Marvel Studios’ plans for Phase 4 haven’t gone particularly smoothly. Delays due to COVID-19 have meant that 2020 is set to be the first year without an MCU movie since 2009, but it seems that the engine may be revving up again, as Benedict Cumberbatch has just confirmed that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will go before the cameras soon.
In an interview with an Indian magazine about watches (in which the actor sang the praises of the “very elegant” Polaris Mariner), he dropped the tease that prep is underway and that the shoot begins imminently, saying:
“I’m in pre-production with the second “Dr Strange” film, which is very exciting. We will start filming in late October or early November.”
This will be good news for fans of the Sorcerer Supreme, as it’s been a while since we’ve heard any concrete updates on the project. In January, Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson left the pic, reportedly due to tensions between himself and Marvel Studios about how scary the film would be. Fortunately, his replacement couldn’t be more perfect: Evil Dead and Spider-Man‘s Sam Raimi, making a triumphant return to the superhero genre for the first time since Spider-Man 3.
Beyond that, plot details are thin on the ground, though the title obviously suggests that we’re set to explore the MCU multiverse. As many rumors have hinted, this could pave the way for the X-Men to enter the franchise, with the multiverse potentially encompassing Fox’s X-Universe. While it might be a stretch to think that this would allow the previous Fox characters to make the leap, it might not be too crazy for Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool to hitch a ride across the dimensions and begin establishing himself in the MCU.
In any case, let’s hope we get some shots from the set that drop some hints as to which fictional universes Cumberbatch’s hero will find himself in when Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness reaches theaters.