We’re exactly one month away from the mind-bending release of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” Marvel Studios’ latest superhero romp (and their first theatrical release since “Spider-Man: No Way Home” made everybody remember how fun it was to go to a movie theater, omicron-be-damned). And in order to keep the hype train going, a new spot has been released, designed to get your blood pumping.
The minute-long spot opens with the Everly Brothers’ version of “All I Have to Do Is Dream” (written by Boudleaux Bryant back in 1958), except it’s fuzzy and distorted. We see Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch, yet again) standing in front of a very haunted-looking house. We see more images destined to inspire countless YouTube explainers: Strange with some kind of futuristic shackles around his wrists; Christine (Rachel McAdams) in a wedding dress; Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) reconnecting with her children from “WandaVision.”
We then get some familiar stuff from earlier marketing materials – a giant monster throwing a bus at Strange (and Strange slicing it in half with a spell), plus a bunch of new stuff like Wong (Benedict Wong) and Wanda fighting giant monsters in some kind of ancient temple, Strange fighting Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and, most tantalizingly, a version of Doctor Strange (who feels very evil and demented) with a third eye in the middle of his forehead! Nope!
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” was written by “Loki” creator Michael Waldron (will we see an appearance by the TVA?) and directed by the legendary Sam Raimi, who basically invented the modern comic book film with 2002’s “Spider-Man” and its two sequels. If there was anyone who could take Doctor Strange to the next level, especially after his supporting turns in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Endgame,” it’s Raimi.
See you and all of your parallel dimension versions of yourself on May 6.
