Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange was superficially very similar to Iron Man in that both Marvel Cinematic Universe origin stories focused on talented yet arrogant professionals at the top of their respective fields who sported nifty goatees, and survived a serious accident that robbed them of what they held dearest and defined them as a person, only to discover a new way of life that imbued them with the necessary abilities to shed their self-centered natures in favor of the greater good.
The major difference, of course, is that the Sorcerer Supreme’s solo debut was often existential and very trippy, with Derrickson coming up with all sorts of wild imagery that drew from the character’s psychedelic comic book back catalogue. It isn’t anywhere close to being one of the MCU’s best efforts, but it’s certainly one of the more interesting ones from a purely visual standpoint.
Sam Raimi is currently hard at work on the sequel, which is poised to be much bigger and ten times crazier than its predecessor, based on the concept alone. Indeed, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is in with a real shot at being the most unique and singular entry in the long-running franchise yet, and we’ve now heard from our sources – the same ones who told us Rachel McAdams would be back for the film long before it was confirmed – that Benedict Cumberbatch’s title hero will end up battling giant demons at some point in the movie.
Of course, the climactic time loop showdown between Doctor Strange and Dormammu in the first outing has already introduced the idea of all-powerful demonic threats existing out there in the multiverse, and with next year’s follow-up set to increase the stakes in every possible way, it’s only fair that the good doctor winds up battling more than one of them.
