Unlike most of the other cinematic universes (looking at you, Dark Universe), the Marvel Cinematic Universe has succeeded in ways no one could have imagined back in 2008. Now, more than a decade later, the MCU is probably the biggest film franchise to ever exist and a large part of that success is consistency, both in front of and behind the camera. So, when something bad happens, such as Scott Derrickson bailing on “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” fans grow a bit anxious. Well, according to “Doctor Strange” actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, there is nothing to worry about.
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Shortly after it was announced that Derrickson was leaving the “Doctor Strange” sequel, after he helmed the first film that became a box office hit in 2017, it was revealed that Sam Raimi, of “Evil Dead” fame, is going to take over the film. While we don’t know exactly what the issues were with Derrickson or what Raimi might be able to bring to the table in ‘Multiverse of Madness,’ it’s clear that Ejiofor is happy, as he revealed in an interview with Comicbook.com.
“[Sam Raimi’s] coming on,” Ejiofor said. “I’m very, very excited about that. Obviously, we’ve been sort of interrupted as the whole world has been in the pandemic but hopefully we are back on track with that and continuing quite soon, so I’m very excited about it.”
As mentioned by the actor, ‘Doctor Strange 2’ was scheduled to begin production over the spring, with an intended release date of May 7, 2021. However, the COVID-19 pandemic changed that up, with production delayed (though starting “quite soon,” apparently). Now, with all the changes in the schedule at Marvel Studios, ‘Multiverse’ isn’t scheduled to arrive in theaters until March 25, 2022. That’s obviously plenty of time for Raimi to work his magic.
READ MORE: Marvel Delays ‘Doctor Strange 2’ To 2022, & Adjusts ‘Thor 4’
The film could be a big opportunity for Ejiofor, whose role in the original “Doctor Strange” was that of a supporting character and rival for the title hero. However, as comic book fans know, Ejiofor’s Baron Mordo is one of Strange’s biggest villains, so it’s likely that the sequel will build from the teases in the first film and perhaps show Mordo’s descent into villainy.