Marvel is now looking for a new director for its upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Variety reports that director Scott Derrickson has left the project over creative differences.
In a statement to Variety, Marvel Studios confirmed the director’s departure:
“Marvel Studios and Scott Derrickson have amicably parted ways on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness due to creative differences,” Marvel said in a statement to Variety, adding, “We remain grateful to Scott for his contributions to the MCU.”
Derrickson confirmed the news himself on Twitter.
Marvel and I have mutually agreed to part ways on Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness due to creative differences. I am thankful for our collaboration and will remain on as EP.
— N O S ⋊ Ɔ I ᴚ ᴚ Ǝ ᗡ ⊥ ⊥ O Ɔ S (@scottderrickson) January 10, 2020
Derrickson directed the first Doctor Strange film in 2016, which starred Benedict Cumberbatch as the film’s titular character. At last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel announced the sequel, with a release date of May 7th, 2021, and with Derrickson at the helm.
Marvel described the film as the “first scary MCU film,” and with the events of the live-action streaming series WandaVision set to lead right into it. In October, reports surfaced that Marvel had brought in screenwriter Jade Bartlett to pen the script.
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The film was apparently set to begin production in May, and Variety reports that Marvel will move ahead with that schedule with a new director. The Hollywood Reporter noted that in December, Derrickson tweeted that “studio release dates are the enemy of art,” hinting at some tension during the film’s preproduction.
This isn’t the first time that Derrickson run into problems over differing creative visions. In 2018, he refused to return for reshoots on TNT’s upcoming Snowpiercer series, saying that “the feature-length pilot I made from that script may be my best work. The new showrunner has a radically different vision for the show. I am forgoing my option to direct the extreme reshoots.”
