Former DOCTOR STRANGE 2 Director Scott Derrickson Endorses Sam Raimi As His Replacement

We found out last night that Marvel Studios has hired Spider-Man director Sam Raimi to take the helm of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Scott Derrickson has now shared his thoughts...

By MarkCassidy - Feb 06, 2020 03:02 PM EST

Filed Under: In the Multiverse of Madness

It was recently announced that Scott Derrickson would no longer helm Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness after parting ways with Marvel over "creative differences," and we found out last night that none other than Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, the original Spider-Man trilogy) was in talks to replace him and steer the sequel into production later this year.

Well, it looks like the deal is done, because Derrickson has just given his full endorsement to the legendary filmmaker over Twitter.

"I’ve worked with Sam Raimi," said the director in his Tweet. "One of the nicest people I’ve known in the film business, and as a director, a true living legend. What a great choice to take over Doctor Strange."

Many would echo this sentiment, and a lot of fans are very excited to discover what Raimi will bring to the MCU via the Multiverse of Madness.

There are lots of casting rumors doing the rounds right now, but the only actors to be officially confirmed so far are Benedict Cumberbatch as Steven Strange, Benedict Wong as Wong, and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff.

Doctor Strange 2 is set to hit theaters on on May 1, 2021.

Raimi is sure to do a terrific job, but below you'll find eight other directors we think would have been a good fit for the sequel.

Simply click on the VIEW LIST (ONE PAGE) button below!

Guillermo del Toro

We'll start with the most obvious pick.

The Shape of Water director Guillermo del Toro was a fan-favorite choice to helm Doctor Strange long before the movie was even greenlit, and it's been reported that the studio actually rejected his pitch for the Sorcerer Supreme back in the MCU's infancy.

It seems highly unlikely that Del Toro would be interested in taking up the reigns now - even if he could fit the movie into his infamously stacked schedule - but he'd certainly be a most welcome replacement for Derrickson if Feige was able to make it happen.

Ben Wheatley

British director Ben Wheatley is known for his disturbing, but blackly funny early features such as Kill List and Sightseers, but he has since moved on to more mainstream fare like Free Fire, and recently signed on to helm the Tomb Raider reboot.

He would be an outside the box choice for Doctor Strange 2 for sure, but just take a look at A Field in England for an idea of the originality and sheer mind-[frick]ery he could bring to the table if Marvel was to harness his talent - and wasn't afraid to let him loose.

Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele is a terrific filmmaker who has proven to be adept at melding horror and comedy in the likes of Get Out and Us. He's also able to deliver effective scares and tension without relying too heavily on brutal violence/gore, which makes him a perfect candidate to direct Doctor Strange 2.

Peele has said in the past that he prefers to work on his own projects, so whether he'd have any interest in helming a major studio blockbuster like this is another matter. He was attached to WB's live-action Akira at one point, so you never know.

Ana Lily Amirpour

Ana Lily Amirpour's superb debut feature, the "Iranian Vampire Spaghetti Western" A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, marked her as a major talent, and while her follow up The Bad Batch was seen as something of a misfire, she would definitely bring buckets of style and a unique vision to something like Doctor Strange.

Amirpour's penchant for sparse dialogue could be an issue, but she did direct an episode of FX's Legion, so we know she's willing to dip her toe in the genre.

Amirpour probably wouldn't be free to take the helm anyway as she's still shooting Blood Moon and will next helm a remake of Cliffhanger, so she'll have to go in the "wish-list" category for now.

Alex Garland

Alex Garland started out as a highly well-regarded writer, delivering scripts for the likes of 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Dredd. But it was his debut feature Ex Machina and masterful follow-up Annihilation that really put him on the radar of sci-fi/horror fans. The latter, in particular, showcased Garland's keen eye for surreal and stunningly inventive visuals.

A comic book fan, Garland has actually mentioned Doctor Strange as being one of his favorite characters in the past.

It's time to make a phone-call, Kev.

Liam Gavin

Irish/Welsh filmmaker Liam Gavin probably won't be familiar to many here, but if Marvel decides to lean heavily on the more occult aspects of The Sorcerer Supreme and his various demonic adversaries, then this up-and-coming director is the man they should be talking to.

Gavin has only helmed one feature so far, but that film is the sublime, terrifying, heart-breaking A Dark Song.

It'd be a big leap to a Marvel blockbuster, of course, but Feige and co. are known for taking chances on directors, and they usually pay off.

Jennifer Kent

Okay, so this is never going to happen in a million years, but just imagine if Marvel was able to convince Jennifer Kent to direct a movie like Doctor Strange 2?

Kent's debut feature, The Babadook, is widely regarded as a horror masterpiece, and she followed it up with the equally brilliant Nightingale. Neither film is an easy watch (the latter, in particular), and Kent seems primarily interested in exploring the darker aspects of the human condition. That'd suit Doctor Strange to a degree, but she'd obviously have to tone it down considerably.

Again, we seriously doubt Kent has any interest in helming a superhero film, so chalk this down as more wishful thinking.

Panos Cosmatos

If there's one name on this list we'd genuinely love to see land the gig, it's Mandy director Panos Cosmatos.

The Greek-Canadian filmmaker possesses one of the most unique visual styles of anyone working in the industry today, as evidenced by the mind-bending masterpiece that is Mandy. The Nicholas Cage-starring action horror is a true original, and Cosmatos' use of sound and imagery results in a dream-like experience that soon becomes a nightmare.

If Marvel was willing to allow Cosmatos to unleash the beast (the wouldn't be), he could make our journey to the Multiverse of Madness a truly unforgettable trip.

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE Reportedly Considered A Surprising Supervillain For Earth-838's Illuminati

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137 Comments

1 2 3 4

BIGBMH - 2/6/2020, 3:17 PM

Classy move. Respect, Derrickson.

TheUnworthyThor - 2/6/2020, 3:25 PM

GhostDog - 2/6/2020, 3:27 PM

I’m waiting on the day a director who steps away from a project and says “[frick] my replacement”

Spidey91 - 2/6/2020, 3:35 PM

@BlackBeltJones - Hayao Miyazaki would probably say something like that if the chance were to present itself.

Feralwookiee - 2/6/2020, 3:29 PM

Minor typo, but all true comics fans know Doctor Stephen Strange is not spelled with a "v". 😉

MCUKnight11 - 2/6/2020, 3:30 PM

So, is it 100%?

1 2 3 4

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