The original 'Spider-Man' director is returning to Marvel, albeit in charge of a different character.
'Spider-Man' and 'Spider-Man 2' quite honestly wrote the blueprint for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it today.
The mixture of humour, earnest emotions, the acknowledgement of the format itself, all of it - it was all in there, ready to be replicated again and again for the past decade. It's fitting, then, that Sam Raimi should make his way back to the thing he had a hand in shaping.
Variety is reporting that Sam Raimi is in final talks to direct 'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness' after Scott Derrickson exited over that old chestnut, creative differences. Raimi hasn't actually directed a movie since 2013's bust 'Oz, The Great & Powerful', but has had a hand in the likes of 'Ash Vs. Evil Dead', Greg Kinnear's TV show 'Rake', and producing the likes of 'Crawl', 'Don't Breathe' and the aforementioned 'Ash Vs. Evil Dead'.
Going by what we know so far about 'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness', Raimi is the perfect choice to handle it. For one, he has an innate understanding of horror and getting it past censors. For example, the birth scene of Doc Ock in 'Spider-Man 2' is vintage Raimi horror - and it works in context too.
Not only that, Raimi has years of practice working with major studios and steering odd ideas through the process, so he's exactly the kind of talent that could grapple with Disney. On top of that, 'Doctor Strange' was a fine but middling movie and the character is capable of far weirder, far more (wait for it) stranger stories than the one we got.
In short, this is one of the best news stories to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in quite some time, so here's hoping he signs on and stays on.
'Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness' is slated for May 7th, 2021.