Sam Raimi may have taken over for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but there hasn’t been any word of him taking on the next film starring Stephen Strange. What’s interesting is, Marvel may want a familiar face at the helm that isn’t Raimi.
In a report from insider @GGeneralHolt8 (via The Direct), Marvel is said to be fast-tracking the release of Doctor Strange 3, and they want the director of the first Doctor Strange, Scott Derrickson, to come back. Here’s the post:
Shift in movies slate
2025 will now be F4, Armor Wars, likely Spider-Man 4 and Shang Chi 2Marvel has decided to fast track another Doctor Strange movie to come before Kang Dynasty. They want Derrickson to return.
— Jason Kane (Greatphase) (@GGeneralHolt8) January 9, 2023
Of course, we should take this with a grain of salt, but with Strange being the most powerful Avenger existing in the MCU now—with the most expansive knowledge of how reality works—it would make sense for him to have one more outing to really set up the threat that will be Kang in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Going back to Derrickson though, he was supposed to direct the Doctor Strange 2, but creative differences have led Sam Raimi to take over with Derrickson attached as producer. We don’t know what Derrickson wanted to do, but word was going around that he wanted to go all-out horror with the Nightmare Dimension. I guess Marvel wanted to do too much setting up with the Illuminati and the Multiverse, and that’s how we got Multiverse of Madness—but then again, that’s just my guess.
If anything, I think having Derrickson come back would be great. Though I love Raimi’s original style, I think the first Strange movie was still more visually striking. If they’re not bringing Derrickson back though, I would love for the Daniels of Everything Everywhere All at Once to take on a surreal property like Doctor Strange; but Marvel better let them go as crazy as they want.
For now, no release date has been set for Doctor Strange 3.
