There has always been a strange uncertainty online surrounding the wording of “reshoots,” especially when it comes to Marvel Studios. It’s become an essential tool for directors to revisit elements of their story that may not have worked as initially expected. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Sam Raimi opened up on their approach with exactly that for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
In the interview, he highlights that their main focus was on making the film accessible and ensuring that everything works well together. while many might not be fans of test screenings as a concept, it does help directors receive feedback from an external source to potentially uncover elements that just aren’t hitting as initially expected. Of course, that is also helpful for storylines with complex concepts like the multiverse.
There’s a lot of points where the audience says, “I don’t understand this. I don’t understand this concept.” Or, “I’m aware of this concept, and then you explained it again in the third act.” “Oh, you’re right. The audience knows that already.” Or: “They had to know that in order to accept this next story beat.” A lot of it is test screenings, learning what is confusing on a complex picture like this, or learning things that have overstayed their welcome. Recognizing when something is too slow, and even though it’s a proper beat to put in, the audience doesn’t need it.
Sam Raimi
It also carries over into the editing process, as they try to bring the film together. In a way, Raimi highlights it also gives him the opportunity to uncover elements that might work even better or are worth expanding as a result of it.
They can figure that out on their own, so what seemed like a logical step now becomes, in the editing process, “Hmm. That’s slowing us down. Let’s skip it and let the audience make the leap themselves.” But it’s also about recognizing what they really like, and sometimes expanding those things that they’re really reacting well to. It’s recognizing what’s original about the picture, and when you’ve got the opportunity to, expanding upon that.
Sam Raimi
It definitely sounds like the concept helps the directors tighten their work on projects, and it’s become a common practice for films of any kind from any studio. In a way, it’s just an additional toolkit that helps creatives build upon their work and potentially even lean further into the elements that are original and stand out. It helps add a little more insight into Bruce Campbell‘s comments when he jokingly said Benedict Cumberbatch might not even know if he’s in his own film.
Source: Rolling Stone
