When the new films that populate Marvel Studios’ Phase 4 of the MCU were announced, there was a lot of importance placed on “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” Not only does the title signify that the new Stephen Strange film would have the possibility of some multiversal madness, which is always fun for a superhero film, but there was also the mention that some other shows (“WandaVision” and “Loki”) would dovetail into the film, giving it a bit more significance than your typical Marvel sequel. But then the behind-the-scenes drama began.
READ MORE: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Taps ‘Loki’ Show Creator To Rewrite Script
First, it was the departure of Scott Derrickson, the filmmaker behind the first “Doctor Strange,” as director of the sequel. Then came word that perhaps Sam Raimi is in line to take over the film. But that excitement was followed by news that “Loki” writer-creator Michael Waldron would pen a new script for the film, leaving fans to wonder just what’s going on.
Well, we still don’t have answers regarding what status the film is in, or if it’ll make the planned summer production start date, but the first film’s writer, C. Robert Cargill, has opened up about his involvement (or lack thereof) in the sequel, which might tell us a bit more about what’s going on with ‘Multiverse of Madness.”
READ MORE: Sam Raimi In Talks To Replace Scott Derrickson On ‘Doctor Strange 2’
Cargill tweeted, “Since it keeps coming up in news stories, it’s worth noting that Scott and I never had the opportunity to write a draft of MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, so whatever they are working with now isn’t derivative of our work. I am of course very excited to see where they take Stephen next.”
We still don’t know what the “creative differences” might have been that forced the break-up of Marvel Studios and Scott Derrickson, but it’s clear from this tweet from Cargill that perhaps part of the reason has to do with the fact that both men (who share “Doctor Strange” writing credit with Jon Spaihts) were not given the chance to rewrite the script for a sequel to a film they both co-wrote. I mean, you don’t have to be a deep Hollywood insider to see how this might be a bit of an issue.
That being said, this isn’t to say that ‘Multiverse of Madness’ is going to be bad. Far from it. Raimi has a proven track record of being a solid filmmaker that is able to blend the genres of horror and comedy quite well. In addition, even without seeing a frame from “Loki,” Marvel Studios is showing extreme confidence by bringing that show’s mastermind into the fold. So, perhaps when the “Doctor Strange” sequel is finally released, all this drama will be forgotten.
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is set to hit theaters on May 7, 2021.