Now You Know - Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Welcome to another episode of OTTplay Now You Know, I'm your host Nikhil.

Benedict Cumberbatch is set to return as the Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange in the sequel to the 2016 film, Doctor Strange. Directed by Sam Raimi, the film will explore the multiverse and will feature elements of sci-fi and horror. Before you book your tickets for the film's premiere this weekend, here are some lesser-known facts about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Let's get going.

1. Director Sam Raimi has included references to Doctor Strange in one of his previous Marvel films. In the 2004 film Spider-Man 2, starring Tobey Maguire, the fast-food pizza joint where Peter Parker works and the billboard with Mary Jane picture is on Bleecker Street. This is the exact location of Doctor Strange's Sanctum Santorum. In fact, in the same film, J. Jonah Jameson, the editor-in-chief of the fictional Daily Bugle rebuked the suggestion that the villainous Doctor Otto Octavious be called Doctor Strange, to which Jameson retorted "But it's taken!"
2. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be the first in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be categorized in the horror genre. The rest of the 27 films released so far as part of the interconnected universe have been classified as sci-fi, action, comedy, or fantasy.
3. Scott Derrickson, the director of the first Doctor Strange film, was initially set to direct the sequel as well but exited the project due to creative differences. His original pitch for the film would’ve included Namor, a character that inspired the creation of DC’s Aquaman. The film would’ve also included the Defenders, the team of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist.
4. Bruce Campbell, star of the Evil Dead franchise and a longtime collaborator of Sam Raimi, said “Linoleum" when asked if he would be making an appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He even posted a fake script on social media on April Fools Day 2021, which were in fact lines from the first Doctor Strange film and the 1981 film The Evil Dead. 
5. The film title, Multiverse of Madness,  is inspired by P. Lovecraft's horror novel At the Mountains of Madness. It is also a homage to Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee's use of alliteration in naming his iconic characters such as Stephen Strange, Peter Parker, Matt Murdock, Bruce Banner, Reed Richards, and Susan Storm.
6. The film was unable to use the name of Shuma-Gorath, for the one-eyed tentacle monster. Even though it is used in the comics, a copyright issue meant that the film had to use the name Gargantos. This is because the phrase was originally coined by Robert E Howard in his short story The Curse of the Golden Skull.

Well, that's the OTTplay Now You Know for today, until the next episode it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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Written by - Ryan Gomez