Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star Benedict Cumberbatch has praised Sam Raimi over his vision for the upcoming MCU movie.
Cumberbatch, who reprises his role as the Sorcerer Supreme in the film, spoke to Collider and lauded the director over his work ethic and collaborative methods. Describing Raimi as an "incredible force", Cumberbatch elaborated on how the Evil Dead and Spider-Man director's character and style has made the filmmaking process pretty seamless.
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"Sam (is) amazing," Cumberbatch said. "He comes with the baggage of an icon. But he's so humble, he's so nice, he's so appreciative, you really wanna serve him. And boy, when he's happy, you know you've done something right. He's so good at getting you there and getting it there. It's been a very, very collaborative process, this one."
Given the secrecy around Marvel movies these days, Cumberbatch was unable to provide any major details about the flick. However, the Sherlock actor offered a hint over the sequel's development and how "creative" the process was with Raimi on board.
"Our origin stories, I guess, and obviously the beasts that were the Avengers films to be a part of, were a thrill, but you're kind of just along for the ride," he added. "You do the best with what you've already got given to do. The second time around, there's a bit more of, 'So, what do you want to do, and how do we go about solving this?' So it feels very creative. Scarily so, sometimes."
Doctor Strange 2 can benefit from Sam Raimi's horror roots
As the mind behind the cult Evil Dead franchise, Raimi is no stranger to the horror genre. As such, he feels like a perfect fit for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The film's title refers to the introduction of the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse, and Raimi's horror and supernatural vibe will work well with exploring alternate realities and parallel dimensions.
Doctor Strange - the movie, not the character - had several trippy and slightly spooky moments, but definitely could've benefitted from pushing this side of things further. Raimi's expertise in this field will be advantageous for the film's more supernatural sequences.
Wanda Maximoff, who has now assumed her Scarlet Witch mantle, will also feature in Doctor Strange 2. She was last seen playing with the Darkhold - an ancient tome of spells that holds immense power - in the post-credits scene of WandaVision's finale. Given the Darkhold's occult origins and Wanda's ability to bend reality to her will, Raimi could utilize Wanda to provide plenty of frightening and dread-inducing moments in the sequel.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was originally slated for release on May 7, 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic put paid to its production last year, though, with filming only starting up in November 2020. The movie is now in line for a March 2022 launch.
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