As of right now, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is still on track to begin production this June. The film was officially announced last year at San Diego Comic-Con, with Benedict Cumberbatch set to return as Doctor Stephen Strange. On his second solo adventure, he will be joined by Elizabeth Olsen's Wanda Maximoff. The film was initially going to be directed by Scott Derrickson, but he left the project back in January following creative differences. Sam Raimi is reportedly attached to replace him, with Loki showrunner Michael Waldron tapped to write the script. Plot details have been scarce, but Multiverse of Madness was initially described as the first MCU-set horror film.
Multiverse of Madness has already had a tumultuous pre-production stage, but hopefully things don't get any worse. Numerous film productions are currently shut down due to the coronavirus, from The Batman to Fantastic Beasts 3 to Marvel's own Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Productions began shutting down within the past few weeks, and now it seems like there are no ongoing shoots as crews wait for the outbreak to slow. Long term release dates could end up impacted by the delays.
According to Variety, Multiverse of Madness might be able to avoid a delay. As the film is still in pre-production, work has been able to carry on remotely, and sources say it is still on track to begin filming in June. If the situation worsens, this could change, but June is far enough away that it's too early to tell. It also might depend on where Multiverse of Madness will begin production, as Variety notes films shooting in the US might be able to begin sooner than others.
Multiverse of Madness currently has a May 2021 release date, and moving it might impact the greater MCU. While the first film in Marvel's Phase Four, Black Widow, has already been pushed out of its May 1, 2020 release date, it reportedly won't affect the rest of the franchise because it is a prequel. However, Multiverse of Madness will likely impact future Marvel films, and any potential shift could force a change in the rest of the MCU's slate. This is also the case with Shang-Chi, which is aiming for release in February 2021.
As of right now, Multiverse of Madness remains on track, which might come as some relief to fans. It would be the first Marvel project to not be impacted by the pandemic, as Eternals is being completed remotely and all of the studio's Disney+ shows have halted production. As long as it's safe for them to do so, it would be a positive step forward for Marvel and their fans if Multiverse of Madness could proceed as planned.
Source: Variety
