Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ended with a major cliffhanger which may serve as the starting point for a sequel. Marvel is reportedly already eyeing a director for Doctor Strange 3 despite Disney’s CEO not being in favor of sequels following relentless criticism from fans.
Marvel reportedly wants Sam Raimi to direct the upcoming Doctor Strange 3. Raimi is best known for directing the first Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. He took the reigns of Doctor Strange 2 after Scott Derrickson stepped down from the project citing creative differences.
Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider revealed during the Hot Mic Podcast that he believes Raimi will return to direct the third Doctor Strange movie. Sneider did make it clear that it is not in any way a confirmation that Raimi is returning, but he has hinted that this is likely the direction that Marvel is pushing for.
Sam Raimi is rumored to be eyed by Marvel Studios to return and direct ‘DOCTOR STRANGE 3.’
(via: @TheInSneider | https://t.co/WAh3mPlnSY) pic.twitter.com/APM56a57z7
— Doctor Strange Updates (@DrStrangeUpdate) March 10, 2023
"So, if they make a third one, which I think they are going to make a Doctor Strange 3, who do you think directs that one?" Sneider asks co-host John Rocha. "I don't want to say it, I think Sam will come back. I don't want to say it because if I say it people are going to say I'm reporting it. If you look at where those things are going, you know, rushing certain things. Doctor Strange 2 did very well too."
Bob Iger addresses criticism of Marvel
Fans have been criticizing Marvel for its lack of quality on recent projects due to the increased volume of movies and shows. Disney CEO Bob Iger addressed this by stating that there are more stories to tell. Iger suggests that Marvel should turn to other characters rather than focusing on a select few.
"There are 7,000 characters, there are a lot more stories to tell," Iger said. "What we have to look at Marvel is not necessarily the volume of Marvel stories we’re telling but how many times we go back to the well on certain characters. Sequels typically work well for us. Do you need a third and a fourth, for instance, or is it time to turn to other characters?"
He adds, "There’s nothing in any way inherently off in terms of the Marvel brand. I think we just have to look at what characters and stories we’re mining. If you look at the trajectory of Marvel in the next five years, there will be a lot of newness. We’re going to turn back to the Avengers franchise with a whole new set of Avengers, for example."
While the recent statement by Disney’s CEO doesn’t bode well for Doctor Strange 3, the success of the first two movies may motivate Marvel to complete the trilogy. A third outing for Stephen Strange also fits well in the current Multiverse Saga. The studio can also use the third movie as a springboard to introduce other characters like Charlize Theron’s Clea.
At this point, we will have to wait and see how Marvel plays its cards. Fans will have to wait for an official confirmation from Marvel about the future of Doctor Strange.
