While there aren't too many concrete details surrounding the Master of the Mystic Arts'
sequel thus far, there is plenty for hungry fans to speculate about.
One thing is for certain: Whatever Marvel decides to do with the good doctor, audiences
everywhere can expect something... strange.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may not have started production yet, but that's
never stopped Marvel from knowing exactly when a movie will hit theaters.
At the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel head Kevin Feige unveiled details on Phase Four
of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including official release dates for all of the company's
major upcoming projects in 2020 and 2021.
This announcement included a May 7, 2021 release date for the freshly-minted Doctor Strange
in the Multiverse of Madness.
The decision to move Doctor Strange from November to May showcases just how popular the character
has become in the past few years.
While November and the beginning of the holiday season is certainly a traditional home for
some major films, May still holds more prestige in Hollywood circles as the beginning of the
"blockbuster" season.
Marvel clearly has a lot of faith in this particular sequel to put it at the forefront
of its summer 2021 slate.
Who's laughing now, a--hole?”
Marvel Studios turned heads back in 2014 when they announced the hiring of Scott Derrickson
to direct the then-upcoming Doctor Strange.
Before helming the big-budget superhero flick, Derrickson's career consisted pretty strictly
of horror fare.
From The Exorcism of Emily Rose to Sinister to Deliver Us From Evil, the director cut
his teeth on flashy films intended to frighten moviegoers.
Despite his unassuming track record, Derrickson turned out to be an astute pick, with his
eye for striking visuals proving to be an essential asset to the project.
Doctor Strange has a look and feel that is unique in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, deftly
blending martial arts choreography and surreal digital imagery that would make Inception's
Christopher Nolan blush.
In December 2018, Marvel officially brought Derrickson back to helm Doctor Strange in
the Multiverse of Madness.
With Derrickson back - and with Benedict Cumberbatch returning as the Sorcerer Supreme - the future
of the series is clearly in solid hands.
There may not be an official plot synopsis for Doctor Strange 2, but plenty of potential
story hints have been dropped by some behind-the-scenes people who are in the know.
In an April 2016 interview with Double Toasted, Doctor Strange co-writer C. Robert Cargill
stated that Marvel felt some of the initial ideas he and Derrickson had for the first
film highlighted too much of the, quote-unquote "weird stuff" associated with the character.
To introduce the hero, they reasoned, the origin story would have to ease audiences
into his bizarre world.
"Who are you in this vast multiverse…
Mr. Strange?"
However, Marvel did tell the pair to hold on to their more outlandish ideas for potential
future films in the franchise.
Referencing The Dark Knight, director Scott Derrickson told Den of Geek in 2016:
"What made The Dark Knight so great was that the origin story of Batman had been well-told,
and then it was time to bring in a villain where you really got to go deep.
And not just the Joker, also Two-Face.
It was a more visceral experience, I'd love to be able to do that for Doctor Strange."
While on stage at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, Derrickson said, quote, "we're gonna make
the first scary MCU film" which - in addition to the announcement of a new Blade project
- raises the following question: just how horrific will Marvel let their franchises
get?
Potentially pretty grim, especially considering the fact that Derrickson has been playing
with the idea of introducing Marvel villain Nightmare - the demonic ruler of the Nightmare
Realm - into the MCU.
Spoooky stuff!
Marvel fans got a pretty exciting surprise during the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con when it
was revealed that Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch would be joining Cumberbatch and company
for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
"When you have a strong sorcerer, it also helps when you have a strong witch - and the
Scarlet Witch is appearing in this movie alongside her.
Let's bring Lizzie Olsen back out!"
Seeing as there are no Avengers flicks on the upcoming docket - and the fact that her
own powers draw upon the mystic arts - it makes sense that Scarlet Witch would join
Doctor Strange in the horror-tinged sequel.
Benedict Wong has also been confirmed for Doctor Strange 2, returning as Strange's trusty
sidekick, a character also coincidentally named Wong.
A prolific performer on stage, screen, and film, he has been steadily acting since the
early 1990s and has appeared in numerous sci-fi films, including Sunshine, Moon, Prometheus,
and The Martian.
So we've got a beloved Avenger joining forces with the Sorcerer Supreme - and we've got
a fan-favorite supporting character lending his talent to the big screen once more.
But the looming question on everybody's mind is: What about Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mordo?
"You still think there will be no consequences, Strange?
No price to pay?
We broke our rules, just like her."
The post-credits scene at the end of Doctor Strange certainly paints Mordo as a villain
and sets him up to be a baddie in future films, but whether that comes to fruition in the
sequel remains to be seen.
The state of the MCU as we know it would be dramatically different if Stephen Strange
had not convinced Tony Stark that he was the key to saving the universe.
For a character who had barely been introduced a year and a half before Avengers: Infinity
War's release, Cumberbatch's Strange had a shockingly important role to play in the unraveling
of the end of Marvel's Infinity Saga.
But now that Endgame has come and gone, breaking box office records along the way, what does
the future of the MCU hold for Stephen Strange?
Earth has lost three of its greatest defenders with the deaths of Tony Stark and Natasha
Romanoff, not to mention the time-travel-induced aging of Steve Rogers.
Clint Barton seems content to permanently retire after all of the chaos, and Thor is
out in space with Marvel's other superteam, the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Could Stephen Strange step up to fill the heroic void left in Thanos' wake?
Only time will tell.
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Looper videos about your favorite stuff are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one