Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

[Brn2bwild]

3 hours ago, starri said:

There's almost always some internet pile-on.  The edgelord thing generates clicks, so we get a predetermined reaction to something that no one has seen, and then after people have experienced the thing, they put out another video that works backwards to justify what they'd already decided to think.

Star Wars is the utter worst for this, but it happens with all of the big universes.

It seemed like a lot of the disappointment over the WandaVision finale was because these hardcore YouTubers were so convinced Mephisto was behind everything and that Reed Richards would appear.  The finale wasn't perfect, but if you look at it on its own terms, it doesn't merit the level of disappointment it received at the time it aired.

It was from these videos that I learned about the supposed leaks about this movie.  Many of them are sooo sure that 

Spoiler

our Wanda is super evil and the true villain of this movie.  That she's corrupting her varients and making them do terrible things to the Illumanati, etc. in order to get her children back.  

Which may be the case, but ugh, bleh, I hope those so-called spoilers are fake because the plot sounds awful.  Based on what has been aired, there is some reason to doubt that things will go exactly as the leakers claim it will.    

[Starfish35]

I really hope Wanda isn’t the villain.  I know it seems likely at this point, so I’m bracing myself, but I hope it’s not what it appears to be.

It’s funny - before WandaVision, I don’t know if I would have cared all that much. But WandaVision really got me invested in the character.

[AimingforYoko]

33 minutes ago, Starfish35 said:

But WandaVision really got me invested in the character.

Kevin Feige: "I love it when a plan comes together."

[cambridgeguy]

Wanda will likely be an antagonist, just like Sinister Strange will likely be an antagonist.  Wanda's delivery of the "it doesn't seem fair" line oozes a screw it, I'm doing what I want attitude.  It doesn't mean she'll be an antagonist permanently.  Tony (or Cap, depending on your stance) was the antagonist in Civil War, and Loki has almost always been at odds with Thor.  Tony was an out of control asshole in Iron Man 2, and he ended up OK.

[Tenshinhan]

I would never even consider clicking on one of those videos.  The thumbnails and titles alone are always a huge nope for me.

[tv echo]

Patrick Stewart Finally Spills on His Marvel Return
By Richard Nebens    Feb 28, 2022
https://thedirect.com/article/patrick-stewart-marvel-doctor-strange-2-return-spoilers 

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In an interview on the Jake's Takes' YouTube channel, Charles Xavier star Patrick Stewart addressed the reports of his appearance in the second trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
*  *  *
When the trailer first premiered during Super Bowl LVI, Stewart admitted that his phone was off and he didn't hear anything about it until the following morning. He even revealed that he "didn't recognize (his) own voice," possibly indicating that it was adjusted in the editing process before the trailer debuted.

In the end, Stewart confirmed that he's a part of the Marvel Studios sequel as fans saw his shoulder and earlobe, stating that the tease "pleased" him:

“Well, I had my phone turned off as it happened, so I didn’t hear anything. It wasn’t until the next morning when I woke up and looked at my phone and found that I had been bombarded with responses and that my PR people had sent me reactions that they had detailed and passed onto me… I actually didn’t recognize my own voice, it sounded different. Whether I had a cold or something at the time, I don’t know. But I was astonished, and all they saw was the back of my shoulder, and I think my earlobe, nothing else. There would have been so many connections made. But, uh, it pleased me.”

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

MCU Leak Reveals Wong's New Potential Girlfriend (Photo)
By Richard Nebens   Mar 1, 2022
https://thedirect.com/article/mcu-leak-wong-potential-girlfriend-photo 

Spoiler

While the character has no other descriptions in her Funko, she may be a version of Sara Wolfe from Marvel Comics. That Sara was Wong's girlfriend, which Marvel may adapt for the Doctor Strange sequel.
*  *  *
This Sara may also be Sara Krowler, a powerful magician in Marvel Comics. Of note is that one of her aliases is Baroness Mordo, as she's depicted as Baron Mordo's mother in various issues of the comics.

 

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

‘It’s Been Intense’: Patrick Stewart on New Season of ‘Star Trek: Picard,’ Reuniting with Q
By ANDY GREENE   MARCH 2, 2022
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-features/picard-season-2-patrick-stewart-1314503/

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Stewart is willing to say even less about his possible role in the upcoming Marvel movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but his voice is clearly heard in the new trailer for it. Does that mean he’s returning as Professor Xavier? “This is a very delicate area,” he says. “All I can say to you is we’ll have to see. But bear in mind that Professor Xavier has already died twice. I think he must have some sort of Superman quality.”

 

[tv echo]

America Chavez Creator Joe Casey on Seeing Her Jump to the MCU in Doctor Strange 2
By RUSS BURLINGAME - March 3, 2022 
https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/america-chavez-creator-joe-casey-doctor-strange-2/ 

Quote

When Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness comes to theaters this spring, the eagerly awaited sequel will introduce America Chavez to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Played in the film by Xochitl Gomez, the character first appeared in Vengeance #1, and was created by writer Joe Casey and artist Nick Dragotta. ....
*  *  *
Corporate superhero comics are a never-ending tapestry and the next person and the next person are going to make changes. What do you think is at the core of America Chavez that makes her an interesting and enduring character?
Well, one reason -- and I think this speaks to her inclusion in the movie -- is that she just seems to fit into the Marvel Universe. She's unlike any other Marvel character but she shares a lot of the qualities that epitomize a traditional Marvel hero. One of the main reasons why I created her in the first place was to come up with a character who could stand proudly alongside the other classic Marvel icons like Iron Man and Spider-Man. 

But let's face it, if we're all being honest here, she's had a rather bizarre journey in the comics. That's no secret. Luckily, her basic appeal has never wavered and her fans are incredibly loyal. And I'd like to think -- as with anything that's being adapted and adjusted for another medium -- her appearance in the MCU is a chance to distill the character back down to the best version of her, and strip away at least some of the creative detritus that might've accumulated in the comics over the last decade. For the movie, they can pick and choose the best bits.
*  *  *
As someone who does your fair share of film and TV work, is there ever a little pang of "Oh, man, it would have been cool to do this myself?"
Only when I consider how much cash this Doctor Strange sequel is going to rake in...! 

In all seriousness, it was probably not the wisest move on my part to create any new characters for Marvel Publishing -- considering their spotty track record on dealing fairly with creators -- however, in the case of America Chavez, I did it, and regardless of where things are at on that front, I'm definitely psyched to see her in a movie that costs more than the GNP of certain developing nations.

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Official IMAX® Trailer
IMAX   Mar 4, 2022

 

[BetterButter]

[tv echo]

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Will Be ‘On The Level Of No Way Home’, Says Benedict Cumberbatch – Exclusive Images
By Ben Travis    March 12, 2022
https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/doctor-strange-multiverse-madness-level-no-way-home-benedict-cumberbatch-exclusive/ 

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“It’s a big, big movie,” promises Cumberbatch, whose Doctor Strange was last seen hastily patching up cracks in reality at the end of No Way Home. “It’s going to be an absolute riot. And if it brings off the level of ambition it’s got, we’re going to have a success on the level of Spidey. There you go, I’ll put my flag in the sand.” Seeing as that film has grossed over $1.86 billion and rising (in the pandemic era, no less), those are big words from the not-quite-Sorcerer Supreme.

No Way Home – and the double whammy of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame – proved that Doctor Strange really does play well with others after all. And his second solo film finds him teamed up with a comic-book favourite. Make way for America Chavez, played by Xochitl Gomez, a youngster with the ability to navigate her way through the various realities that make up the Multiverse, set to pose all kinds of quandaries for our favourite spell-caster. “Strange is still learning about the Multiverse,” director Sam Raimi teases. “And here’s a character that can actually travel through it. He’s such a know-it-all all the time, and to have to learn from a kid probably smarts.” Here’s an exclusive image of the pair, having seemingly been captured – but by whom?
*  *  *
Beyond the chaos, carnage, and Chavez of it all, though, Multiverse Of Madness is a Doctor Strange story through and through – one that will drill down right into the character’s core. “There’s a lot of reckoning,” says Cumberbatch. “And a lot of self-discovery. Strange is almost a stranger to himself before this film unfolds and reveals what, essentially, is in his nature, that he then has to either confront or resist or fall into or become.” The answers to the questions of who Strange really is, won’t have easy answers. “There are some very bold ideas, and some extraordinary tests of Strange and encounters,” Cumberbatch continues. “There are some very unexpected conclusions.”

 

Edited March 13, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Producer Responds To Professor X And Illuminati Rumours – Exclusive
By Ben Travis   March 13, 2022
https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/doctor-strange-multiverse-of-madness-professor-x-illuminati-rumours-exclusive/ 

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Nudging that into overdrive was the film’s latest trailer – which saw a certain bald head (out of focus, shot from behind) intone: “We should tell him the truth.” If the trailer simply lists the character responsible as ‘Mystery Voice’, it’s not so mysterious to anyone who knows the X-Men movies – those distinctive tones, surely, belong to Patrick Stewart, who played Professor Charles Xavier for years on the big screen. But is there more to it than that? “I’ll quote the first X-Men movie and say, ‘Are you sure you saw what you saw?’,” laughs Multiverse Of Madness producer Richie Palmer when questioned by Empire. “There are infinite versions of these characters, and just because you may have heard something familiar doesn’t mean it’s someone you have seen before.”
*  *  *
The rumours don’t just stop at the possibility that the original cinematic Professor X will appear in the film at some point – the prevailing theory is that he’ll show up as part of the Illuminati, a superheroic cabal from the comic book which has at times featured Xavier, plus Iron Man, Mr Fantastic, and Doctor Strange himself, among others. It's thought that some of the biggest names in Hollywood might show up in some of those roles: could we have some super-secret, ultra-high-profile variants on our hands? “As you saw in Spider-Man: No Way Home, some rumors ended up being true, some did not,” says Palmer. “I would love to see Tony again, but some rumours are just rumours. I will say that I love the Illuminati. But if we ever introduce the Illuminati in the future, it might be more MCU-driven and have some more ties to our characters in the MCU, versus just replicating what’s in the comics.”

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Is Scarlet Witch More Powerful Than Doctor Strange? Multiverse Of Madness May Have Answers – Exclusive Image
By Ben Travis    March 14, 2022
https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/scarlet-witch-more-powerful-doctor-strange-multiverse-of-madness-answers-exclusive/ 

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With Elizabeth Olsen’s sorceress about to play a major role in Multiverse Of Madness, we’ll be seeing an ever greater display of her powers – and by the sounds of things, we might get answers on whether she's really more powerful than Strange. “I don’t know who’s more powerful than Wanda,” says Multiverse Of Madness producer Richie Palmer. “Meeting the Wanda Maximoff at the end of Endgame would have been a lot for Strange. Who comes out on top as the most powerful being in the universe? Maybe we find out at the end of the movie.”

As Palmer hints there, the paths of Strange and Maximoff have barely crossed in the MCU so far – save for the battle in Endgame, and both attending Tony Stark’s funeral. But for each of them, Multiverse Of Madness should provide some serious personal challenges – particularly since Wanda gained possession of the Darkhold in the final scenes of WandaVision. “Madness has many different definitions,” says Palmer. “It’s maddening for Doctor Strange to have to watch the love of his life marry someone else. And it’s maddening for Wanda to have been told, ‘There’s a book, and there’s a chapter about you in that book you should read, and secrets you don’t know about yourself.’” For Olsen, the film finally offered her a chance to share proper scenes with Cumberbatch for the first time. “I really was excited to do dialogue with him,” she says. “I really enjoyed our constant conversation, of analysis and trying to understand where both characters are coming from.” Let the battle begin.

 

Edited March 14, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Marvel Boss Debunks Rumors About Doctor Strange 2 Director Problems
By Aeron Mer Echlarinal    March 15, 2022
https://thedirect.com/article/marvel-doctor-strange-2-director-problems 

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Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige sat down with Empire Magazine to talk about Scott Derrickson's departure from the directing chair of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. 

Feige first reaffirmed that creative differences were the culprit behind the director's decision to leave the project, as fans heard in initial reports:

"We love Scott and I think Scott feels the same. Nobody believes it, but it was just creative differences.”

Empire noted that the rumored assumption was that Derrickson wanted to make a no-holds-barred scary movie for Marvel, but the Marvel Studios CCO debunked those claims: 

“There’s been some thought that that was the creative difference with Scott and Marvel, and it was not. Because we love that idea. The intention was that Strange would guide us into a much creepier side of the world.”

After Derrickson's exit, Feige and Marvel Studios went all-in to find a replacement. Feige revealed the story behind Sam Raimi's involvement, noting that their first meeting went really well, and the rest was history: 

“Our executive producer. Eric Carroll. and Richie Palmer were calling around to see who was interested, and Sam’s agent said, ’What about Sam Raimi?’. We thought 'That would be incredible, but there’s no chance of that.' But he wanted to come in and meet. And in the first meeting, it was amazing to reconnect with him, and see his enthusiasm to jump back into this world.”

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

In this recent interview, BC also talked about his Doctor Strange character and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (without spoiling anything)...

Benedict Cumberbatch: ‘The Power of the Dog’
Hosted by Elvis Mitchell    Mar. 15, 2022
https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/the-treatment/benedict-cumberbatch-the-power-of-the-dog 

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KCRW: As somebody who grew up going back to the Steve Ditko days of Dr. Strange, the most unsmiling character in the history of Marvel Comics, you found a way to offer this idea of somebody who has his trained use of his hands taken away from him. The way you use that physicality in "Strange" as the master of the mystic arts because that's kind of a rebirth, too. And then I connect that to “Frankenstein” because when we meet him, he's one person and by the end of that first film, he's somebody else who's still kind of trying to figure out what exactly to do with his hands.
Cumberbatch: Yeah, for sure. And I think when everything was about the delicacy and the control he had with a surgeon's knife in the impossibly difficult constrained and at times amorphous world of brain surgery, to go from that level of mastery to having his hands essentially utterly ruined by a car crash and then finding out that through trying to heal them to go back to the person was, he actually undercovers the fact that he has a different journey and a different path and a different power again expressed through those hands. 

Listen, it's an origin story, and ain't that always the case that there's some kind of adversity that's answered by this odd calling to become more than human or superhuman or whatever the the terminology might need to be? But what I love about Strange, and it's reflected in another character Pangborn, who uses the magic to become capable again to get over a spinal fracture and be an athlete playing basketball, is that he uses his magic for not going back to surgery, but he does use it to be somehow a force for good in this other realm of protecting our very reality. And that requires a level of sacrifice and knowledge that takes film to get to. And let's see how that keeps going as well. His scoresheets have been pretty clean up until “SpiderMan,” and then it all went a little bit wrong out of love for a kid that he obviously didn't think to question that. And I think that speaks to the human side of him that cares for people, and there is that element to him. 

He's often abrasive and can be un-emotional or certainly locked into himself and his own needs rather than others. Rather like someone perhaps who's in recovery, who becomes obsessed with health, whether it's through exercise or diet or work, I think he has transferred his obsession with control in the medical realm into the realm of the mystic arts and all the challenges that it presents. So I think there are definitely some bills becoming due in this next iteration, which has been fun to play with. The physicality is constantly evolving, and I really wanted to pin that with the spellcasting. 

Lizzie Olson had already started that with her work as Wanda, and I didn't work with her person. I wanted it to be a different articulation. And so I worked with this fantastic guy called Jay Funk. That's his working name. He's a hand tutter, so literally it is like breakdancing from the wrist upwards to the tip of the fingers is the best way of describing it. It is breathtaking, like the best of body popping and breakdancing. He's a true master. And so to get to have someone like that coordinate and choreograph has just been a joy.

KCRW: Dr. Strange is one of the rare characters who is an adult when his life has changed, which means you're somebody who is set in his ways, who was a respected professional, somebody who basically didn't want to connect with other people, because his skills let him do that for him, and then had to immerse himself into a world that he found kind of repellent, because there's some part of him that doesn't like people.
Cumberbatch: For sure. And I think it's the sort of slightly Sherlockian coloring of his character, and God knows they were influenced by him. He definitely viewed people as a problem to be solved in a very Sherlockian way. His human touch, his bedside manner is kind of never in existence. It was all about the process of solving the case, in his case, the difficulty of surgery. And then I think with the sorcerer supreme as well, not that he is a sorcerer supreme. He's a master of domestic arts, but his state is a little lower than it is in the comics. But that's a different story, and one that requires another interview, probably with Bennie Wong to explain why. But I think it's very apparent that he's in isolation there. And it costs him a relationship in that first film. And that's a choice.

I think he only realizes once he's had the evolution at the hands of the ancient world, what he's screwed up and is going to miss in Christine. And so that is a painful goodbye. He realizes that there could have been a future with them and that seed is sown in that moment in the film. But you're right; maybe that is part of what he actually is fine with. He's fine with aligning himself with creatures and spirits and everything else that's thrown at him and that's why he can be a slight outsider as an Avenger. 

People say that you were in the Avengers, but you're not an Avenger, right? 
No, I'm not. I'm not at Stark Tower with Nick Fury. No, he's sort of outside of that realm, but I don't think that's necessarily a character trait. I think that is just a job title. He's there to protect the reality of the Avengers in a different way to what they have been fighting up until the point that everything collides in the last two Avengers movies, so he holds his position as an adult on the periphery of that, but I think only for so long. There's always a moment where he has to work with people and team up. And you know, we might see that in the next film; you have to wait and see.

KCRW: Strange seems almost more comfortable in these mystic worlds because at least there aren't people. And he can have some curiosity about these things that he thinks he knows, and can deal with or doesn't want to be in contact with. I felt like, at some point, you gotta find something to play.
Cumberbatch: Yeah. And if you're not a people person, how would you do that? Well, I mean, the trademark snarkiness, the kind of off the cuff wit and put down, the sort of the ego behind that, but also the enjoyable aspect of that, which is something we've seen very prevalent with Tony Stark, and especially Downey's incandescent encapsulation of that, in his performance over the last decade. It's definitely something where I feel it's not just the goatees that the men have to talk about. There is a way that they have difficulty with other people or a manner in which their egos get the better of them. And their wit is something that comes up full score on many occasions. I think that in the past that has been the case with Strange. 

I think this does veer into the realm of plot spoilers, so I can't talk too much about it, because this film is definitely an evolution of that characteristic. We'll definitely see him being challenged on that front. That much I can say. And I think that's a good thing. We need to shake him up. You can't be a superhero in isolation. They have to interact with people. Good, bad or indifferent. And whatever the outcomes are, there has to be an exchange. I think there is a buddy thing going on with Wong, for sure. That's the sort of odd couple relationship akin to Watson and Sherlock. It's no secret that Wanda Maximoff is a big part of the next film, and that's all I'm gonna say. I can feel the little infrared dots creeping over the horizon.

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Spoiler from Empire magazine's article on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (read caption to pic image below)...

Spoiler

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by tv echo

[Brn2bwild]

Maybe this is nitpicking, but why couldn't Wanda's Scarlet Witch outfit match with the one in WandaVision?  Not saying the movie version is bad, but it's different.  Not sure which one I prefer, but I'm obviously more used to the WandaVision outfit.

[tv echo]

Rachel McAdams Breaks Silence on Marvel Return
By Pierre Chanliau    March 17, 2022
https://thedirect.com/article/marvel-rachel-mcadams-doctor-strange-2-return 

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In an interview with Empire Magazine (via Great Magazines), Rachel McAdams spoke about her expanded role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Unlike the original Doctor Strange, McAdams said that she "wasn't just wearing scrubs this time around" for the sequel and that she "was certainly a part of things I've never seen on screen."

Benedict Cumberbatch also talked about playing

Spoiler

at least three Variants of himself in the sequel,

which he believes has "very bold ideas" and that there will be "very unexpected conclusions" for the audience:

“There are some very bold ideas, and some extraordinary tests of Strange and encounters. There are some very unexpected conclusions. It’s fascinating to explore what would happen if there was an alternate reality that you could visit and all the mess that might ensue.”
*  *  *
“There’s a lot of reckoning. And a lot of self-discovery. Strange is almost a stranger to himself before this film unfolds and reveals what, essentially, is in his nature, that he then has to either confront or resist or fall into or become.”

Also, from Marvel's official Latin America twitter page:

Edited March 18, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

BC commented about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness during this press interview for his latest movie...

Benedict Cumberbatch: My ‘The Power Of The Dog’ Character “Represents Anyone Who Hasn’t Been Seen Or Heard Or Understood”
By Antonia Blyth   March 17, 2022 
https://deadline.com/2022/03/benedict-cumberbatch-the-power-of-the-dog-interview-jane-campion-1234979331/ 

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DEADLINE: That Marvel film you mentioned is of course Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. What’s been your takeaway from that experience?
CUMBERBATCH: It’s been tough. I’ll be honest with you. It’s had quite a journey, this film. But not in a kind of poor me way, just like the nature of where we’re at. To try and make a massive film like that under the constrictions of a pandemic and the delays that have ensued, partly because of The Power of the Dog, but also because of everything that was lined up and had to be pushed back from Marvel. It’s been tough for everyone. Also, incredibly enjoyable and no less enjoyable than the first one. So, I hope the results are as good, but yeah, I think it can’t be underestimated. It’s really… This is a film that has a lot of resources. It’s nothing compared to the struggles of live performance. It’s really, it’s tough, but very rewarding, very fun.

 

Edited March 19, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Cinemark Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Trailer
Cinemark    Mar 22, 2022

 

[tv echo]

Benedict Cumberbatch defends Doctor Strange breaking the multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home
By Jordan Farley Contributions from Jack Shepherd published March 31, 2022
https://www.gamesradar.com/doctor-strange-spider-man-no-way-home-benedict-cumberbatch-defends/ 

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The actor teases that what that multiverse-shaking moment means for the MCU is "opened up" in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel.

"It is madness, for sure, what happens in our film," he continues. "It’s pretty full-on. And it’s big, man. It’s very, very ambitious. And if we bring it off, I think it could be one of the biggest [Marvel films] we’ve seen so far.”

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by tv echo

[AimingforYoko]

'Fate' TV Spot:

"It'll get you back on the lunchbox." "So, no pressure then." Forget Spider-Man, apparently Strange is the next Iron Man.

[Morrigan2575]

On 3/18/2022 at 1:47 AM, Brn2bwild said:

Maybe this is nitpicking, but why couldn't Wanda's Scarlet Witch outfit match with the one in WandaVision?  Not saying the movie version is bad, but it's different.  Not sure which one I prefer, but I'm obviously more used to the WandaVision outfit.

Two different Scarlet Witches?

[tv echo]

Another new TV spot....

FYI...

Edited April 6, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Fandango is listing a runtime of 2 hours, 6 minutes...

https://www.fandango.com/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness-2022-222999/movie-overview

Quote

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (2022)
NR, 2 hr 6 min | Fri, May 6, 2022

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.
*  *  *
RELEASE DATE: Friday, May 6, 2022

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

‘Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness’ First Day Pre-Sales Best So Far In 2022 For Fandango
By Anthony D'Alessandro    April 7, 2022
https://deadline.com/2022/04/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness-first-day-presales-1234996338/

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Tickets went on sale yesterday for Disney/Marvel’s highly anticipated Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Fandango reports it’s their best so far this year for a pic’s initial 24-hour period of sales, beating Warner Bros.’ The Batman. The movie which takes place following the events of Disney+/Marvel’s WandaVision, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, fires up summer on May 6.

We hear that the first day presales for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are the best since Spider-Man: No Way Home (which went on sale on Nov. 29, 2021), but didn’t topple them. The Batman opened to $134M this year, while Spider-Man: No Way Home notched the best domestic opening during the pandemic and the second-best of all-time with $260M.

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Dream
Marvel Entertainment    Apr 6, 2022

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Get Tickets Now
Marvel Entertainment    Apr 6, 2022

Edited April 8, 2022 by tv echo

[Shannon L.]

Pre-sales broke the AMC website again.  After two of us spent a couple of hours of trying, I finally went to Fandango and was able to get them through that.  It would appear that this is going to be the norm for a while now, at least.  I wish AMC could do something to their website so that it could handle the traffic.

[Ms.Moon]

My sister who is not a Dr. Strange person is sold on the new movie.  I was able to get tickets to see the first movie by myself on opening weekend.  I tried to get tickets for us to go see Dr. Strange 2 but unless we want to sit directly under the screen we are going to have to wait for the following weekend to go see the movie.

[Brn2bwild]

I bought my ticket through Fandango, but for the evening of Thursday, May 5.  It's been so long since I've been to the movies, let alone for a premiere, is it normal for a movie to be shown in cinemas the day before its official release date?

[phalange]

I ordered my tickets the morning they went on sale, but through my local chain's app, not through Fandango. Mine are also for May 5. Since the official release date is May 6, will anything we post on the 5th need to go under a spoiler cut? I don't want to accidentally spoil anyone! 

[Shannon L.]

6 hours ago, Brn2bwild said:

I bought my ticket through Fandango, but for the evening of Thursday, May 5.  It's been so long since I've been to the movies, let alone for a premiere, is it normal for a movie to be shown in cinemas the day before its official release date?

Yes, but only evening shows, as far as I know. My son always goes to the Thursday night viewings for Marvel and Star Wars movies--it happens quite frequently.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Shannon L.

[tv echo]

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Enter the Multiverse
Marvel Entertainment   Apr 11, 2022

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by tv echo

[Morrigan2575]

Going to have to setup Twitter to mute words very soon.

[tv echo]

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Reckoning
Marvel Entertainment  Apr 13, 2022

 

[tv echo]

Here are the 5 official posters...

IMAX poster:

Dolby Cinema poster:

Real D 3D poster:

Screen X poster:

Official theatrical poster:

(source)

Edited April 17, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Mild spoilers, but nothing you couldn't learn or guess from watching the previously released trailers...

'DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS' DIRECTOR SAM RAIMI REVEALS NEW DETAILS ABOUT HIS FIRST MCU FILM
ERIK DAVIS    APRIL 6, 2022
https://www.fandango.com/movie-news/doctor-strange-in-the-multiverse-of-madness-director-sam-raimi-reveals-new-details-about-his-first-mcu-film-754540 

Quote

Fandango: My first question comes with a short story. A couple of weeks ago, I sat with Elizabeth Olsen and her husband at the Critics Choice Awards. I told Lizzie that I’d be speaking to you, and I asked her for a good question that I could kick off our conversation with. She said, "Ask him how familiar he was with 'the new Marvel' when he was approached for this film." The new Marvel meaning the Marvel Cinematic Universe, everything from Iron Man on. So that’s my first question to you, by way of Lizzie Olsen.
Sam Raimi: Well, since you got to give a short story, I'm going to give a two-part answer. I had seen Iron Man, the first Avengers, Black Panther and Doctor Strange, and little clips of the other movies. They've made 28 movies. I've only really seen four or five, so I'll say not that familiar. That's part one. By the way, I loved what I saw, but not that familiar. But part two is I was a giant fan of the Marvel comic books of the '70s and '80s and into the '90s. So, I was super familiar with the characters, and their stories, and their interactions. That's what the Marvel movies are based on. So that's my answer.

Fandango: Speaking of Lizzie Olsen, how would you say Wanda evolves as a character in this film? Will we see a more powerful Wanda? Will we see multiple versions of the character?
Sam Raimi: Yes. The movie is a journey into the multiverse, so you do see different iterations of Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange, and even Lizzie Olsen's character of Wanda Maximoff. So, the actors have to play that. It's a great challenge for them and great fun to direct them playing these altered versions of themselves.
*  *  *
Fandango: Who would you say is more powerful in this film, Doctor Strange or Wanda?
Sam Raimi: Wow. That's a question I've been asking kids on the playground since third grade. Who is stronger, this character or that character? Well, I think Wanda's magic, from Marvel lore, is more powerful than almost any of the other characters in this picture, but Doctor Strange has the knowledge of the mystic arts that Wanda doesn't have, and he's got the help of Kamar-Taj. If you were to pit them against each other, different altered versions of themselves ... there could be a Doctor Strange out there that's more powerful than our Wanda. Or there could be a Wanda out there who is more powerful than our Wanda here. So, because of these altered versions, it's all a mixed bag of possibilities.

Fandango: Benedict Cumberbatch has said that this film will rival Spider-Man: No Way Home, in terms of all its surprises. What can you tease fans when it comes to the number of surprises or cameos that are in this film?
Sam Raimi: I guess I would say that ... Spider-Man [No Way Home] broke open [the idea that] characters from the multiverse could visit our universe. But this is the first time that characters from our universe will go out into the multiverse and experience other universes. So, it's going to be a continuation, but that, I think, is one of the biggest appeals. Finding other realities, and how they rhyme with our own, or how they are completely the opposite, or variations thereof. I think therein lies the interest of this picture.
*  *  *
Fandango: One moment in the trailer that fans were very excited about was the appearance of what appeared to be Patrick Stewart's Xavier on this council, perhaps a reference to Marvel's Illuminati. What can you tell us about this council and how they factor into the film?
Sam Raimi: I couldn't promise you that Patrick Stewart's in the picture. That's all that Marvel will let me say.
*  *  *
Fandango: We do get to meet America Chavez in this film (played by Xochitl Gomez), which is exciting. It appears that she and Doctor Strange go on an adventure together. How would you describe their relationship in this film, and what does a character like Chavez add to this story?
Sam Raimi: Well, she adds an exciting spirit of youth. She's a newcomer to her powers and to our world. She actually comes from another universe. I think she brings a sense of lightness and youth. Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange can be a very egotistical and stuffy character, a know-it-all. She just flies in the face of that. She doesn't really have respect for him originally. She sees right through the fronts that he puts up. She's much more down to earth and one of us, and she doesn't take his attitude. I don't think he likes that at first. So, she creates a contrast.

Fandango: Kevin Feige has teased that fans of Evil Dead II will be very happy when they watch this film. What does he mean by that? Please tell us that someone is getting a chainsaw arm in this film, Sam!
Sam Raimi: [laughs] That's the one thing I can tell you that does not happen! I think what [Kevin] meant, from my point of view, is that this film has a flavor of horror to it. I think when the original director, Scott Derrickson, and Kevin promoted the coming of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, they said that it was going to be the first Marvel superhero film that had an element of horror to it. I hope I'm not misquoting them. But even after Scott left the picture due to creative differences, that was still the mandate -- to make the first Marvel film that had an element of horror. So, I kept true to their original statements.

I think that's what Kevin means, because it is spooky at some times and scary at others. It's unknown what you'll find in the multiverse. It's within that unknown that suspense and darkness exists. A tool to titillate the audience's fear. Plus, Doctor Strange in the comics has always dealt in universes and dimensions that were quite spooky, so we tried to bring some of that into this film.
*  *  *
Fandango: I can’t reference Evil Dead II without also asking if your friend Bruce Campbell shows up in the multiverse somewhere...
Sam Raimi: I can't answer that question either. I'm not allowed to.

Fandango: Speaking of the darker side of this film, though, who would you consider to be the villain of Multiverse of Madness? Is it Wanda? Is it Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor)? Is it Strange himself? Is it the multiverse? Is it all of the above?
Sam Raimi: Well, there's iterations of our characters throughout the multiverse. So, if I were to say Strange ... I'm not really supposed to answer this question, but I might be saying altered Strange. Same with Wanda and Mordo. But I would say, at different times, all of the above.
*  *  *
Fandango: This was your first experience with the MCU. If they asked you to return and continue to play in this world for a little while, is that something that you'd be interested in?
Sam Raimi: Absolutely. It's like the world's best toy box to be able to play at Marvel. I'd love to come back and tell another tale, especially with the great management they've got there.

Sam Raimi Returns To Marvel
AMC Theatres   April 6, 2022
https://www.amctheatres.com/amc-scene/sam-raimi-returns-to-marvel 

Quote

Despite admitting that Doctor Strange has long been one of his favorite comic book characters, Sam Raimi never imagined the magical superhero would get his own movie, let alone two. And while there’s a good chance modern comic book movie fans immediately recognize the character played by Benedict Cumberbatch and hold him in high regard alongside some of the other superheroes, this wasn’t always the case, as Raimi pointed out.

“He was like a second or third tier character for Marvel. Obviously, their big popular names were Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Captain America, Thor. And because none of those other movies were being made, I actually never imagined they would make a Doctor Strange movie. Just seemed far from possible.”
*  *  *
After releasing three successful SPIDER-MAN films in the span of five years, you would expect Sam Raimi to take a much-needed break to figure things out. However, the prolific filmmaker has only released two movies since 2007, with the most recent being OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL in 2013. When discussing his long absence from the big screen over the past decade, Raimi described it as “superhero overdose,” a feeling that was brought on by the production of the Tobey Maguire trilogy that slowly began to wear off over time.

“I haven’t seen all the movies, all the Marvel movies because after making three of the SPIDER-MAN movies, I had a little superhero overdose and I had to get away from them for a bit; but I saw IRON MAN. I was blown away with the characters and the great direction. And then I saw the first AVENGERS movie and I thought they really are finally bringing Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s great visions to the screen.”

But admiring comic book movies and joining a production of one are two completely different things, and it sounds like Raimi needed a little push to reenter the world he helped revolutionize two decades ago. Luckily for him and the rest of us, the stars aligned during the early development days of DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS.

“I heard that Marvel was in a jam and they, their director had fallen out, Scott Derrickson, due to creative differences and they had to shoot right away and the script needed work. And that’s the kind of job I like, with challenges. I thought it would be really interesting. So I wondered how making movies of that size had changed since I last embarked on one in 2013.”
*  *  *
“A great job for all to have is to describe the impossible because it really, it puts demands on you as an artist. What could it be like, something I’ve never seen before, heard before, touched before? How can I describe it to the medium of film?”

Another challenge that presented itself during the early planning stages of DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS was making a movie that was its own thing but also connected to various movies and shows within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially with characters like Wanda Maximoff having prominent roles in the upcoming multi-dimensional adventure. And then there are the lingering effects of Thanos’ master plan coming to fruition in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR and its unraveling in AVENGERS: ENDGAME.

“At the same time, I had to become aware of the Avengers lore and where the whole Marvel universe was, where Wong’s character was and what the state of the universe was after Thanos.”

In order to pull this off, Raimi had to absorb all kinds of knowledge about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, its characters, and biggest events so that he could make the next logical installment in the ever-expanding franchise. But as is the case with the other challenges, this too was something Raimi really, really liked.

 

Edited April 18, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Ready
Marvel Entertainment    Apr 18, 2022

 

[tv echo]

And the product cross promotions begin...

Also...

Edited April 20, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Bruce Campbell, who's a long-time friend of Doctor Strange director Sam Raimi, described the rumor that he was going to be Mysterio in a new Spider-Man movie as "fan sh*t" and then made the following comment about Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness: "Look, this was all bullsh*t... Somebody saw a storyboard that kind of looked like me as he turned around... It's like the Doctor Strange movie. Is he in it? Is he not? Bleh, bleh, bleh. Bleh, bleh, bleh. ... The Marvel guys, they make eight of these movies at the same time, so they're always updating the storylines. So my buddy Sam [Raimi] had to add scenes that they told him he had to shoot and he's removed scenes that no longer apply. So until May rolls around, I don't think Benedict Cumberbatch even knows if he's in this movie or not."

Also, when asked if we all missed his cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Campbell replied: "Yes." Then when asked which role he played, Campbell replied: "I can't tell you those things. You know, it's the same thing. You'll have to watch Doctor Strange very carefully."

Evil Dead: The Game: 62 Rapid-Fire Questions With Bruce Campbell
Game Informer   Apr 19, 2022

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by tv echo

[Kel Varnsen]

On 4/18/2022 at 4:38 PM, tv echo said:

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Ready
Marvel Entertainment    Apr 18, 2022

 

I really like how the effects are flying over the letterbox bars in that ad.

22 minutes ago, tv echo said:

Bruce Campbell, who's a long-time friend of Doctor Strange director Sam Raimi, described the rumor that he was going to be Mysterio in a new Spider-Man movie as "fan sh*t" and then made the following comment about Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness: "Look, this was all bullsh*t... Somebody saw a storyboard that kind of looked like me as he turned around... It's like the Doctor Strange movie. Is he in it? Is he not? Bleh, bleh, bleh. Bleh, bleh, bleh. ... The Marvel guys, they make eight of these movies at the same time, so they're always updating the storylines. So my buddy Sam [Raimi] had to add scenes that they told him he had to shoot and he's removed scenes that no longer apply. So until May rolls around, I don't think Benedict Cumberbatch even knows if he's in this movie or not."

I thought the Bruce as Mysterio would have been if Raimi had made Spiderman 4, not No Way Home. And my understanding it would have been part of a montage of criminals that Spidey was rounding up at the beginning of the movie. But since that movie didn't even come close to happening who knows if it would have actually been Bruce.

As for Dr. strange I get what he is saying. His parts are usually small and it is not like Marvel would give a director the rights to the final cut. So even if he shot something who knows. Now I am wondering if Strange or Wong will be driving an Oldsmobile Delta 88.

[tv echo]

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Experience
Marvel Entertainment    Apr 20, 2022

 

[tv echo]

Pre-release press tour kicked off in Berlin on April 21...

Multiverse Maestro Michael Waldron On ‘Loki’ & ‘Doctor Strange 2’ [Interview]
Gregory Ellwood  April 21, 2022
https://theplaylist.net/multiverse-maestro-michael-waldron-on-loki-doctor-strange-2-interview-20220421/ 

Quote

You were writing the second “Dr. Strange” while this was going on. Could you have written that movie without making Loki? And can “Loki “season two happen if “Dr. Strange 2” hadn’t happened? Are they all intertwined?
The headaches I have are probably intertwined. I mean, it’s all intertwined and it’s all stands alone. Like a great comic universe, I think that one thing certainly informs the other. You’re going to have a better time watching the next chapter of an MCU story if you’ve seen the stuff before it. But also, hopefully, even if you’ve never if you’ve walked in off the street, you’ll still have a blast. It should be good enough that it stands on its own.

Doctor Strange 2 and Loki writer explains the pitfalls and opportunities of the multiverse
By Nick Setchfield Contributions from Jack Shepherd published 2 days ago
https://www.gamesradar.com/doctor-strange-loki-multiverse-writer-pitfalls/ 

Quote

Speaking to SFX Magazine for the new issue, featuring Stranger Things on the cover, Waldron explains how the multiverse is both an "opportunity" and a "trap".

"The danger is you can expand your scope too wide, and you can actually reduce the stakes if you don’t make it personal as you go bigger and wider," he says. "But the opportunity in the multiverse is to have characters confront literal ‘What ifs?’ and alternate versions of themselves and perhaps others in their lives. It’s an interesting way to hold up a mirror to characters. 

"In every way, it shapes the emotional heart of the story. It has to. The multiverse isn’t just a MacGuffin where we’re like, 'Okay, this is just a kitschy thing that we’re playing with in this movie.’ If you’re faced with alternate realities and with alternate versions of yourself that has to become the emotional heart, exploring who you might be if you were a different version of yourself, if you made other choices, the right choices or the wrong choices. It’s complex stuff, emotionally, and that’s exactly why it’s so thrilling and so great for a cast as dramatically talented as this one."

 

Edited April 22, 2022 by tv echo

[Twilight Man]

and now, Marvel is re-releasing the TRUE first Dr. Strange film.

 

Shout Factory is making the classic 1978 Dr. Strange film

available on DVD and giving it a high-definition restoration.

(because you got to see these cheesy special effects in high def)

 

For all of you young "whipper-snappers" who only know Marvel films

from Blade onward. you are truly missing twenty years of "Marvel Mistakes",

featuring the likes of Reb Brown as Captain America,

David Hasselhoff as Nick Fury, and Peter Hooten as Dr. Strange.

Ah, those were the days when we TRULY understood how much

a superhero movie truly SUCKED.

[tv echo]

Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | A Mind-Bending Vision Featurette
Marvel Entertainment    Apr 22, 2022

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by tv echo

[tv echo]

Edited April 24, 2022 by tv echo

[Maisiesmom]

Saw a trailer for this film while waiting for a different show to start.  I love Strange and have seen the other movies but I was becoming overwhelmed with all the effects and sounds. I know my hubs will go (he never misses a comic book movie) but I think I will be giving this one a pass. Sensory overload is not good for me so I hope everyone else has a good time.

[tv echo]

Edited April 25, 2022 by tv echo

[Shannon L.]

Does anyone know if we need to be familiar with What If? on Disney+ to fully understand this movie?  I did happen to see the Dr. Strange episode and the first one.  Based on the trailer, my son thinks there may be a tie in to the Ultron episode.  I won't watch them because I barely made it through the two I did see, but I will read a synopsis of them if I have to.

[BetterButter]