We’re still a little surprised director Sam Raimi decided to return to the world of Marvel Comics for “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.” Having already directed a trilogy of “Spider-Man” films and walking away from a fourth film, it had seemed that Raimi had exhausted himself with the genre. But Raimi apparently had a great time making the ‘Doctor Strange’ sequel, and he apparently is willing to do more in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Continue reading Sam Raimi Addresses Directing ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ Rumors: “They Haven’t Asked Me Yet, I Hope They Do” at The Playlist.

2024 will mostly be a mean and lean year for superhero movies. Sure, Sony has three (“Venom 3,” “Kraven The Hunter,” and “Madame Web”), but the heavyweights of Marvel and DC only have one each (DC’s being “Joker: Folie a Deux”). Marvel’s single 2024 title is “Deadpool 3,” starring Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

Continue reading Patrick Stewart Says There’s Been ‘Deadpool 3’ Talks But Nothing Confirmed & Says ‘Multiverse Of Madness’ Was “Frustrating” at The Playlist.

Scott Derrickson is part of a tiny group of filmmakers who were chosen for a Marvel Studios project but actually backed out. After massive success directing the first “Doctor Strange” film, Derrickson was quickly asked to come back to helm the sequel, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” However, after quite a bit of development, Derrickson and Marvel Studios decided to part ways, citing creative differences.

Continue reading Scott Derrickson Left ‘Doctor Strange 2’ To Avoid Making “A Monstrosity” & Says “There’s No Bad Blood” With Marvel at The Playlist.

“Mission Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One” and one of the revelations of the film, at least if you haven’t been paying attention over the years, is Haley Atwell, a huge scene stealer, who matches Tom Cruise beat for charming beat within the film. For many, she’s the real find and gem of the film, the discovery if you maybe haven’t seen much of the other work.

And yes, she’s famous for playing Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and famously starred in the short-lived spin-off series, “Agent Carter.” But Atwell’s seemingly always been slightly frustrated with her Marvel role, grateful for having the opportunity to play Peggy Carter, but let down a little by the series and some of her underwhelming appearances throughout the MCU.

Continue reading Hayley Atwell Says “Frustrating” ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Experience Underwhelmed & “Didn’t Serve Captain Carter Well” at The Playlist.

As revealed at the end of “Doctor Strange in the Mulitiverse of Madness,” Charlize Theron is now firmly set up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That film introduced Theron’s Clea, another powerful sorcerer on the level of Doctor Strange and hinted that the duo will be jumping around universes trying to keep things in order. But before she signed on to show up as Clea, Theron doesn’t hide the fact that she was “ignorant” about the MCU and prejudged fans of the franchise.

Continue reading Charlize Theron Used To Make Fun of Marvel “Nerds” Before She Saw The Films: “Oh My God, They’re So F*cking Good” at The Playlist.

Fans were first introduced to Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch, in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” However, it wasn’t until years later that Elizabeth Olsen’s Marvel Cinematic Universe character would really come into her own, climaxing in the one-two punch of “WandaVision” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” But just because it would appear that her story has come to a dramatic end in ‘Multiverse of Madness,’ that doesn’t mean we’re done seeing Scarlet Witch in the MCU. 

Continue reading Kevin Feige Teases Scarlet Witch’s Possible MCU Return: “Anything’s Possible In The Multiverse!” at The Playlist.

Leading up to the release of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” much of the hardcore fan discussion surrounded the suspected cameos in the film. Some were teased in the trailers, particularly Professor X (Patrick Stewart, reprising his role from the “X-Men” films). However, one of the biggest cameos was kept a secret until the film premiered, with John Krasinski showing up as Reed Richards, aka Mr.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Writer Originally Had Reed Richards In A Post-Credits Scene at The Playlist.

**Warning: minor spoilers ahead of post-credit scenes for recent Marvel films, including the latest “Thor” installment.**

In the early days of Marvel, as the movie studio was just getting started—hell, they weren’t even a studio then, characters and properties still owned by disparate parties like Paramount and Universal—revealing characters in the post-credits was a big thing. Nick Fury (Samuel L.

Continue reading Marvel Returns To Introducing New Characters In Post-Credit Scenes at The Playlist.

As “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness,” nears the billion-dollar mark at the global box office, the latest sequel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe further cements director Sam Raimi’s god-tier status in the superhero genre following the original “Spider-Man” trilogy. It also continues the concept of Marvel’s latest obsession with the Multiverse, following its appearance in “Loki”, and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Originally Opened With A Gruesome Death For Baron Mordo At The Hands Of Wanda at The Playlist.

By now, you’ve likely seen Marvel’s “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness,” or you wouldn’t be reading this. Or at least, you shouldn’t; this is your final, *spoilers ahead* warning.

This film has crossed the $550 million mark worldwide and is set to make another $60-something million this weekend domestically, and if all goes well, it could probably land somewhere in the $800+ million range globally.

Continue reading Daniel Craig Was Reportedly Supposed To Be One Of The Illuminati In ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’ at The Playlist.

With Sam Raimi‘s “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” out in theaters screenwriter Michael Waldron (“Loki“) is now doing a bevy of interviews (our own can be read and listened to here). During those conversations, Waldron has been revealing some of the characters that were considered for the latest installment in the Multiverse saga but didn’t make the cut because Marvel squashed those ideas early on.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Considered Deadpool & Namor; Benedict Cumberbatch Reflects On Passing On ‘Thor 2’ Villain at The Playlist.

There’s no denying it. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is a bonafide hit with fans and at the box office – as if anyone had any doubt in the Marvel machine continuing to rake in money. The film has already taken in over $500 Million worldwide in less than a week and has revived the nerd world’s interest in director Sam Raimi all over again.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness’: Writer Michael Waldron Talks Wanda’s Twist, The Illuminati, Charlize Theron & More [The Discourse Podcast] at The Playlist.

*You may call this a spoiler, and we’d be inclined to agree, but well, Charlize Theron has said, “the cat’s out of the bag” and posted publicly on social media, so it’s unfortunately, for some, fair game.*

Director Sam Raimi’s (“Evil Dead“) return to the world of Marvel Comics has been one of his biggest box office successes as “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” has already earned $479 million globally, which is quite the feat given the first film’s total was $677.7 million.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange 2’: Charlize Theron Reveals Her ‘Multiverse Of Madness’ Cameo As Clea at The Playlist.

When the Multiverse was revealed to be the main crux of the “Doctor Strange” sequel, the internet was barraged with a wave of rumored cameos with some that did happen (don’t worry we won’t spoil them) and a lot of others that didn’t. One of the bigger rumors getting circulated was that action star Tom Cruise could be playing a variant of Iron Man, harkening back to reports of the actor almost landing the role before Robert Downey Jr.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange 2’: Michael Waldron Admits Adding Tom Cruise As Iron Man Was A Brief Idea For The Marvel Film at The Playlist.

As you should know by now, given all the trailers and all the stories about it on the internet, Patrick Stewart is reprising his “X-Men” character Professor X in Marvel‘s “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness.” That’s all we’ll say, for this moment, but suffice to say potential spoilers going forward.

While the character had died at the hands of a Wolverine clone in James Mangold‘s “Logan,” he’s back in ‘Strange 2’ as a variant multiverse character who is also a member of the Illuminati.

Continue reading Patrick Stewart Hints At Reprising Professor X Beyond ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Cameo at The Playlist.

It’s the first week of May, and you know what that means, right? The Marvel Studios machine has pumped out another feature and is ready to take over the world yet again. This time, we get “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and boy, oh boy, The Playlist Podcast has some thoughts. 

LISTEN: DC Entertainment Shakeup: Unpacking The WB/Discovery Merger Fallout & How Superman Is The Key [The Playlist Podcast]

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” brings back Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character, as he goes on a new adventure jumping through various realities thanks to the help of newcomer America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez).

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness’: The Good, The Bad & The Sam Raimi [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

While many are excited to see director Sam Raimi (“Spider-Man“) return to the superhero genre with “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” releasing this week, the film also allows him to play in the realm of horror. It’s been more than a decade since Raimi has really tapped into horror filmmaking in a serious way. While many are curious about his future making comic book movies, the director is apparently also interested in making a smaller genre project.

Continue reading Sam Raimi Keen To Make “An Intense Little Horror Film” With Similar Budget/Size As ‘The Gift’ Or ‘A Simple Plan’ at The Playlist.

With an incredibly eclectic lineup this month, May certainly isn’t slowing down in premiering intriguing and must-see pictures. Even the tentpole Marvel film directed by Sam Raimi looks to possess more thrills than the standard Marvel lineup. From Sundance standouts to music documentaries, and two cinematic spin-offs from fan-favorite shows, this month comes armed with choices for everyone. While we’re seeing the familiar pacing of the early summer blockbuster season, there are plenty of independent and under-recognized titles worth seeking out. 

As we continue to see mostly theatrical releases return to the pre-Covid “norm,” it’s interesting to see which films will also be having their streaming debut.

Continue reading 15 Movies To See In May: ‘Happening,’ ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Men’ & More at The Playlist.

**Editor’s note: To properly review “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness,” you have to tread into the basic plot, and the basic plot has been kept secret from audiences and withheld from the trailers. Thus, this review will have to get into *some* basic spoilers, so if you want to be totally spoiler-free, we encourage you to read this review after you’ve seen the film. While we will refrain from the deeper spoilers within, you’ve been warned.**

“The multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little,” Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) gravely warned in the past.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange 2 Review: Sam Raimi’s ‘Multiverse Of Madness’ Takes Marvel On A Thrilling, But Shallow Ride Of Frights at The Playlist.

*While the following is part of the new Marvel movie’s marketing campaign, folks looking to avoid character cameo spoilers for “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” might want to turn around. Final warning that there are minor spoilers ahead.*

Next month sees another massive installment in Marvel’s entry into the Multiverse. “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” finds the title character encounters an evil variant of himself along with new characters such as Wanda Maximoff, America Chavez, and The Illuminati; the latter might have greater consequences to the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Continue reading New ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Spot Teases More Professor X While Spoiling Another Cameo at The Playlist.

After giving us his original “Spider-Man” trilogy, it’s exciting for many comic book movie fans that director Sam Raimi‘s finally returning to the world of Marvel Comics Raimi is in the director’s chair for the upcoming “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” allowing him to play the biggest sandbox in modern cinema, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while that film is starting to bubble with anticipation and is only a few short weeks away, Raimi isn’t closing the door on more Marvel, more specifically, his old Spider-Man character.

Continue reading Sam Raimi Says He’s Open To ‘Spider-Man 4’ As Tobey Maguire Cast As Charlie Chaplin In ‘Babylon’ at The Playlist.

Marvel‘s next big feature film release, “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness,” has led to a large number of rumblings concerning endless character cameos and potentially teasing future heroes/projects. Well, the studio has confirmed in a new TV spot (See below) for the sequel directed by Sam Raimi that The Illuminati will be the group that wants to speak with Strange as he’s seen in handcuffs and being led into a room with shadowy figures.

Continue reading ‘Doctor Strange 2’: Marvel Confirms The Illuminati Will Appear After Namedropping Them In A New TV Spot at The Playlist.

Director Sam Raimi is making his big return to the world of Marvel after giving us the original “Spider-Man” trilogy and then walking away when “Spider-Man 4” fell apart just before cameras were set to roll. Marvel Studios was able to convince the filmmaker to come back to tackle “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness” after Scott Derrickson exited the sequel over “creative differences.”

Some fans became concerned the exit of Derrickson telegraphed that the studio might be backtracking on the horror elements that had been promised at San Diego Comic-Con 2019.

Continue reading Sam Raimi Says ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Still Has A Horror Element & He’s Only Seen A Handful Of Marvel Films at The Playlist.

There’s been a trend of veteran directors throwing shade at Marvel Studios for crowding the theatrical space and potentially pushing out smaller thought-provoking films during recent interviews. Well, not everyone shares the feeling evidently. While speaking with GQ Magazine for their April issue, actor Nicolas Cage, who starred in two “Ghost Rider” feature films, dismissed the idea that Marvel is harming smaller or mid-budget films.

“Yeah, why do they do that?

Continue reading Nicolas Cage Defends Marvel Movies But Says He Won’t Reprise Ghost Rider In ‘Doctor Strange 2’ at The Playlist.

As has been evident in the Marvel Studios releases over the past year, the multiverse is here and it’s not going away anytime soon. We’ve seen it in “Loki” and “What If?” on Disney+. Most recently, it’s been a huge part of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Then, in May, the multiverse knob is getting turned to 11 with “Doctor Stranger in the Multiverse of Madness.” (This isn’t to mention the other multiverse stuff in non-Marvel products like “The Flash.”) And according to Joe Russo, we could be entering a point where the multiverse will hurt overall storytelling. 

READ MORE: Patrick Stewart Offers Up A Denial About His Presumed ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Appearance

Speaking to IGN, Joe Russo, who is the co-director of some of the biggest, most beloved superhero films ever created (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Avengers: Endgame,” etc…), was asked about the prevalence of multiverse stories in the current crop of superhero films and TV series.

Continue reading Joe Russo Warns Of “Corporate Agenda” Ruining Multiverse Storytelling: “Too Much Of One Thing Is A Bad Thing” at The Playlist.