One of the biggest criticisms of the more recent Marvel Studios films is that there is just so much going on in them. Outside of something like “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which is meant to introduce the main character, films like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and the upcoming “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” are so crammed with characters and stories, it might be a bit overwhelming. And this is a concern shared by the star of the latter film, Benedict Cumberbatch.
Speaking to Marc Maron as part of the WTF Podcast, Benedict Cumberbatch was asked about “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and specifically, he was asked about the epic scale of the film. This prompted the actor to explain that the scale is something that gave him pause when considering doing the film.
“Yeah. Well… yeah that’s part of the problem,” Cumberbatch replied. “There’s a lot of stuff going on in it. It’s like, do I have a character arc in this? Is it working?”
He added, “No, there’s great stuff for me to do. It’s very busy. It’s called ‘The Multiverse of Madness,’ and it’s bonkers.”
Obviously, Cumberbatch is happy to work in the MCU, as he has shown up in a number of films, in addition to his solo debut in “Doctor Strange,” but you can definitely understand his apprehension when looking at something the side of ‘Multiverse of Madness.’ Not only is it supposed to be a Doctor Strange film, but it is confirmed to feature Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and introduce America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez). As if that wasn’t enough, the film is also expected to explore the Multiverse, which could lead to a ton of random cameos from other heroes or other versions of classic heroes. Needless to say, it’s poised to be one of the more ambitious projects from a studio known for pushing the limits of what is shown on screen.
READ MORE: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Had To Be Rewritten After ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Delays
The size of the film has also led to a bit of behind-the-scenes drama. Recently, it was revealed that ‘Multiverse of Madness,’ directed by Sam Raimi, is expected to go back for reshoots that could total up to six weeks of work, which even for a Marvel Studios film is more than expected. This is reportedly what might have led to the recent delay in the release date.
Regardless of whether or not “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is going to be a mess, it’s also expected to be a guaranteed box office hit when it debuts in theaters on May 6, 2022.
You can hear the entire discussion below: