Sam Raimi on how he let Doctor Strange audiences ‘build their own nightmare’

polygon.com:

Like the previous Marvel Cinematic Universe film starring arrogant sorcerer Stephen Strange, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is directed by a filmmaker with an established presence in horror. For 2016’s Doctor Strange, it was Sinister and The Exorcism of Emily Rose writer-director Scott Derrickson. This time around, it’s legendary director Sam Raimi, who, before he made history with the first Spider-Man trilogy, was widely known for his Evil Dead trilogy of horror movies, the wild comedy-horror Drag Me to Hell, and the offbeat superhero story Darkman.

In Multiverse of Madness, Raimi brings his distinct sensibilities to a franchise that isn’t ordinarily all that interested in horror. In a brief interview just before the movie’s premiere, we asked Sam Raimi: What is it about Doctor Strange that makes him such a good fit for horror?

This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.

With the Spider-Man movies, you talked about your desire to connect with the characters’ humanity. Where do you find that in Stephen Strange?

Sam Raimi: Well, I like the fact that he’s a flawed character, the way Benedict [Cumberbatch] has been portraying him, and how the Marvel movies have been presenting him. I like the fact that he’s a little proud, and his ego has grown. He’s the kind of guy that thinks he’s the only one that can do this job just precisely as it’s got to be done. He’s not really a team player. Those flaws are how the audience connects with his humanity. Even though they’re not admirable traits, it makes him human.

Both you and your predecessor, Scott Derrickson, come from horror backgrounds. What makes Doctor Strange compelling to a horror filmmaker in particular?

Reading the comic books as a kid, Dr.