Doctor Strange 2: The Best Multiverse Of Madness Director Replacements – Screen Rant

Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movieDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness got a massive shake-upthis week when director Scott Derrickson left the project over creative differences with Marvel Studios. While not the first time a filmmaker has departed a Marvel Studios project,the news still came as a surprise. Derrickson had directed the first Doctor Strange film without any mention of creative difficulties with higher-up powers, and the production for Multiverse of Madness had appeared to be going smoothly.

The projectis set for a May 6, 2021 release dateand had also solidified the return of cast members from the first Doctor Strange like Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams. Elizabeth Olsenwill also appear in the movie,reprising her role as Wanda Maximoff. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige had also previously said that Multiverse of Madness had important tie-ins to two Marvel Cinematic Universe programs on Disney+, WandaVision and Loki. So much had been certain about Multiverse of Madness, but now the production is in an uncertain place with Derrickson out of the picture.

Related:What Doctor Strange 2'S Director Exit Means For MCU Phase 4

Given that Marvel Studios is still intent on having this new Doctor Strange adventure begin filming in May 2020, a new director will have to be hired in the near future. There are plenty of intriguing choices for such a project, including some that would fit into the supposed horror movie directionMultiverse of Madness is supposed to go in, and others that have been sought out by Marvel Studios for other MCU entries.

Considering that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is supposed to occupy the world of horror cinema, it's likely that Marvel Studios will eyeball horror filmmakers to take over the project. One person who could end up taking the reins on the title could be Mike Flanagan. Between The Haunting of Hill House, Hush and Doctor Sleep, among many others, Flanagan has plenty of experience directing well-received horror fare that appeals to audiences at large. To boot, having directed Doctor Sleep and Oujia: Origin of Evil in the past, he's already familiar with the experience of directing a sequel for a major studio. That's not a quality every director carries and it's one that could prove to be essential in helping to getMultiverse of Madness to meet its May 2021 release date. If Marvel Studios still wants to push this new Doctor Strange adventure as a foray into horror, then Mike Flanagan could be a wise pick to take over the director's chair.

If Marvel Studios is certain about pursuing a horror path for Multiverse of Madness, Mike Flanagan isn't the only filmmaker who can make that a reality. Destroyer and The Invitation director Karyn Kusama is another acclaimed horror filmmaker who could end up making a great choice to take over this newest Doctor Strange adventure. Granted, given how much behind-the-scenes difficulty Kusama faced in her last big studio directorial effort, Aeon Flux, it would be understandable if she bypassed the chance to work in the Disney/Marvel sandbox. If they did manage to convince Kusama to come on board, however, she could bring plenty of horror expertise to the proceedings. Plus, hiring an acclaimed indiedirector like Kusama to helm Multiverse of Madness could lend a sense of prestige to a project in need of a PR boost- like how hiring Cary Fukunaga renewed excitement forNo Time to Die after the 007 movielost director Danny Boyle.

Related: Doctor Strange 2 Director Exits After Creative Differences With Marvel

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is one of the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe titles most connected to the forthcoming Disney+/Marvel Studios shows, particularly WandaVision. Juggling all those cinematic universe connections could have led to the creative differences that led to Scott Derrickson departing the project. One way to avoid such differences for future Multiverse of Madness filmmakers could be by hiring someone directly connected to the Disney+/Marvel Studios programs - like WandaVision showrunner Jac Shaeffer. She would be an especially solid choice given that she's alreadygot plenty of experience working on Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, having been a writer on both Captain Marvel and the upcoming Black Widow movie.

If Marvel Studios considers you to direct one of their movies but they go with somebody else, chances are you'll get the opportunity to helm another one of their movies down the line. Just ask Peyton Reed and the duo of Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck, both of whom were the runner-ups to direct the firstGuardians of the Galaxymovie and ultimately ended up directing their own Marvel Cinematic Universe movies (Ant-Man and Captain Marvel, respectively). In that spirit, Marvel may turn to veteran TV director Nicole Kassell, previously one of the finalists to direct Eternals, to help get this Doctor Strange ship back on track. She's clearly on the studios' radar if she got that far into the hiring process for the Eternals directing gig, and that's probably even truer coming off her acclaimed work directing two episodes of Watchmen.Considering all of that, it becomes clear that Kassell is just the kind of in-demand rising talent that Marvel Studiosusually hires to helm their blockbuster titles.

Another one of the finalists to directEternals before Chloe Zhao was chosen for that gig, Kubo and the Two Strings director Travis Knight could be an ideal pick forDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessfor a multitude of reasons. For one, he's got experience hopping into well-established franchises with his work on Bumblebee. For another, he's got an opening in his schedule now that he's departed that live-action Uncharted movie. Finally, it appears Marvel Studios has been eyeballing the chance to work with him for some time. Beyond being one of the final candidates to direct The Eternals, Knight was also looked at by Marvel to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 back when James Gunn was briefly off the project. Marvel has been trying to work with Knight for a while now, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could be their chance to finally unite with this acclaimed filmmaker.

Next: Marvel Just Made Doctor Strange 2 Much Less Exciting

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Douglas Laman is a writer, director and lover of all things cinema hailing from down in Allen, Texas. In addition to working for ScreenRant, Douglas Laman has also written for The Spool, The-Solute, Prosper Press and ScarleTeen and has also penned original scripts like The One and Only Rita Rebo. Currently pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Film Studies at the University of Texas at Dallas, Douglas Laman is also a fan of musicals, karaoke, tasty food, the works of Carly Rae Jepsen and animals, particularly pugs.

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Doctor Strange 2: The Best Multiverse Of Madness Director Replacements - Screen Rant

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