Benedict Cumberbatch admits he was gutted Scott Derrickson didn’t direct the sequel

The 45-year-old actor Benedict Cumberbatch was “sad” when he found out Scott Derrickson had been replaced in the movie as director

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ is in post production for a 2022 release and London born actor Benedict Cumberbatch will premise his role as the titular superhero Stephen Strange in the upcoming sequel – has weighed in on the two sides parting ways with Marvel Studios appointing Sam Raimi as his replacement.

“I was sad to hear about it, but that was not my decision reveals Benedict.

“It was creative differences” a source told MarkMeets.

The director has prevous said “I’ve made some hard creative choices this year. But I swore after making The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) that I would never again find myself at the end of somebody else’s movie, and I’m sticking to that”.

“I completely respected the studio’s decision, and it was done very amicably.

“The grown-ups called and just talked me through it. And that was that.”

He added: “He was an assured pair of hands, who knew that world. He’s got certain Raimi traits.

‘Spider-Man‘ filmmaker Sam Raimi – who directed three movies starring Tobey Maguire as the web-slinger – is coming on board with certain “trains”, and Cumberbatch is excited to see what he brings to the movie.

“The smashed-zoom close-up. The mixture of just on the level of horror and just on the level of camp. There’s fun in there, but there should be some real thrills as well.”

Meanwhile, the actor also delved into how Cumberbatch is impacting his own performances and how the process as a whole is giving him “a lot more freedom”.

“With the first film, you’re always locked into a script, because it’s the origin story. But there was a lot more freedom this time around.

“I guess, because we were […] not literally making it up as we go along, but sometimes it feels like that.

“Marvel has this amazing ability to come into production: ‘We really just have to start shooting now. It doesn’t matter that the third act is not quite where you want it to be.’ You really do things on a wing and a prayer sometimes.”
Plot details are thin on the ground, but we do at least have a synopsis:

“After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Dr Stephen Strange continues his research on the Time Stone. But an old friend-turned-enemy puts an end to his plans and causes Strange to unleash unspeakable evil.”

Many expecting a Doctor Strange cameo, but that never transpired. It’s still thought that the series did set up the sequel, we just don’t know exactly how just yet.

After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Dr. Stephen Strange continues his research on the Time Stone. But an old friend turned enemy seeks to destroy every sorcerer on Earth, messing with Strange’s plan and also causing him to unleash an unspeakable evil.

Since the movie picks up after the show’s events, we’re left wondering whether she’ll be helping Doctor Strange in whatever multiverse shenanigans he needs help with, or if she was the one to cause them in the first place.
The sequel was announced back at Comic-Con in 2019 and it’s had some release date delays, down to a change in director (Scott Derrickson to Sam Raimi, with Loki’s Michael Waldron taking over as writer) and the other delays that have affected every movie around.

However, everything seems on track for its March 2022 release and its stars have been busy teasing what fans can expect.

Elizabeth Olsen has called it a “bonkers movie” that has a “horror show vibe”.

Release date 25th March 2022.