Benedict Cumberbatch Clarifies Doctor Strange 2's Horror Movie Debate
Benedict Cumberbatch has spoken about the horror elements present in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and what it was like working with Sam Raimi on them. Cumberbatch first made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016’s Doctor Strange, playing the titular surgeon turned Sorcerer Supreme. After playing a significant role in last year’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, the British actor is again returning to the role alongside Elizabeth Olsen who is set to return as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch.
Originally intended to be helmed by the first film’s director Scott Derrickson, however, he later departed from the project in 2020 citing creative differences. Within a month of his departure, the original Spider-Man director, Sam Raimi, was tapped to replace him, with Loki showrunner Michael Waldron tackling a fresh take on the script. As the creator of The Evil Dead franchise, Raimi’s horror sensibilities are also expected to take a front seat in the forthcoming MCU sequel which sees Cumberbatch’s hero venture into a multiverse of possibilities.
Related: The MCU Shows Why Doctor Strange Isn’t Iron Man's True Replacement
With just days left before its release in theaters, Cumberbatch has spoken with Esquire about the film’s use of horror elements and has attempted to clarify exactly how scary the film is. Suggesting that he is “not a fan of horror”, he does forewarn audiences “there’s a lot of shock horror as this is a Sam Raimi film”. That being said, he does not think that the film sits in the “same league as The Shining, or of The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” Check out his full comments below:
I’m trying to dumb down expectations a little bit on that. I think almost definitely it is the most frightening Marvel film
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