Doctor Strange 2 Reportedly In Extensive Reshoots To Fix Story Problems

Marvel fans got some disappointing news over the weekend as Disney pushed back their upcoming slate of MCU movies yet again. The first affected is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which was supposed to open next March but is now coming in May 2022 instead. The reason behind the shift is unclear, but it seemed to be a response to the lingering impact of the pandemic on box office totals.

According to a new rumor, though, the actual reason is that Doctor Strange 2 is facing some “extensive reshoots” to fix some “significant” story problems. That’s what YouTuber Grace Randolph is claiming in her latest video. Randolph doesn’t go into specifics on what these narrative issues are, but she also says Marvel wants to add in more cameos and Easter eggs to please the fans.

“Doctor Strange 2 is currently going through extensive reshoots,” Randolph claims. “I hear not only to fix those story problems, which I hear were significant, but to add a lot more characters. I hear they’re adding a ton more characters because Marvel felt they were too light on Easter eggs to please fans. This is supposed to be the Multiverse of Madness, not the Multiverse of Meh!”

Randolph continued by stating that her sources tell her those rumors of the Illuminati making their MCU debut in the sequel are accurate, with certain major characters set to be featured as part of the group that will make fans “go wild”. Despite having all these heroes involved, however, Randolph stresses that it will still be Strange’s movie and not a secret Avengers 5.

“But overall this is still playing very much as a Doctor Strange movie and not like a de facto Avengers movie like we’ve seen the case of some other standalone films. [It’s] very Doctor Strangey and that’s not really how I think it’s been sold. But don’t worry, Marvel realises this and they’re like, ‘We need more characters’, so they’re putting them in.”

For a film that may end up having a humungous cast, only six stars have been confirmed to appear in Multiverse of Madness to date. Obviously, Benedict Cumberbatch is back as the Sorcerer Supreme, with Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rachel McAdams returning from the first film as Wong, Mordo and Christine Palmer, respectively. Elizabeth Olsen, fresh off WandaVision, will serve as a co-lead as Scarlet Witch. Xochitl Gomez, meanwhile, makes her debut as America Chavez, a young heroine with the power to create multiversal portals.

Funnily enough, the last Marvel film to release before it, December’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, looks to be stealing its thunder when it comes to cross-franchise crossovers. Director Sam Raimi will have to pull off some mind-blowing cameos if he’s going to top the thrill of the Sinister Six coming together – plus Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield potentially returning – in Spidey 3.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently scheduled to release May 6th, 2022.