Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson is reportedly expected to return for the sequel. Doctor Strange starred Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role and gave the MCU its first taste of magic and mysticism, while also telling the origin story of one of Marvel’s most enigmatic superheroes. The film was a critical and commercial success - and although Strange shall soon be mixing it up in Avengers: Infinity War, a solo sequel is also expected.
A significant portion of the success Doctor Strange achieved can be attributed to director, Scott Derrickson. The trippy, often psychedelic world of Stephen Strange had long been considered one of the most difficult Marvel comics to translate into live-action and Derrickson rose to the challenge with ease, creating some awe-inspiring visual effects (such as the climactic Inception-esque final battle and the trippy MCU multiverse scene).
According to Deadline, it is now expected that Derrickson will return to the MCU to direct the Doctor Strange sequel. The report states that after working on the recently announced Locke & Key adaptation for Hulu, he’ll immediately head back to Kamar-Taj to helm the second solo adventure for everyone’s favorite maverick mystic.
If true, the reports wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise given that Marvel Studios have made a habit of inviting back directors who have proved to be successful for them. For instance, James Gunn was surely the only consideration to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the Russo brothers have been elevated from Captain America to Avengers duty thanks to their success with The Winter Soldier and Civil War. Furthermore, Cumberbatch himself has expressed a desire to work with the director once again on the sequel.
Given how challenging Doctor Strange must have been from a visual point of view and the aplomb with which Derrickson pulled off the film, he’s surely a natural choice to return. His direction helped the movie stand out from other offerings in the MCU but also retained the key themes of character-based narrative and journeys of self discovery that tie each movie in the franchise together. Moreover, the film was stunning enough to earn an Academy Award nomination, so why fix what isn’t broken?
With that said, perhaps some fans would enjoy seeing another director’s interpretation of the character. The world of Doctor Strange is crazy enough to be adapted in a variety of mind-bending ways and it could be interesting to see what the likes of Guillermo Del Toro or Terry Gilliam would do with the character, if given the opportunity.
Source: Deadline
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