Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Doctor Strange

  • Orginal ‘Spider-Man’ Editor Bob Murawski Working on ‘Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness’

    Orginal ‘Spider-Man’ Editor Bob Murawski Working on ‘Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness’

    Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness has added another familiar face to its production crew. During a recent interview with Vanity Fair’s Still Watching podcast, the film’s writer Michael Waldron casually revealed that Bob Murawski had boarded the project. The news is significant, as Murawski is a long-time collaborator with director Sam Raimi. The pair previously worked together on all three original Spider-Man films, as well as Oz: The Great and Powerful, Army of Darkness, and Darkman.

    Other notable credits for Murawski include Orson Welles‘ recently finished film The Other Side of the Wind and Kathryn Bigelow‘s Academy Award-winning The Hurt Locker. He joins a growing list of frequent Raimi partners working on Marvel Studios’ highly-anticipated movie after composer Danny Elfman was confirmed to return earlier this year. Bruce Campbell has been rumored to cameo, but his involvement has not been officially confirmed.

    Raimi joined the production of Multiverse of Madness early last year after writer and director Scott Derrickson, who helmed the franchise’s first installment, left due to creative differences. The project marks Raimi‘s first comic book adaptation since 2007’s Spider-Man 3. Despite its original reception, there is an immense amount of excitement for his return to the world of superheroes, especially joining a Marvel Studios production. Raimi is a long-time fan of the Doctor Strange character and even included a reference to the Sorcerer Supreme in Spider-Man 2. The large-scale film is set to be one of Marvel’s most explosive entries in Phase 4.

    Source: Still Watching Podcast

  • Michael Waldron Praises Sam Raimi’s Work on ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Michael Waldron Praises Sam Raimi’s Work on ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand, as Loki explores the effects of time travel and Doctor Strange ventures out into the multiverse. Vanity Fair sat down with writer Michael Waldron, who worked on both projects, to gain some insight into how he worked on the project. Luckily, he offered some insight into the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, which had quite the bumpy ride up until now.

    Originally, Scott Derrickson was going to direct and write the film alongside his writing partner C. Robert Cargill. He left due to creative differences but remained on board as a producer for the film. Then Marvel Studios announced that Evil Dead and Spider-Man director Sam Raimi joined the project. Waldron revealed that he had to rewrite the script from scratch and worked closely with the director on its script. In the before-mentioned interview, the writer teased Raimi‘s influence on the film:

    I can tell you that it’s a ride…very Sam Raimi. The film is incredibly visually thrilling. John Mathieson our DP, who shot Gladiator and Logan — I think the look of it is going to be unlike anything you’ve seen in the MCU before.

    It truly feels like Marvel Studios is exploring new ways to expand their cinematic offerings. Taika Waitti added his own visual flourishes to the Thor franchise and it seems Raimi will do the same. Doctor Strange is a franchise that has no visual restrictions and may offer a lot of opportunities to create a distinct visual style, especially as it expands into the multiverse. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long for the trailer in the coming months to get a glimpse of the multiverse.

    Source: CinemaBlend, Vanity Fair

  • ‘Loki’ Head Writer Michael Waldron Teases ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Connection

    ‘Loki’ Head Writer Michael Waldron Teases ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Connection

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe has slowly changed throughout the years. Some stories were isolated while others would influence or have unforeseen consequences on the events of another. As Phase 4 starts to expand, we’re starting to notice that the stories being told are more interconnected than ever before. This appears to now have become the case with the release of Junes’ Disney+ show, Loki. According to Michael Waldron, the head writer for Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there could be a potential connection between the timeline shenanigans of both projects. In an interview with Total Film, Waldron teased the connection when discussing the Doctor Strange sequel:

    All of these stories, in their own way, are interconnected, and have ramifications. I think that certainly our aim with the Loki series was for it to have wide-reaching ramifications across the MCU moving forward. So, you know, was I having to clean up some of the messes that I made [with Loki]? Maybe so.

    In the past, we’ve theorized about how multiple projects could potentially tie into the coveted Multiverse of Madness besides the recent debut of WandaVision and the upcoming release of Spider-Man: No Way Home. With Loki delving into what occurs when variants alter the timeline and create branches into alternate realities, it seems as though the Sorceror Supreme could potentially have a lot on his plate by the time we reach the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness once it airs next year.

    Source: TotalFilm

  • MCU Production Timelines: Infographic & Methodology

    MCU Production Timelines: Infographic & Methodology

    In this piece I’m just going to explain a few of the finer points behind the data I put together for the Phase 3 and Phase 4 production timeline infographic, which João has again so excellently put into a graphic.  My purpose in working with João on this one is just to help people understand another piece of the puzzle of how MCU movies tend to get put together.  Fans understandably love to obsess over the release slate, particularly what’s coming next and when it is coming.  It can get a little confusing as to what is and isn’t further along in the timeline. Hopefully, we’ve laid that out in an understandable format.

    A couple of notes I want to make on the data.  First of all, this is a relatively imprecise set of information.  What I’ve put into the spreadsheet is largely the dates as combed from the Wikipedia entries for each film (I did trace back the references in those articles to trade reports in most cases). Now if a director is hired in a forest and it doesn’t make a sound, are they still the director?  In other words, these dates for when writers and directors are hired are based on trade reports.  It may be that someone was hard at work for weeks or even months before the media found out.  I’m taking the information that is publicly available.  In particular, I assume the “filming start” dates are very approximate.  Captain Marvel, for example, filmed a few things before the official start of filming for weird tax purposes.  Also, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania did some kind of plates filming already this year, but the filming hasn’t really started in earnest yet. Again, I’m taking the Wikipedia dates in most cases and there will be some imprecisions there.

    As far as director and writer hirings, I have listed the first hiring for each in most cases.  Directors in the MCU haven’t changed that much in recent years.  The major exception that will come to mind for most astute readers is the change from Scott Derrickson to Sam Raimi for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.  As such we’ve included that change as a separate item.  Writers, however, switch with much more frequency.  The process for hiring writers, managing rewrites, and then deciding who gets the final credit for both writing and story is byzantine at best.  To keep it simpler, we just took the first report of any writer or any director, regardless of their final involvement or non-involvement in the project.  I also am somewhat arbitrarily determining what counts as this production.  For some projects, development on the IP might have happened decades ago, but I’m treating those as a different project altogether.

    It’s worth noting that sequels are pretty obviously different.  Often the director and lead actor are already in place and returning for the sequel.  As such directors get “named” essentially as soon as the project is greenlit.  This is also the case of writer/directors like James Gunn.

    Release dates are a little tricky on this graph, given the interference of COVID.  We’re giving you both the original date and the final date in most cases.  Black Widow, for example, was almost totally finished when the pandemic started.  As such it isn’t that the production really took longer, it just all got delayed.  Sorting out a movie like Thor: Love and Thunder is a much more complicated matter.  We’ve done our best to give you a sense of the normal operating procedure and hide the confusion pandemic delays caused.

    Two other major exceptions deserve a mention.  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is another one that looks rather weird due to the firing and rehiring of James Gunn.  The movie never officially got a release date, but I think before the whole mess it was likely that the May 2020 date would have been Guardians Vol. 3’s planned landing spot.  Also, Avengers: Endgame was shot pretty tightly with Infinity War, so there is some weirdness in its extended production time.  I think it is highly likely that those two Avengers productions mixed and mingled quite a bit.  Certainly, the screenplays seemed to happen at the same time.

    I think that is all the details. I hope you all enjoyed this. Again, this is all an exercise with approximation. I’m sure some slight variance in the data is possible if you look at different reports. Enjoy!

  • REPORT: First Plot Details for ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Revealed

    REPORT: First Plot Details for ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Revealed

    We’ve been excited for the future of Marvel Studios as they start embracing the multiverse. There have been various rumors hinting at Spider-Man: No Way Home exploring the vast incarnations of the characters, but there is one project that wears it proudly. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will thrust Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Stephen Strange into the countless realities that could’ve been. Story details still remain under wraps, but it looks like Illuminerdi got their hands on some interesting details for the upcoming film.

    According to them, the intergalactic being Shuma Gorath, whose inclusion has been teased some time ago, will have close ties to Xochitl Gomez‘s America Chavez. Her abilities would give him full control over the multiverse. Illuminerdi reveals that he will be the main antagonist of the project. No word on how Wanda Maximoff will fit into the overarching story.

    Gorath hunting down Chavez is an interesting story element that may be the reason that Strange ends up exploring the multiverse. The ending of WandaVision could hint that the Sorcerer Supreme stumbles upon Wanda, who is exploring a part of the multiverse to find her children. Perhaps they might even have a connection to the Eldritch being instead of being parts of Mephisto’s soul. There are a lot of angles they can take with this film and it’ll be exciting to see what direction Sam Raimi and Marvel Studios take when bringing it to life.

    Source: Illuminerdi

  • Update: Mads Mikkelsen Will Not Return in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Update: Mads Mikkelsen Will Not Return in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Update: the author of the original IndieWire article has since said the Doctor Strange information was erroneous.

    With an entire multiverse to be explored in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, you can expect quite a sizeable cast. A new report claims that a previous Marvel Cinematic Universe villain is making a grand comeback in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. According to IndieWire, Mads Mikkelsen will reprise his role as the mystic zealot Kaecilius. He was one of the main antagonists in Stephen Strange’s debut in the MCU back in 2016. His ultimate goal was to obtain power at any cost, even granting Dormammu the Earth to access the Dark Dimension. By the end of the film, Kaecilius and his two remaining followers were overtaken by Dormammu and become the beings known as Mindless Ones.

    With his fate being left open in the air, it would be interesting to see how exactly Kaecilius could return. It’s natural to assume that he will certainly be different from what his character originally was in the first film. As the film tackles the Multiverse, it is possible that we could see the Sorcerer Supreme travel once more to the Dark Dimension. His last bargain did piss off a deity beyond their comprehension and could end badly. He could also be a version of Kaecillius that didn’t get obsessed with power. Either way, more Mads Mikkelsen in the MCU is a definite bonus to what is already a pretty sizeable film. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is slated to release on March 25th, 2022.

    Source: IndieWire

  • RUMOR: Monica Rambeau May Appear in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    RUMOR: Monica Rambeau May Appear in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness will see the return of Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sorcerer Supreme. He will be joined by Elizabeth Olsen, who has been recently embraced as the moniker of Scarlet Witch after the events of WandaVision. So far, we do know that they will be joined by Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez. Now, it seems a familiar face may be joining the sequel. In a report by Full Circle, insider Daniel Richtman has revealed that Monica Rambeau may have a role in the upcoming sequel.

    Teyonah Parris introduced the world to an older Monica Rambeau, who was first seen as a kid in Captain Marvel. She returned in the first Disney+ series WandaVision. In it, she played a vital role in Wand’s journey to acceptance and even gained powers of her own. It’s unclear what role she’d be playing in the movie, or if she’d even be suited up as her alter ego, Photon. She is confirmed to return in the now retitled Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels.

    Her addition does raise a few questions. It would hint at the involvement of SWORD in the upcoming film, but she may also become an emotional anchor for Wanda. The after-credit sequence hinted at her finding a way to bring her children back to life. So, it would make sense for a familiar face, who saw what she went through, could help her through whatever journey she might face. It’ll be interesting to see how it all comes together once the film premieres next March.

    Source: Full Circle

  • Theorizing MARVEL STUDIOS’ Interconnected Storylines

    Theorizing MARVEL STUDIOS’ Interconnected Storylines

    It’s been a little over three months since Marvel Studios properly kicked off its Phase 4. Both WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are now behind us, two shows that gave us but a glimpse of what is in store in the coming years in terms of the interconnectivity between the different IPs that make up the MCU. This is something Kevin Feige himself made extremely clear this past December, during the Disney Investor Day 2020:

    The Cinematic Universe weaves storylines of heroes and villains across twenty-three feature films to date, and with Disney+ we’re able to extend this way of storytelling to a new format, creating series that are connected to our theatrical releases making the MCU more immersive than ever.

    As for WandaVision, it managed to bring together characters from properties that seemed somewhat foreign to its titular characters (bringing them in from Thor, Captain Marvel, and Ant-Man). The Falcon and The Winter Soldier did almost the exact opposite. It grabbed most of its main characters from the same feature (Captain America: Civil War) and continued their arcs in a way that seems to hint at them diverging into several other (new) IPs. The common ground between both approaches seems quite simple: when the story asks for it, characters will come and go from whatever property that needs them to. With this in mind, and with the number of projects Marvel Studios has already announced, it’s hard to not try and envision some of the paths the stories these characters might take us on.

    The existing connective tissue between properties is stronger with some than with others, even though Marvel Studios will always end up surprising us one way or another. But most of the more realistic theorizing (if there even is such a thing), taking into account the information that has already come out regarding casts, plots, and so on, seems to hint at a clear/not clear separation between what are the military-powered, skill-driven heroes and the more mystic and cosmic side of the MCU. So being, we’ll now focus on the first of these two groups.

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier seems to be at the heart of the stories we might end up exploring on this side of the spectrum. With Karli Morgenthau being one of the few main characters to have (apparently) died, all the others are now ready to move on, each doing their own thing. With Sam Wilson as Captain America, he seems like a given to star in the upcoming fourth installment of the Captain America series. As for Bucky Barnes, with a Nomad series apparently in development, Barnes seems like a perfect fit. As for James “War Machine” Rhodes, he might now become the direct link to Iron Man’s legacy Riri Williams comes into contact with in Ironheart, before both move into Armor Wars, where they could be met by Sharon Carter in her newfound MCU role. Black Widow will introduce us to Yelena Belova who can seamlessly move on to Hawkeye (even if just to attend a memorial service), where Echo will be show up before staring in her own show.

    Shifting our attention to the other side of the diagram, we find several connections between shows that have already been confirmed. Monica Rambeau will be back in the franchise where she was first introduced, where she will be met by Kamala Khan who will have already been introduced in the Ms. Marvel series. Both might be met in The Marvels by Talos, who will also have a role to play in the upcoming Secret Invasion alongside Nick Fury. As to Wanda Maximoff, now the Scarlet Witch, she is certain to continue her story in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness which may become the epicenter of every upcoming property dealing with the Multiverse. Loki and Spider-Man: Far From Home seem like projects that are likely to have strong connections to the second Doctor Strange feature for obvious plot reasons, at the same time as they connect through other storylines to yet another set of properties. With the information coming out of Loki that Gugu Mbatha-Raw will be playing Judge Renslayer (meaning that almost certainly that makes her Ravonna Renslayer) it becomes highly likely that Kang will make an appearance, ahead of his already highlighted presence in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, played by the brilliant Jonathan Majors.

    These stories alone are certain to keep Marvel gaining momentum for years to come, but what seems to be the endgame here? Establishing new properties where characters from all over manage to meet for the first time, bringing together story threads from all sides of the MCU, certainly seems like a possibility. Projects that haven’t been announced as that might somewhat spoil the plots leading up to them. It should be no coincidence that a number of upcoming projects will seamlessly allow for the introduction of Young Avengers members, much like WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier managed to do with Tommy and Billy Maximoff, and Eli Bradley, respectively. Kate Bishop is already confirmed to be debuting in Hawkeye, and the rest of the team will probably soon follow, with Teddy perhaps being introduced in Secret Invasion, America Chavez in Doctor Strange 2, and Cassie Lang returning, as Stature, in Quantumania. Therefore, a Young Avengers series/movie should definitively be in the works bringing together their individual storylines. Another team being put together, even though a much different one, should be the focus of the Thunderbolts. With Baron Zemo and Abomination brought back, Taskmaster (the mantle) surviving Black Widow, and with Ghost still alive after Ant-Man and the Wasp, there is no reason for it not to be in the cards. Another feature that could serve as a continuation to John Walker’s story, maybe even bringing Yelena into the mix, and perhaps managing to dig up an Osborn to lead them, is The Dark Avengers. Marvel Studios knows that they can’t top the Avengers team they built up until Avengers: Endgame, so this focus on alternate teams, some of dubious character, would certainly be welcomed as a great change of pace. 

    There are a few projects that have already been announced that played no part in this theory. For all I know they might end up becoming the most crucial chapters of the MCU going forward. The Fantastic Four, due to their relevance, or the Eternals, due to their scope, certainly have that ability. But for now, this is it. Maybe in a couple of months, the script will be flipped and a new article will be in the works.

  • Theory Thursday: Scarlet Witch’s Fate in the ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel

    Theory Thursday: Scarlet Witch’s Fate in the ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel

    With principal photography for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness approaching its end and a near-perfect “no-leak” track record, fans are pretty much going blind into the highly anticipated sequel. With a stellar character lineup up like Doctor Strange, Baron Mordo, Wong, Christine Palmer, America Chavez, and more, we can certainly expect to be in for a spectacle the likes we may have not yet seen in the MCU. However, there is one character that fans are excited to make a return to the big screen following her Disney+ series, Wanda Maximoff the Scarlet Witch.

     

     

    The story will continue where WandaVision left off. How exactly it ties in from the post-credit scene remains a mystery. We are also unaware of what she’s been doing for the past year since the events of WestView, which took place just weeks after Avengers: Endgame. The Doctor Strange sequel will take place in 2024. Our first clue at her role stems from Agatha Harkness’ Darkhold prophecy:

    The Scarlet Witch is not born, she is forged. She has no coven, no need for incantation. Your power exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme. It’s your destiny to destroy the world.

    There is a good chance that the prophecy may take place in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel. Wanda could end manipulated by whomever the real villain in this story is and put in a position where she sacrifices the world to save her children. We got the hint at their existence in WandaVision‘s post-credit scene. There’s also one other question that has everyone’s attention. What happens to Wanda’s story as the film concludes? Does her story conclude along with it? If she truly is meant to destroy the world, how will Doctor Strange handle her? Will he be forced to break his oath as a doctor and take life to guarantee the safety of the multiverse?

     

    A Scarlet Case of Amnesia

     

    It may sound tragic, but it could potentially be the most humane way of saving both Wanda Maximoff and the world. This theory is actually not far off from the comics. After the events of House of M, the world went back to normal, and Wanda Maximoff disappeared from the face of the Earth. Even Doctor Strange couldn’t find her. She eventually reappeared in New Avengers #26, where Wanda was found in a village, with no memories of her time as an Avenger or as the Scarlet Witch. She even didn’t believe in magic when we see her again. I suspect that Marvel Studios could potentially adopt a version of this plot device for the film.

     

     

    Doctor Strange has one truly defining trait in comparison to others. He lives by the Hippocratic Oath. This oath is taken by physicians worldwide where they promise to bring no harm to another human. It was first acknowledged in the first Doctor Strange film, right after he took the life of one of Kaecilius’ acolytes, promising that he wouldn’t do that ever again. He became a doctor to “save lives, not take them.” There’s also a second medical element that Dr. Strange uses later on in Avengers: Infinity War, which is known as “triage.”

    It is how he prioritizes tasks, such as prioritizing the Time Stone over Tony and Peter’s lives because “the universe” depended on it. It will be interesting to see if the film will bring Doctor Strange’s moral system into question by making him decide what’s more important: saving the multiverse or the life of one singular being out of pity. By erasing her mind, it allows Strange to do both as he would technically “erase” Scarlet Witch while still saving Wanda Maximoff and ensures that the dimensional rifts don’t destroy the multiverse.

  • ‘DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS’ to Wrap Filming This Week

    ‘DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS’ to Wrap Filming This Week

    With so many Marvel Studios productions going on simultaneously, it’s often hard to keep track of which project is at what point. Thankfully, Marvel Studios The-One-Above-All has our backs. In an interview with The Undefeated, Kevin Feige mentioned that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will complete principal photography in the UK this week.

    Production on the sequel began last November and was, at one point, delayed by a COVID surge in London. As noteworthy as the impending end of production is the new hat being sported by Feige. The Sanctum logo on the front looks to be an allusion to the multiverse and perhaps the idea that the Sanctums are focal points of it; additionally, the star on the side of the hat is a clear nod to America Chavez’s role in the film and the star-shaped portals she uses to travel through the multiverse. The film’s working title, Stellar Vortex, seems to also have been in reference to Chavez’s unique abilities.

    Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong and Xochitl Gomez and is currently slated to hit theaters on March 25, 2022. Find out everything we know about the film right here!

    Source: The Undefeated