistant]. He really got to the heart of the character, how doctors do have to be cocky. He got the Hawkeye Pierce energy of Strange.” 

Waldron says whatever plans he had for Strange weren’t greatly impacted by the fact that the character was meant to show up (and then didn’t) in WandaVision. But Waldron’s close friendship with WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer, forged in the halls of Marvel as he was working on Loki, loomed large over the production. “I admired her so much,” he says. Schaeffer, who recently signed an overall deal with Marvel Studios, created a show around Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff, which will lead directly into Waldron’s first feature film. “When I got brought on to Doctor Strange—especially because Wanda is part of that story—I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t gonna let my friend down,” he says. “I can’t shit the bed because she did such a great job. So we had a lot of conversations. Getting to continue Wanda’s story was amazing.”
*  *  *
Waldron found himself in frequent communication with Schaeffer and Loveness, creating a kind of friend-based network of writers you don’t often see across several MCU projects. “He was still in the middle of his highly strenuous shoot and running another show and working on another secret movie, and he came onto our Zoom and collaborated on some story stuff,” Loveness recalls. “It’s like swimming in the ocean over there. There’s always going to be 10 movies that yours ties into. They’re going to change Doctor Strange so that it will affect Ant-Man and that’ll affect season eight of The Mandalorian.”

Exclusive: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Writer Michael Waldron Teases the Continuation of Wanda's Storyline in Marvel Sequel
BY ADAM CHITWOOD    JUNE 4, 2021
https://collider.com/doctor-strange-2-script-wandavision-connection-michael-waldron-interview/ 

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Indeed, when Marvel made the decision to redevelop Doctor Strange 2 following director Scott Derrickson’s exit, they wanted a new writer to take a crack at the screenplay. And during an exclusive, extended interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Waldron revealed that he was offered the Doctor Strange 2 job just as he was leaving a meeting with Owen Wilson for his role in Loki:
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Waldron was actually about to follow Loki into production when he was offered the opportunity to write Doctor Strange 2:
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This all happened in February of 2020, and Doctor Strange 2 was barreling towards a May 2020 production start date. But just as Raimi signed on to take over as director, the pandemic hit and they were given much more time to write the screenplay, for which Waldron says they started from scratch:

“At the time, that was February of last year, we were supposed to start shooting in May and it was an accelerated time table. Obviously, COVID stopped that and they brought on Sam. Sam and I came on at the same time. The one benefit of the shutdown was Sam and I got to start from scratch and really figure out what we wanted the movie to be, and I got to spend a year making a movie with Sam Raimi. I was in London for the last four months on that movie.”
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We know that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness brings back Benedict Cumberbatch and we also know it co-stars Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch. Indeed, Doctor Strange 2 follows the events of WandaVision, and Waldron says he was able to read scripts and see early cuts of the episodes as he was writing the Doctor Strange sequel:

“We had access to the scripts and then to cuts [of WandaVision]. I became good friends with Jac Schaeffer, head writer of WandaVision, while I was writing Loki. Her and I became good pals, because we were kind of in it together and everything. She's great and brilliant and just somebody I really admired. It was nice to know somebody that we could commiserate together over our crazy jobs.”

Waldron says he also worked closely with Schaeffer and Olsen to ensure that they were honoring Wanda’s emotional journey from that TV show to this feature film sequel:

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by tv echo

[Dandesun]

Very interesting... but let's ask the real question here: Is Bruce Campbell going to show up?

[tv echo]

Michael Waldron Goes Deep on ‘Loki,’ ‘Doctor Strange 2,’ and How He Got His Break in Hollywood
BY STEVE WEINTRAUB   JUNE 12, 2021
https://collider.com/michael-waldron-doctor-strange-2-loki-interview/ 

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You do Loki, how exactly do you end up getting the job for the Dr. Strange sequel?
WALDRON: Let's see. I met Owen Wilson, because he was going to play Mobius, which was a dream for me to... a guy my age, Owen Wilson is a hero of mine. I was leaving a meeting with Owen Wilson and Kevin called me and let me know what they were doing on Dr. Strange and that they were turning over the creative there and he wanted me to come on as the writer. And so, it was kind of as simple as that.

So you didn't have to pitch? It was literally Kevin saying to you, "We want you to do Dr. Strange."
WALDRON: Yeah. By that time, I had been able to build the trust. We'd written Loki. Loki was in good shape at that point. It was headed into production. I was getting ready to go to Atlanta. Fortunately, the scripts were in good shape. One of our writers, a close friend of mine, Eric Martin, took my place and went and was the writer on set, which you've got to have, and he did amazing work carrying the show across the finish line, from a writing standpoint. And yeah, it was just, "All right. You did Loki. That was crazy. Come do Dr. Strange. This is going to be crazy, too." That was really fun.

At the time, that was February of last year, we were supposed to start shooting in May and it was an accelerated time table. Obviously, COVID stopped that and we brought on Sam. Sam and I came on at the same time. The one benefit of the shutdown was Sam and I got to start from scratch and really figure out what we wanted the movie to be, and I got to spend a year making a movie with Sam Raimi. I was in London for the last four months on that movie.
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But Benedict spoke very highly and said that he was scared at how much freedom he had on the sequel.
WALDRON: Yeah. Sam is the ultimate collaborator. And I'm scared of how much freedom I had as the writer on that movie. But Sam is amazing at getting the best out of every artist who works under him. To get to spend that experience sitting next to Sam Raimi, watching him make that movie, working with great actors like Benedict and Lizzie. To go straight from Loki to that, is the luckiest guy in the world.

Sam is known for doing some pretty cool camera angles and Elizabeth and Benedict basically said that they were doing some pretty cool camera angles on the Dr. Strange sequel. I'm curious, when you were working on the script with Sam, how much are you guys talking about how a scene might be filmed and is that figured out into the script and how much is it sort of, "We're figuring out the scene. We're figuring out the dialogue, and Sam's going to do what he's going to do when he gets to set"?
I think it's a little bit of both. Some scenes I had a strong perspective on, coming into it. And, "Hey, visually, I think this would be a cool way to execute it," and Sam was on board with that. Other scenes, as we were conceiving them, Sam would really lay out how we could build it visually and that was helpful, because I could just go ahead and write that in the script. Then, other times, probably more often than not, I'd try to just write it more generally and you trust Sam on the day. Our DP was John Mathieson who shot Gladiator, Logan, he's a genius.
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Obviously, the Dr. Strange sequel takes place after WandaVision. I'm sure you had to read the scripts. How does that come together in terms of working with the WandaVision team or was that already sort of done when you're writing the Dr. Strange sequel? Figuring out, "Well, how is that going to end and where do we begin?"
WALDRON: Yeah. I mean, we had to know, obviously, and we has access to the scripts and then to cuts. I became good friends with Jac Schaeffer, head writer of WandaVision, while I was writing Loki. Her and I became good pals, because we were kind of in it together and everything. She's great and brilliant and just somebody I really admired. It was nice to know somebody that we could commiserate together over our crazy jobs. So, I had the benefit of just being able to call Jac and talk to her about Wanda's character and everything, because it was really important to me that I do right by her with what she did with Wanda as a character. And also, with Lizzie, who's a friend of mine. I really worked with her and made sure, "Okay, you guys just did this incredibly intimate show about this character that grew her so much. Let's make sure that we're doing that justice and telling a fulfilling next chapter of that story."

When you were making the Dr. Strange sequel with Sam, how much was Marvel saying to you, at the get-go, "Okay, this is where we need the movie to end." This is where we're going and how much is it sort of like, "We're going to do our thing"? Where's that balance, in terms of what's Marvel telling you versus what you guys just want to do?
WALDRON: It is purely, 100%, "Make the most kick ass Dr. Strange movie you can possibly make." There was no, "You got to get here. It's got to fit here." It's about the character of Stephen Strange and everybody in his orbit. How can you tell the most awesome Dr. Strange story possible and make the best Dr. Strange movie? And it will naturally connect to the MCU and it will naturally get the MCU to where it's supposed to go, in some ways that we expect and ways that sometimes you don't expect, and I think that's part of the fun. And honestly, some of the brilliance of what they do over there.
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I'm of the opinion that the Dr. Strange sequel and the next Spider-Man movie, are going to have a dramatic impact on the MCU. What can you tease about that, if anything?
WALDRON: Oh boy.

Without getting yourself in trouble.
WALDRON: You're right. I think that you don't bring Sam Raimi on to make a movie unless it's going to be a big movie.

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

From Loki to Doctor Strange and Star Wars, Michael Waldron Is the New Franchise Whisperer
BY WILLIAM GOODMAN   JUNE 11, 2021
https://www.gq.com/story/loki-michael-waldron-showrunner-doctor-strange-multiverse-madness-kevin-feige-star-wars-interview 

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When it comes to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, how did you make that character your own?
It’s like I’m standing on the shoulder of giants, truly, in both of these cases. Loki, that character had been refined and built up by Tom and then all the great writers and filmmakers who crafted those performances over the years. Same thing with Doctor Strange. Certainly, in the first Doctor Strange movie, the work that [director] Scott Derrickson did with [writers] Jon Spaiths and C. Robert Cargill, those guys told an amazing origin story for Doctor Strange that was one of my favorite MCU movies. That was the intro of this character into the MCU, so you want to continue that voice. I think also [writers Christopher] Markus and [Stephen] McFeely, the work they did with Strange in Infinity War—which feels like Doctor Strange 1.5 to me.

I think we’re all akin to comic book writers in that we keep inheriting the great work of our predecessors. It’s our job not to sell out what they did, but at the same time take chances and make them our own because that’s what the great creators who came before us did. So that’s how I approached it—with reverence—but hopefully a little bit of fearlessness as well.

Sam Raimi is such a beloved director. What can you tease about his specific approach to this movie?
I was on set for Sam for that entire movie, getting to watch him make it. That was an absolute dream come true. He is truly a conductor of the orchestra that is the movie, and that is the crew.. The way he moves the camera is, for me, just absolutely incredible to watch. I just keep saying, “It’s a Sam Raimi movie.” And it really is.

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by tv echo

[Hiyo]

Never thought I’d be psyched for a Dr. Strange sequel, but I am definitely looking forward to this.

Edited June 14, 2021 by Hiyo

[SnarkShark]

Although it wasn't quite how Strange was portrayed in previous movies, I'm okay with Bourdaining the character.  It's an interesting way to make the character intense but reigning back the jerk aspects.  You can't take the comparison TOO literally though, since Bourdain's origin and a lot of his underlying values were middle class, although intellectual.  He was never an arrogant elite, like the Surgeon version of Strange. But the writer even points those differences out himself on the interview. HIM realizing that makes me hopeful he mapped this out.  How to undickify Strange, basically. 

[tv echo]

In this June 17th Little Gold Men podcast, Variety's Joanna Robinson interviewed Elizabeth Olsen and brought up Michael Waldron's comment about the Doctor Strange 2 movie being Indiana Jones-esque. Elizabeth replied that it was "darker" than Indiana Jones, that maybe the movie starts out that way but gets darker, and that it was very much a Sam Raimi movie. 

Edited June 17, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness comments from Part 2 of Rotten Tomatoes interview with Kevin Feige...

Kevin Feige on MCU’s Phase 4 – Part 2: Shang-Chi, Eternals, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever & More
Rotten Tomatoes   Jul 12, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZZ_PWwbjb4

-- Kevin Feige: "You know, I spoke earlier about, everything we do in Marvel Studios is from the point of view of the audience and how do we make the audience feel one way and how do we evoke an emotion out of an audience. I really feel like I learned that from watching Sam [Raimi] on the Spider-Man movies, where I was just very lucky to be there, working for the former head of Marvel Studios, Avi Arad, and just watching - watching Avi, watching, uh, Laura Ziskin, the producer of that, watching Amy Pascal, who ran the studio at the time, and particularly Sam Raimi put that - those movies together. So now, being in a position that Sam is back in the Marvel Universe and - and working for us on Doctor Strange, which, aside from Spider-Man, both Steve Ditko co-creations, um, was his favorite characters, is really quite - quite remarkable and full circle for me personally from my journey at Marvel... But really it's just exciting to get to watch Sam work again and to see Sam Raimi put his Sam Raimi stamp on Doctor Strange, on the Multiverse, on Marvel. And, for people who know what that stamp is, um, they can be very excited. And for people who don't yet know what that stamp is, I can't wait for them to see this movie, be blown away by it and go, 'what else has he done?' and delve into Sam Raimi's filmography, which is, uh, which is one of the best of all time."

Edited July 13, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

‘Loki’ Renewed for Season 2 at Disney+
BY LESLEY GOLDBERG    JULY 14, 2021 
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/loki-renewed-for-season-2-at-disney-1234981743/ 

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... The first, WandaVision, ended with an episode that was labeled as a series finale. The Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany series also scored 23 Emmy nominations Tuesday — second overall, an impressive showing for Marvel’s first foray — in the limited series category. Olsen is set to next appear in Marvel’s upcoming Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (due in March).
*  *  *
That push continued Wednesday with the Loki finale. Without getting into spoilers (we’ll leave that to our Heat Vision colleagues), the Loki finale set the stage for Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Hiddleston’s Loki character is also expected to also appear in the next Dr. Strange. (Marvel has yet to confirm whether or not that’s happening.) ...

 

Edited July 14, 2021 by tv echo

[Spartan Girl]

On 6/14/2021 at 1:24 AM, Hiyo said:

Never thought I’d be psyched for a Dr. Strange sequel, but I am definitely looking forward to this.

Yup, after WandaVision and Loki, I am 50 percent more invested in this.

[benteen]

To use a wrestling term, WandaVision did a great job of "getting Wanda over."  She emerged from it as a bigger star in the MCU than ever before.

[tv echo]

'Shang-Chi' Star Benedict Wong Says "Asians Assemble" in Marvel Movie; Also Teases 'Doctor Strange 2'
Jeff Sneider   July 22, 2021
https://collider.com/shang-chi-benedict-wong-asians-assemble-doctor-strange-2-improv/ 

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Wong was a bit more forthcoming with regards to Sam Raimi's terrifying sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which pairs Benedict Cumberbatch's Sorceror Supreme with Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch. Though plot details remain under wraps, Wong wants readers to know they should be getting excited.

"It's a cracking script. And now, having Sam Raimi involved has been a really wonderful experience. He's such a fantastic director and [a] lovely, lovely man. He's just such fun to work with," said Wong, who appreciated the chance to improvise on set -- something that Raimi encouraged.

"I like throwing alts, and he likes them, so we just have a bit of a laugh. I just throw anything at the wall, and sometimes it will fall down and sometimes it'll stick. It's amazing, the creative process. As long as you're not afraid to throw something at the wall, it might be right or it might be wrong, but we're all just trying to make something here. We're having a lot of fun. We're finishing that off in September, so we're nearly there."

Shang-Chi is slated to hit theaters on Sept. 3, while the Doctor Strange sequel is due March 25, 2022, but if you just can't wait until the fall for a fix of Wong, be sure and check out Nine Days, which opens in New York and Los Angeles on July 30 before expanding nationwide throughout August.

 

Edited July 23, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness might be adding a bizarre movie villain
BY STEFANIA SARRUBBA    July 27, 2021
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a37143759/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness-villain/ 

Spoiler

According to actor Yenifer Molina’s professional profile on Mandy, she is credited with the role 'Gargantos Fight 2' in the hotly-anticipated movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Molina has previously worked on 2019's Pokémon Detective Pikachu and this year's Tom and Jerry movie.

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Benedict Wong is doing press for Nine Days (which stars another MCU actor, Winston Duke) and also talked a little about Doctor Strange 2...

Benedict Wong on 'Nine Days,' the Importance of 'Shang-Chi,' and Working with Sam Raimi on 'Doctor Strange 2'
BY CHRISTINA RADISH   AUGUST 6, 2021
https://collider.com/benedict-wong-nine-days-shang-chi-interview/ 

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It took a bit longer for Doctor Strange 2 to get into production than folks originally expected, but it sounds like it’s going to be well worth the wait. Without spoilers, what was your reaction to reading the script and learning about what’s in store? Should we already be getting excited about it?
WONG: You should be getting excited. What can I say? Not a lot. I can’t say anything.

What are the feelings you got from reading the script?
WONG: It’s a cracking script. And now, having Sam Raimi involved has been a really wonderful experience. He’s such a fantastic director and lovely, lovely man. He’s just such fun to work with. I like throwing alts, and he likes them, so we just have a bit of a laugh. I just throw anything at the wall, and sometimes it will fall down and sometimes it’ll stick. It’s amazing, the creative process. As long as you’re not afraid to throw something at the wall, it might be right or it might be wrong, but we’re all just trying to make something here. We’re having a lot of fun. We’re finishing that off in September, so we’re nearly there.

 
 

Edited August 7, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Danny Elfman is the music composer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSSFzQJpg3j/

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dannyelfman Working with my old friend Sam Raimi on the new Doctor Strange, which is super fun. Sam and I go back a long way.

#DannyElfman #SamRaimi #DoctorStrangeInTheMultiuniverseOfMadness #OzTheGreatAndPowerful
 

(posted yesterday)

Edited August 8, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Elizabeth Olsen and Jurnee Smollett Compare Notes on Genre-Blending Acting and Advocating for Performers on Set
Danielle Turchiano   August 12, 2021
https://variety.com/2021/tv/features/elizabeth-olsen-jurnee-smollett-wandavision-lovecraft-countrry-acting-process-1235023196/ 

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[Olsen:] I think more for me with this with the reinvestment moving forward, I never had a six-movie or nine-movie thing; it was always two or three at a time — those were my contracts. And so, it’s always a really conscious decision. I wrapped “WandaVision” on a Wednesday and flew to London on a Friday to continue playing this part [in “Doctor Strange 2”]. I could have used getting out of the mindset, though, because they were totally different utilizations of the character and people would have had more time to understand “WandaVision” had we not just wrapped. And so there’s just a lot of, “We covered this in ‘WandaVision…'” It’s bigger than me, there’s lots of threads that are continuing on after me that I’m not aware of, and so it’s always about, “What can I get from this journey with this character that maybe I haven’t tapped into yet with her?” That’s where I keep approaching things from, so that I feel like I have some sort of strap-hang — that I can know that there’s going to be growth of some kind, even though it all maybe looks the same to other people. There is that conscious decision to learn a new element of this woman, or even of myself as an actor — something that I want to explore that I can bring to it.

 

[tv echo]

As previously reported, Xochitl Gomez will be playing America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness...

Xochitl Gomez Teases Her Role as America Chavez | Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi Red Carpet LIVE
Marvel Entertainment   Aug 21, 2021

 

Edited August 22, 2021 by tv echo

[Brn2bwild]

At this point, it feels like every Marvel character possible could appear in this movie.  Do you think there is any truth to the following rumors (spoiler tagged just in case):

Spoiler

1. Wanda fights Professor X

2. The Illuminati (including Monica Rambeau) appear

 

[tv echo]

Benedict Cumberbatch commented on the change of directors for Doctor Strange 2 and shooting the sequel during the pandemic...

Benedict Cumberbatch Gets Mean
BY REBECCA KEEGAN     SEPTEMBER 8, 2021
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/benedict-cumberbatch-the-power-of-the-dog-movie-doctor-strange-spider-man-no-way-home-1235008551/ 

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Wile he was in New Zealand shooting The Power of the Dog, Cumberbatch got a call from Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, who told him Marvel was replacing Scott Derrickson, who had directed and co-written the 2016 Doctor Strange movie, over creative differences on the sequel. “I was sad to hear about it, but that was not my decision,” Cumberbatch says. “I completely respected the studio’s decision, and it was done very amicably. The grown-ups called and just talked me through it. And that was that.” Sam Raimi, who directed the three Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies of the early aughts, was brought on board.

“He was an assured pair of hands, who knew that world,” Cumberbatch says. “He’s got certain Raimi traits. The smashed-zoom close-up. The mixture of just on the level of horror and just on the level of camp. There’s fun in there, but there should be some real thrills as well.” Raimi encouraged Cumberbatch to improvise. “With the first film, you’re always locked into a script, because it’s the origin story,” he says. “But there was a lot more freedom this time around. I guess, because we were … not literally making it up as we go along, but sometimes it feels like that. Marvel has this amazing ability to come into production: ‘We really just have to start shooting now. It doesn’t matter that the third act is not quite where you want it to be.’ You really do things on a wing and a prayer sometimes.”
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The Doctor Strange sequel shot in London during the height of the pandemic in late 2020 and early 2021. “I lost count of how many lockdowns we actually filmed through,” Cumberbatch says. “With this government-approved gold standard testing and tracing and temperature taking and PCR and lateral flow tests. But it worked. And 500-plus crew came back after Christmas, and there was not one single positive test. We never stopped it. I got taken off, because of someone near me getting a false positive. But that was it. People made such sacrifices. Some of their children were going to school, and they weren’t necessarily going to be sleeping in the same part of the house, or even in the same house. I was really, really blown away by that.”

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by tv echo

[Morrigan2575]

Moved the MCU thread because of spoiler tag

Edited September 27, 2021 by Morrigan2575

[tv echo]

Sam Raimi Gets Candid on Why He'd Make 'Doctor Strange 2' After "Awful" Reaction to 'Spider-Man 3'
BY GREGORY LAWRENCE     SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
https://collider.com/doctor-strange-2-director-sam-raimi-comments-spider-man-3/ 

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Raimi spoke frankly about the mental challenges faced when considering a return to Marvel filmmaking, and why those challenges ultimately motivated him:

"I didn't know that I could face it again because it was so awful, having been the director of Spider-Man 3. The Internet was getting revved up and people disliked that movie and they sure let me know about it. So, it was difficult to take back on. But then, I found out that there was an opening on Doctor Strange 2. My agent called me and said, 'They're looking for a director at Marvel for this movie and your name came up. Would you be interested?' And I thought, 'I wonder if I could still do it.' They're really demanding, those types of pictures. And I felt, 'Well, that's reason enough.' I've always really liked the character of Doctor Strange. He was not my favorite, but he was right up there with the favorites. I loved the first movie, I thought [director] Scott Derrickson did a wonderful job, an incredible job. So, I said, 'Yeah.' They left the character in a great place. I didn't think I would be doing another superhero movie. it just happened."
*  *  *
Raimi also spoke about an allowance for and love of improvisation on his Doctor Strange 2 set, a seemingly odd decision given the level of budget, stakes, and previsualized control at play for this kind of film. But as Raimi explained, every time an actor steps in front of a camera, it's improvisation — so why not lean in?

It's always an improvisation, just to begin with, so I don't even think of it like [a specific choice]. The actor brings what they bring. That's their improv. It's what the role is. Granted, Scott Derrickson set up a very very strong foundation with great characters and story and visuals with Benedict Cumberbatch, but nevertheless, it's a new story. Every time the actor steps in front of the camera, everyone's making everything from scratch. So just for me, because that's my point of view, another improvisation, a different take, something unexpected, something thrown at the actor for them to respond to live on camera is exciting. It's just a continuation of that same process.

ETA: Incidentally, remember Martin Scorsese's 2019 disparaging remarks about MCU films as "not cinema" and closer to "theme parks"? Apparently Scorsese previously said in 2003 that he loved Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies. (source)

Edited October 1, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness Will Feature [OMITTED WORD] (Exclusive)
By Tom Drew    October 04, 2021
The Direct article link 

Spoiler

After making their MCU debut in Avengers: Age of Ultron , Ultron Sentries will return in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The robots' rumored role in the sequel is unconfirmed by Disney and Marvel.

According to The Direct's sources, the Sub-Ultrons will come from a different universe that Stephen Strange visits during his multiverse adventure.
*  *  *
Aside from mentions in projects like Thor: Ragnarok and WandaVision and a brief head cameo in Spider-Man: Homecoming , the Sub-Ultrons have been absent from the MCU’s live-action division ever since their debut in the second Avengers film.

The sentries did, however, make a recent reappearance in animated form through What If…?, when Infinity Ultron used the might of the Infinity Stones to expand his robotic army to an obscene degree.

Now, Ultron’s mechanical henchman will finally be brought back into a live-action project, ready to cause havoc for the Sorcerer Supreme. Doctor Strange has had experience fending off hordes of faceless beings, but he has yet to go toe-to-toe with Ultron’s own sentries. Since Benedict Cumberbatch’s hero likely only heard about the mechanical menace’s abilities through the grapevine and independent research, it will be interesting to see how Strange deals with this threat.

 

Edited October 4, 2021 by tv echo

[BetterButter]

Doctor Strange 2 moves from 3/25/22 to 5/6/22

[Spartan Girl]

1 hour ago, BetterButter said:

Doctor Strange 2 moves from 3/25/22 to 5/6/22

Boo. That would have been a fun movie for my birthday.

[tv echo]

Source link for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' move to May 6, 2022...

Marvel Movie Shifts: ‘Doctor Strange 2’ To Kick Off Summer 2022, ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’ Heads To July & More
By Anthony D'Alessandro    October 18, 2021 
https://deadline.com/2021/10/doctor-strange-2-thor-love-and-thunder-black-panther-wakanda-forever-release-date-changes-1234857549/ 

Edited October 18, 2021 by tv echo

[Roaster]

I see Rachel McAdams is in this movie, but I can't imagine she will have a big role.  I loves me some Rachel McAdams.

[tv echo]

‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Undergoing “Significant” Reshoots
BORYS KIT, AARON COUCH    NOVEMBER 12, 2021 
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/doctor-strange-multiverse-madness-reshoots-1235045328/ 

Quote

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Benedict Cumberbatch-starring sequel to Marvel Studios’ 2016 installment, has been prescribed a major new shoot.

In what sources describe as being “significant,” the new shoot, taking place in Los Angeles, is both “additional photography” and “reshoots.”

How significant? Insiders say that Cumberbatch and company are undertaking six weeks of shooting, if not more, working six days a week. Sam Raimi remains as helmer, and Loki head writer Michael Waldron is still on board writing the new material. It is unclear what actors in addition to Cumberbatch are involved. The crew involved is familiar with the Marvel method and worked on recent pickups for the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home and additional shooting for next year’s Oscar Isaac series, Moon Knight.

One source played down the severity of the shoot: “Even while in the middle of production, Marvel is scheduling you for more shooting,” adding that the size and complexity of Marvel movies necessitate additional photography.

One insider scoffed at the size and scope: “We’ve had bigger reshoots on other MCU movies.”

However, other sources have their eyebrows raised at the length. “They’re here until the end of the year. That’s like a whole other movie,” said one.

Several factors appear to be driving the shoot. One insider said about two weeks are dedicated to principal photography that was held over from the initial shoot that took place in the U.K. due to what is described as actor availability issues. The insider played down concerns that the reshoots were related to retooling the story.

Another reason for the shoot concerns catching up on production slowdowns from COVID-related matters that hit the initial U.K. production. It was those slowdowns that reared their head when they unexpectedly affected the Marvel release schedule in October.
*  *  *
Despite the major shoot underway, the mood with cast and crew is not downbeat. “There is a pervasive enthusiasm,” one source described.

On Thursday, Cumberbatch spoke about the reshoots on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he was asked if he knew what the reshoots were going to be.

“Like everything with Marvel, it comes in fresh, pretty much, most mornings,” Cumberbatch said with a laugh when questioned. “It’s really exciting and the film is shaping up to be something special.”

 

Edited November 13, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Benedict Cumberbatch avoided showering for 'Power of the Dog': 'I had a biohazard zone around me'
Patrick Ryan    December 1, 2021
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2021/12/01/benedict-cumberbatch-avoided-showering-during-netflix-power-of-the-dog/8750162002/ 

Quote

The actor is currently in the midst of reshoots on next year's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," which marks his second standalone Marvel film and sixth movie appearance as the magical Dr. Stephen Strange. .....

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Edited December 17, 2021 by tv echo

[JessePinkman]

Spoiler

Spider-Man: No Way Home has a full blown trailer for this movie after the end credits. I’m sure someone will post it once it’s officially released online.

 

[AimingforYoko]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:24 AM, JessePinkman said:

Spider-Man: No Way Home has a full blown trailer for this movie after the end credits. I’m sure someone will post it once it’s officially released online.

It's like you have the gift of sight:

 

[tv echo]

Edited December 23, 2021 by tv echo

[tv echo]

FWIW - synopsis is consistent with above trailer...

Doctor Strange 2 Plot Details Hint at New Avengers Hierarchy
By Richard Nebens    December 29, 2021
https://thedirect.com/article/doctor-strange-2-avengers-new-plot 

Quote

Marvel Studios' official Japanese website has shared synopsis details for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
*  *  *

Spoiler

Now that Iron Man and Captain America have left after a fierce battle in Avengers: Endgame, former genius surgeon and the strongest magician of them all, Doctor Strange, is expected to play an active role as a central figure in the Avengers. However, using his magic to manipulate time and space at will with a forbidden spell that is considered the most dangerous has opened the door to a mysterious madness called 'the Multiverse.' To restore a world where everything is changing, Strange seeks help from his ally Wong, the Sorcerer Supreme, and the Avengers’ most powerful Scarlet Witch, Wanda. But a terrible threat looms over humanity and the entire universe that no longer can be done by their power alone. Even more surprising, the greatest threat in the universe looks exactly like Doctor Strange... 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by tv echo

[Spartan Girl]

I’m a little leery of Raimi directing this one. I’m already unhappy with how the MCU has handled certain female characters lately, and Raimi doesn’t have a good track record with how he handled the women of Spider-Man. Please don’t ruin Rachel McAdams character…

[Brn2bwild]

My hope is that they'll avoid making Wanda a villain because she's powerful and unhappy.  That's so cliche, and already covered in WandaVision besides.  

[Cobalt Stargazer]

On 12/29/2021 at 9:49 PM, Brn2bwild said:

My hope is that they'll avoid making Wanda a villain because she's powerful and unhappy.  That's so cliche, and already covered in WandaVision besides.  

Not sure about spoilage, but since it's from the trailer that was posted, Strange knows what happened in Westview but it's unclear as to how. Wanda still seems to be living in isolation, and he says he's not there to talk about what took place before, he's there because he needs her help. Just from a personal standpoint, this backs up the complaint I had when WandaVision was airing, that when she spun out no one was there to catch her fall, and now it's like, "I need you to come out of retirement" or something similar. Like, where were you a year ago, dude?

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for this movie just based on the trailer and seeing where things go, because it looks really whackadoodle, I'm just annoyed that one of my peeves turned out to be true.

Edited January 7, 2022 by Cobalt Stargazer

[Spartan Girl]

4 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Not sure about spoilage, but since it's from the trailer that was posted, Strange knows what happened in Westview but it's unclear as to how. Wanda still seems to be living in isolation, and he says he's not there to talk about what took place before, he's there because he needs her help. Just from a personal standpoint, this backs up the complaint I had when WandaVision was airing, that when she spun out no one was there to catch her fall, and now it's like, "I need you to come out of retirement" or something similar. Like, where were you a year ago, dude?

Well, it’s not like she was the only character the Avengers just left to fend for herself (hi, Sharon).

[tv echo]

Sebastian Stan on ‘The 355,’ His Next Appearance in the MCU, and Why He’ll Always Love the Three-Way Fight in ‘Civil War’
BY STEVE WEINTRAUB  PUBLISHED 3 DAYS 
https://collider.com/sebastian-stan-the-355-marvel-mcu-captain-america-civil-war-interview/

Quote

I've heard there's a lot of cameos in the Dr. Strange sequel. I was wondering if you were one of them, but we can move on.
STAN: I am not in Dr. Strange 2. I promise.

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Unconfirmed - this article cited three sources reporting that Marvel Studios contacted Ben Affleck about making a cameo as Matt Murdock/Daredevil in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; however, none of these sources believed that Affleck would agree (due to his ties to Warner Bros)....

Marvel Reportedly Contacted Ben Affleck for Doctor Strange 2 Role
By Aeron Mer Eclarinal   January 12, 2022
https://thedirect.com/article/doctor-strange-2-ben-affleck-marvel
 

Edited January 13, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

New Doctor Strange 2 Plot Synopsis Confirms 'Dangerous' Alternate Realities
By Richard Nebens    January 29, 2022
https://thedirect.com/article/doctor-strange-2-plot-synopsis-alternate-realities 

Quote

Disney has shared new information about Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, including an updated synopsis and a list of cast and crew members.
*  *  *
"In Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary."

The press release also listed seven of the movie's starring actors, even confirming that Michael Stühlbarg will return as Dr. Nicodemus West alongside Rachel McAdams' Christine Palmer. Loki executive producer Michael Waldron is credited as the sole head writer:

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, with Michael Stühlbarg, and Rachel McAdams.The film is directed by Sam Raimi, and Kevin Feige is the producer. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Eric Hauserman Carroll and Jamie Christopher serve as executive producers. The screenplay was written by Michael Waldron. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” releases in U.S. theaters on May 6, 2022

Disney Confirms the Subgenre of Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness
By Klein Felt    January 29, 2022
https://thedirect.com/article/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness-genre-disney 

Quote

In an official press release from Disney, the studio confirmed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's subgenre for the first time. 

The studio described the film as a "Supernatural action-adventure," which sounds a little more upbeat and adventurous than the horror descriptor that was thrown around when MoM was first announced. 

The categorization feels much more in line with its predecessor, 2016's Doctor Strange , which is listed as a "Fantasy, Super Hero, Action-Adventure" on Disney+.

You can read the entire press release here:
https://assets.gettyimages.com/bf-boulder-whitelabelbucket-getty-prod/4vv627szb7r52kggwnxnw9gq/v/1025055108/original/DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS Project Profile 1-24-22.pdf 

Edited January 30, 2022 by tv echo

[Yokosmom]

All this talk of cameos (the X-Men!, Fantastic 4! etc., etc.) is getting me a bit worried.  Maybe half the crowd follows all of those series and maybe the comic books, but the average person, who just follows the MCU, will have no idea who some of these people are, much less their versions in an alternate reality.  I'm hoping that this won't turn into a hot mess.  The latest Spiderman movie is an example of how to do this the right way.

[Brn2bwild]

I've seen some stills with Wanda in her new Scarlet Witch outfit.  

Spoiler

Am I the only one a bit bummed that the outfit is different from WandaVision, with long sleeves, etc.?

 

[Guest]

 

[Morrigan2575]

So is this movie, basically Live Action What If?

[Spartan Girl]

“You break the rules and you become the hero. I do it, and I become the enemy. That doesn’t seem fair.”

No. No, it is not.

[Morrigan2575]

I know that voice...well this movie just got more interesting

[AimingforYoko]

3 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

“You break the rules and you become the hero. I do it, and I become the enemy. That doesn’t seem fair.”

No. No, it is not.

OTOH, it does look like the bill is coming due.

OK, that looked appropriately bonkers.

[cambridgeguy]

Definitely recognized the voice.   Now the question is would they pull an Evan Peters and have the actor play a different unrelated character? 

[Morrigan2575]

2 minutes ago, cambridgeguy said:

Definitely recognized the voice.   Now the question is would they pull an Evan Peters and have the actor play a different unrelated character? 

Please, no. I've been waiting for them to come home 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, cambridgeguy said:

Definitely recognized the voice.   Now the question is would they pull an Evan Peters and have the actor play a different unrelated character? 

Maybe. 

Spoiler

However. That Evan Peters wasn’t playing Quicksilver was a part of the original rumor and the Patrick Stewart rumor was that he is playing Xavier.