In a long interview with Rolling Stone, Sam Raimi discussed coming back to the superhero genre, Doctor Strange 2, and the possibility of a Spiderman sequel. While he is highly regarded for this Spider-Man trilogy, Spider-Man 3 received mixed reviews. Although there was a plan for a fourth film, it was instead canceled for a reboot. He will be making his next return to the superhero genre with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This film follows his nine-year directing hiatus after Oz the Great and the Powerful.
In the interview, Raimi told Rolling Stone that Spider-Man 4 was canceled due to issues with the script. He also claimed that it wasn’t up to the standard he had for the film. Raimi then goes on to say,
It was a very painful experience for me. I wanted to make a Spider-Man movie to redeem myself and go out on a high note. I didn’t want to just make another one that pretty much worked. There was a really high standard in my mind. And I didn’t think I could get that script to the level that I was hoping for by that start date.
Sam Raimi: From Spider-Man to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
During the interview, Sam Raimi also talked about the possibility of reuniting with Spider-Man star Toby Maguire for a possible trilogy sequel. While he said that there were many challenges in making a sequel, he also didn’t completely rule out the possibility. Many of the questions that he had in regards to the film were along the lines of, ‘Does Tobey want to do it?’, ‘Is there an emotional arc for him?’, ‘And is there a worthy villain that fits into the theme of this piece.’ He then goes on to say that if all of these questions can be answered, then he would “love to” make a trilogy sequel.
In regards to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Raimi said that he had complete creative freedom with the script. However he had to watch and study WandaVision, so he could have a proper ‘through line’ and character growth dynamic. He also claims that while he did not watch the complete series, he watched the key moments before writing.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be released in theaters on May 6th, 2022.
