As the theatrical release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness draws near, Marvel Studios releases a special featurette.
Anticipation is running high with less than a month away from the debut of the newest Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Four film. The success of Spider-Man: No Way Home may have set the bar too high. But it seems the team of the Doctor Strange sequel is confident it will meet or even surpass expectations.
Check out what the cast of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had to say (and what remains shrouded in secrecy).
Cast and crew comments
Marvel Studios shared the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featurette on its official social media. This includes Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The video showcases scenes already revealed from the teasers and trailers. Plus it has commentary from the main cast and director.
The brief featurette opens with star Benedict Cumberbatch expressing his enthusiasm for the sequel:
It’s pretty unfathomably exciting where we’re going in this film. It’s the most fantastic new phase of Marvel.
Meanwhile, co-star Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch) adds:
In this story, we are leaping into different universes. But unlocking the Multiverse creates a big Pandora’s box.
Of course, the new “Sorcerer Supreme” Wong (played by Benedict Wong), had his views as well:
We’re in unknown territory. I think audiences are going to be startled. These other realities invite a plethora of all these new characters.
Finally, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi shared his thoughts about the scale of the movie. Raimi describes the multiversal stage as perfect for Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch’s level of power:
Telling this story was such a gigantic endeavor. It had to be large because it had to not only paint a picture of our universe, but of multiple universes. It was a great opportunity to pair two of the most powerful superheroes together.
Aside from the setting of the story itself and its effect on the MCU, Raimi adds how important it is to please the fans:
We wanted the fans to go, ‘Oh, how cool!’ I mean that really was our goal. We wanted to give the fans what they wanted, just not exactly what they expected.
There are also behind-the-scenes snippets, as well as closer looks at a few key elements. These include the variants of Doctor Strange, such as the Defenders Strange and Zombie Strange. Plus, the Doctor Strange 2 featurette includes an updated official synopsis of the film:
In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU unlocks the Multiverse and pushes its boundaries further than ever before. Journey into the unknown with Doctor Strange, who, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
Secrets unrevealed
It’s interesting to note that the featurette does not reveal anything fans are not already aware of. After the confirmation that Patrick Stewart is reprising his Professor X role, the leaks have been sparse around the production.
There is still no verification of the other rumored returning characters and their respective actors. Nor is there any new detail about the long-speculated Tom Cruise version of the Superior Iron Man, or the appearance of Wanda’s twins (last seen in WandaVision on Disney+).
Can Marvel Studios continue to keep the lid on any spoilers before the movie’s release? We will have to wait and see.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Stephen Strange), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Baron Mordo), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch), Benedict Wong (Wong), Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez), Michael Stühlbarg (Nicodemus West), and Rachel McAdams (Christine Palmer).
Produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Sam Raimi, with music by Danny Elfman, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness casts its spell in theaters on May 6, 2022.
