Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is undergoing serious reshoots according to new reports.
The Hollywood Reporter says the Doctor Strange sequel will be undergoing “significant” reshoots from now until the end of the year. Star Benedict Cumberbatch and director Sam Raimi are working six-day weeks for six weeks of new filming.
Raimi will direct the reshoots and Loki writer Michael Waldron is writing the new material.
Insiders are mixed on what the reshoots, which includes ”additional photography,” means for the production. One source claims there have been “bigger reshoots on other MCU movies” while another says, “They’re here until the end of the year. That’s like a whole other movie.”
Another question mark is whether or not the reshoots are meant to incorporate rewrites. Sources indicate this might not be the case.
One THR insider says at least two weeks of the shoot are dedicated to filling in gaps caused by actor availability issues, while another reason is related to the Covid-related slowdown on the UK side. This is the same delay that caused Disney and Marvel to shift their MCU release schedule.
Doctor Strange 2 has already gone off to a bumpy start after it was announced in 2020 that Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson will not helm the sequel due to creative differences. Raimi and Waldron were brought on to replace Derrickson but also essentially create a whole new movie “on an accelerated timetable[.]”
Given that the Multiverse of Madness will likely grapple with the new threads regarding alternate universes and different timelines, it could be that the next Doctor Strange movie will be quite pivotal for the MCU’s ongoing storylines.
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness isn’t the only Marvel project hit by problems. Filming on the Black Panther sequel has been paused until early next year as Shuri actress Letitia Wright recovers from an on-set accident.
Check out IGN’s rundown of every MCU project currently in the works, and check out new updates on MCU TV shows from today’s Disney+ Day.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.