THE PRODIGAL SON HAS RETURNED.

It’s been over ten years since Sam Raimi has directed a Marvel movie. After helming two of the greatest superhero films of all time, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, his final entry in the trilogy, Spider-Man 3 was, as he called it, an unpleasant experience. Now, Raimi may make his anticipated return to the realm of comic book movies, this time for the MCU.

According to Variety, Sam Raimi has officially entered talks with Marvel Studios to direct Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness. The move comes after the surprise departure of Scott Derrickson, who helmed the 2016 Doctor Strange movie. The split was apparently due to creative differences. He will remain on board as an executive producer.

Benedict Cumberbatch is set to reprise his role as the sorcerer supreme, as is Benedict Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor as fellow sorcerers Wong and Strange’s compatriot-turned-nemesis Karl Mordo. Elizabeth Olsen will co-star in the film, with the story picking up right after the events of the Disney+ series WandaVision.

The initial report also confirmed that Rachel McAdams will not reprise her role as Strange’s colleague Christine Palmer.

If Marvel is able to scoop up Raimi for the director’s chair, it may quell some fans’ fear that the film would be another conveyer belt entry into the vast cinematic franchise. Upon Derrickson’s departure, many fans online noted that it was most likely due to Marvel and Kevin Feige not wanting to dive too deep into the horror aspect of the story that was teased at SDCC 2019.

Raimi would be the company’s biggest get since its early phase 1 days. In recent years, Marvel’s MO has been to hire director’s with little blockbuster experience, seemingly as a way to have more influence on how the film should look and feel. With Raimi, it can be assumed that the director would not have signed on if he were just helming a producer-driven feature.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is scheduled to open on May 7, 2021.

