‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ writer says he tailored the script to Sam Raimi’s style

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters next week and looks like an incredible ride through the weirdest corners of the MCU. Rumors have been flying thick and fast about which characters will be making surprise appearances, with the hype fires stoked to white-hot temperatures by the Super Bowl trailer teasing the return of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X.

All that will come via Spider-Man and The Evil Dead director Sam Raimi’s hyper-kinetic style. Now, in a new interview with SFX Magazine, writer Michael Waldron revealed he specifically tailored his script to Sam Raimi’s superhero storytelling:

“[l] tried to identify [Raimi’s] strengths, the stuff where he really excels, and work out how I could write toward that, the same way you would an actor.”

More specifically, Waldron repeatedly rewatched Raimi’s 2000s Spider-Man trilogy to figure out what works best. It’s a smart tactic, as Raimi was pursued for the job precisely because they wanted the Multiverse of Madness horror elements to have a similar tone to his movies, rather than the outright scares original director Scott Derrickson was pushing for.

With the reality-bending storyline, a continuation of Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch arc, the induction of new characters like America Chavez, and the potential for a whole bunch of exciting cameos, this movie has a lot to cram into its two-hour run time.

We’ll know very soon whether Waldron and Raimi succeeded in making it work. The social media embargo for the movie lifts after the world premiere on May 2, with the full review embargo expiring on May 3 at 6 am PT.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6.