Sam Raimi To Reunite With Marvel For First Superhero Movie Since 'Spider-Man 3'

Rumors have been coming out all over the internet about “Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness,” including who the new director might be. The reports suggest that Tobey Macguire’s “Spider-Man” director Sam Raimi is in talks to take over, following Scott Derrickson’s departure.

Derrickson cites his reason for leaving as the traditional “creative differences.” Derickson notably wanted to take the second “Doctor Strange” movie in a more horror direction, something that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige later clarified wasn't strictly true, as reported by Collider.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s a horror film," Feige stated. "But it is, as Scott Derrickson, our director, has pitched it, it’ll be a big MCU film with scary sequences in it.”

Interestingly enough, however, is that Raimi isn’t most known for directing the first live-action Spider-Man trilogy, which Feige executive produced prior to Marvel Studios' conception. Raimi's the guy who made the horrifying b-movie horror “Evil Dead” trilogy.

Typically, as noted by Variety, Marvel Studios hunts for talented directors who are either indie filmmakers, like James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) and Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther”) or coming straight from television, such as the Russo Brothers (“Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame”). Derrickson only had experience on horror films like “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” and “Sinister.”

Raimi, on the other hand, has had a career spanning nearly 40 years with the release of his original “Evil Dead” movie and since then has carved out his own highly distinctive style.

More “Doctor Strange” news came out alongside this, suggesting that Rachel McAdams, who played Doctor Strange’s co-worker and former romantic interest Christine Palmer, may not be returning for the sequel. Screen Rant reports the return of almost every actor involved in the first film, but without McAdams’s character. Neither Marvel Studios or McAdams, however, have not yet confirmed this.

If Raimi is the new “Doctor Strange” director, he’ll need to quickly get up to speed, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe return of the sorcerer supreme begins filming sometime in May. It will release next year on May 7, 2021.