Credit: Marvel StudiosElizabeth Olsen, star of Emmy-nominated WandaVision, says her upcoming film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) is really leaning into the horror genre, and will be the scariest Marvel Cinematic Universe film yet.
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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been generating tons of fan interest in recent weeks with the post-pandemic record-setting release of Black Widow (2021) and the Disney+ Loki finale that has blown the doors off the mysterious Multiverse. As Marvel Studios continues to roll out hit after hit, fans are eagerly anticipating the next chapter for Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff.
With WandaVision teasing the team-up of Scarlet Witch and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) in a post credits scene, and the Loki finale bringing the Multiverse to the forefront more than ever, the Doctor Strange sequel can’t get here soon enough.
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Elizabeth Olsen recently participated in a question & answer session for the New York Film Academy following her first Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Wanda Maximoff on WandaVision. The Q&A was a private virtual event, but Twitter user “connie” provided clips of Olsen’s comments. Olsen said that Raimi aims to make the scariest MCU movie yet in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, explaining,
“Sam Raimi is lovely, and I got to learn a lot from him. It was odd going from WandaVision and bringing this character to a different film that felt more based in the Marvel films. I felt like I was putting on old shoes. It’s a very scary movie. It’s ‘old Sam Raimi.’ They’re trying to create the scariest Marvel movie. So there’s that!”
elizabeth olsen talking about doctor strange in the multiverse of madness, so true my talented bestie!! pic.twitter.com/nixvOhgHqL
— connie (@VATICANCAME0WS) July 14, 2021
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Elizabeth Olsen was announced as co-star opposite Benedict Cumberbatch when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was first announced back in 2019. With the announcement, Doctor Strange 2 was introduced to Marvel fans described as the “first scary Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.”
Following that announcement, Marvel boss Kevin Feige backed off that description a bit, saying that while Multiverse of Madness had scary elements, the film didn’t really fit into the horror genre. However, those comments by Feige came before director Scott Derrickson left Doctor Strange 2 over creative differences, and was replaced by a director with deep roots in the horror genre, Sam Raimi.
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Sam Raimi who helmed the original Spider-Man franchise starring Tobey Maguire for Sony Pictures, but got his start as the horror mastermind behind the Evil Dead series starring Bruce Campbell. Previously, Elizabeth Olsen has commented on the films “scary movie” tone. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Olsen described the vibe of the Doctor Strange sequel, saying of the film,
“Yes, [Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has] the horror genre feeling of constant fear and thrill and misleads and playing with camera, playing with how the perspective of the depth of field in order to make the audience feel more anxious. I think it’s more than like a glossy Indiana Jones movie.”
Now it looks like Olsen has really felt the film’s horror genre lean-in, as she’s touting it as Marvel’s first full-on exploration of the subgenre. While many Marvel Cinematic Universe films and Disney+ series feature scary or thrilling elements, Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness promises really give audiences a freight with the terrifying possibilities of the endless multiverse.
Related: Elizabeth Olsen Hints Scarlet Witch’s Accent Could Return in ‘Doctor Strange 2’
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters on March 25, 2022. The film will return stars Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Stephen Strange), Rachel McAdams (Dr. Christine Palmer), Wong (Benedict Wong), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo), with Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) joining the ensemble — though it’s unclear if Wanda Maximoff will be a hero or joining Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Mordo as another villain. In the pages of Marvel Comics, the Scarlet Witch has been both. While Wanda’s hero cred has been proven with her time as an Avenger, her new circumstance as master of chaos magic may change her status for the Doctor Strange sequel.
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THR has also reported that Marvel fans can expect to see Tom Hiddleston as multiverse veteran Loki in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Loki finale has given Marvel fans the clearest picture yet of what to expect from the multiverse moving forward into Phase 4. With Loki variants “Endgame” Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) sniffing out the universe’s ultimate power at the end of time, setting in motion an upcoming Multiversal War for the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Sacred Timeline and alternate timelines alike. Scary stuff.
Can Marvel Studios pull off a horror genre film with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Let us know in the comments!