Nearly 6 years after 2016's Doctor Strange introduced the titular character played by Benedict Cumberbatch along with some of the MCU's most impressive, eye-popping visual effects, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will finally be soaring into theatres in no time.
With so much happening in the MCU during this gap like the conclusion of the Infinity Saga to the introduction of the multiverse in phase 4, it feels like the appropriate time to discuss the highly anticipated sequel that is shaping up to be one of the MCU's most expansive and mind-bending films to date. Here's what we know so far about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Release Date and Production
Doctor Strange's director Scott Derrickson signed on to direct the sequel back in December 2018 with the title being announced in July 2019. Due to creative differences, though, Derrickson stepped down as director in January 2020, being replaced in April 2020 by the iconic Sam Raimi who is known for classics like Evil Dead and his Spider-Man trilogy. Loki head writer Michael Waldron, who was praised for his work on the series, was hired to rewrite the script along with newcomer Jade Bartlett.
Like many films, COVID-19 forced production companies to push back their films' release dates. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was originally planned to release on November 5, 2021, but many delays forced the crew to officially resume principal photography in March 2021. Filming took place in London, Somerset, and Surrey. The sequel will now be releasing everywhere in theatres on March 25, 2022.
Cast
With tons of hype continuing to build around the upcoming 2021 MCU films, a lot of the attention has been taken off of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, especially when it comes to the characters. Benedict Cumberbatch will of course don the Cloak of Levitation and reprise his role as the famous sorcerer Dr. Stephen Strange. Chiwetel Ejiofor will play Karl Mordo yet again, Strange's mentor turned enemy at the end of the last film. Benedict Wong will return as Wong, who has made brief appearances in some of the MCU films following Doctor Strange, and Rachel McAdams' Christine Palmer, a former colleague and love interest of Strange, has been confirmed.
As for new cast members, a big addition is Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff. The events of WandaVision are expected to set up the film directly, so expect her role in all of this to be a crucial one. Newcomer Xochitl Gomez will portray America Chavez, a hero raised in the Utopia Parallel, a reality that is almost out of time. There are also reports that Loki will be featured in the sequel as well, especially after the events of Loki's season finale, "For All Time. Always."
Plot
Strange, as seen in the first trailer that was recently dropped, will have an important role to play in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which will present the multiverse in all of its glory. In the footage shown, he appears to be helping Peter Parker out by using his magic to return Spider-Man's identity to being anonymous, but this opens up new and otherworldly doors that are beyond Strange's and Parker's control. The creation of the multiverse, which ties in with WandaVision and Loki, seems to all lead into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
After Doctor Strange's post-credits scene of Mordo confronting Pangborn and stealing the mystical energy from him that he uses to walk, he tells Pangborn that there are too many sorcerers on Earth. It's evident that Ejiofor's Mordo will be one of the main antagonists causing much of the conflict for the titular hero. Olsen's Maximoff/Witch may also be one of Strange's enemies, as she is seen studying the Darkhold, a book filled with evil magic that Agatha Harkness previously owned, in a post-credits scene in WandaVision.
In a virtual Q&A hosted by the New York Film Academy, Olsen claims that the sequel is headed down a darker route. "It's a very scary movie. It's like old Sam Raimi. He's trying to create the scariest Marvel movie." Olsen previously mentioned to Glamour UK that Raimi was really going for a crazy, bonkers, horror show vibe. Waldron also wanted to build off of what Derrickson created in the first film and push the sequel in a scarier direction.
Footage
As of now, no footage of the film has been released. Other than Strange appearing in the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer, fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see Doctor Strange back in action in his solo outing. Although no release date has been confirmed, it's very likely fans can expect to see a visually stunning teaser or trailer ahead of one of the upcoming 2021 MCU films (probably before Eternals or Spider-Man: No Way Home).
With so many tie-ins and characters from other universes playing a factor in these upcoming films, phase 4 will surely be madness and the MCU timeline as fans know it will definitely not be the same (as if the MCU couldn't get any grander and more expansive).
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in theatres on March 25, 2022.