DOCTOR STRANGE
IN THE MULTIVERSE
OF MADNESS

A NEW DIRECTOR AND A NEW DIRECTION

HOW THE SEQUEL REACHED THE SCREEN

The title was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2019 with a release date of 7 May 2021. Scott Derrickson left the film over creative differences in January 2020 while staying on as an executive producer. Sam Raimi entered negotiations to direct in early February 2020 and signed on a few weeks later, and Michael Waldron, head writer of Loki Season 1, was hired to rewrite the script. Kevin Feige revealed that WandaVision would directly set up the film.

In April 2022 Raimi described the film’s tone:

“this film has a flavor of horror to it.”

Sam Raimi, April 2022

He added that “it is spooky at some times and scary at others.”

LONDON, A LOCKDOWN AND LONG RESHOOTS

HOW THE FILM WAS MADE

Principal photography began in November 2020 in London under the working title Stellar Vortex, with locations including Longcross Studios, Freemasons’ Hall in London and a cider farm in Somerset. Filming paused during the winter lockdown in England and resumed in early 2021, and further reshoots ran into 2022. John Mathieson was the cinematographer and Danny Elfman the composer, and Elfman completed the score in January 2022 with recording at Abbey Road Studios. The net budget was $350.6 million.

STRANGE, WANDA AND A FEW GUESTS

WHO IS IN THE CAST

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Stephen Strange and several variants, with Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo, Benedict Wong as Wong, Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer and Michael Stuhlbarg as Nicodemus West. Cameos include Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier, Hayley Atwell as Captain Carter, Lashana Lynch as an alternate Captain Marvel, Anson Mount as an alternate Black Bolt and John Krasinski as Reed Richards. Stewart initially denied being in the film before admitting it.

A STAGGERED RELEASE AND A GAP IN SAUDI ARABIA

HOW THE FILM WAS RELEASED AND WHAT IT EARNED

The film premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on 2 May 2022 and opened in the UK on 5 May and in the US on 6 May, after moving from May 2021 to November 2021, March 2022 and then May 2022. It opened to $187,420,998 in the US and went on to earn $411,331,607 there and $955,775,804 worldwide. Its second weekend fell 67%, to $61 million.

The film was not released in Saudi Arabia because of America Chavez, a gay character. Nawaf Alsabhan said Disney was “not willing” to cut “barely 12 seconds” of a scene in which she refers to her “two moms.” Disney+ followed on 22 June 2022. A mid-credits scene has a sorceress, Clea, played by Charlize Theron, approaching Strange about an incursion.

THE REWATCH

A 73% CRITICS SCORE AND A PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Rotten Tomatoes lists a 73% critics’ score from 464 reviews and an 85% audience score, and its consensus says Raimi’s “distinctive direction casts an entertaining spell.” Metacritic gives it 60 from 65 critics, and audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it a B+. Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly called Raimi’s direction “wildly refreshing,” while Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com called it a “Frankenstein movie.”

The film received no Academy Award nominations. Its wins include the People’s Choice Award for Movie of 2022 and a Saturn Award for Elfman’s score.

In the Marvel Marathon it sits in the MCU release order guide between Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel, and in the MCU movies in order guide between Spider-Man: No Way Home and Thor: Love and Thunder. In the Marvel movies in release order guide it sits between Morbius and Thor: Love and Thunder. In the MCU timeline guide it comes between Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye.