As a character, Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange has a very bright future on the big screen, as he is set to next appear in Thor: Ragnarok before being in his very first team-up movie, The Avengers: Infinity War. That being said, there has yet to be any kind of official word regarding a Doctor Strange 2 -- despite the fact that we all know it's inevitable at this point. We will continue to wait for any big news or details to come out about the follow-up, but one thing is for certain: director Scott Derrickson most definitely wants to return, given that the making of the 2016 superhero film was one of the best experiences of his life.
With Doctor Strange arriving on Blu-ray and DVD next month, I had the wonderful pleasure of hopping on the phone with Scott Derrickson earlier this week to talk about his latest feature and his future. Towards the end of the interview, I asked if coming back to direct a Doctor Strange 2 was something he wanted to do, and he didn't hesitate for a moment before his response. Said the filmmaker,
Yeah, I very much want to do it, for sure. I love this character. I love the possibilities of the world. Making the movie was the best creative experience of my life, by far, and I love Marvel. I love those guys. I really do. They're artists. They are egoless, and most importantly, they love the movie. They love movies more than anything. So I hope so, but there hasn't been... I know that they've got their hands full right now, and this movie hasn't even finished its run. It opens in Japan on Friday.
Given the fact that Marvel Studios' plans for Phase 3 are pretty much booked up at this point, there is basically no chance of seeing Doctor Strange 2 before the year 2020. That being said, it certainly sounds like Scott Derrickson is more than happy to wait before jumping behind the camera for another adventure with the comic book Sorcerer Supreme.
Those who paid attention to Doctor Strange as it arrived at the box office last fall also know that there is definitely an argument to be made for bringing back Scott Derrickson -- who was also a co-writer on the blockbuster's script. In the weeks leading up to its release, the film earned some of the best reviews of any Marvel movie (which is actually saying quite a lot), and it wound up being a huge hit at the box office. In fact, it is the studio's most successful domestic solo character launch since the original Iron Man back in May 2008, beating out the box office totals of Thor, Ant-Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and The Incredible Hulk. In favor of Derrickson, one could certainly say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
As Scott Derrickson noted, it may be a little while before we get any kind of official word about Doctor Strange 2, so stay tuned for more information on that front. What's coming much sooner, however, is Doctor Strange on Blu-ray and DVD (launching February 28th) and many more articles based on my interview with the writer/director - so be on the lookout here on CinemaBlend!
