Benedict Cumberbatch Reveals Why Doctor Strange 2 Is Undergoing Reshoots

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is undergoing reshoots, and Benedict Cumberbatch explains why. Principal production for the upcoming Sam Raimi-directed MCU film has been wrapped up for a while now. Despite some delays and difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic, production continued. But now, the cast and crew are back on set for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' reshoots, which some fans see as a cause for concern.

The future MCU Sorcerer Supreme will return in a new adventure following the events of the Infinity Saga. Originally set to be directed by original Doctor Strange helmer Scott Derrickson, creative differences resulted in him exiting the project. Marvel Studios then brought in Raimi to take over the job. Plot details for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are still scant, but between what's going on in the franchise and the title itself, it will be a deep dive into the concept of the multiverse. The blockbuster will also see Doctor Strange teaming up with Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). Impressively, the sequel was able to go on quietly without any major leaks; and with everyone involved mum about it, fans are left to wonder what's really going on in the movie. Given the lack of official updates, it's also worrying a lot of fans who assume that the film is in trouble.

But, that's not the case according to Cumberbatch. In a new interview with Empire Magazine (via Doctor Strange 2 Updates), the actor revealed why exactly their back on the set and doing reshoots for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. As it turns out, there are two specific scenes that they are working on, and most of them are because of logistical issues. Read his full comments below:

"We’re in the middle of reshoots and we’re working incredibly hard to make a schedule work to realize the full potential of the film - bits that we want to do better but also bits that were just impossible to do on the day because of logistics, COVID, etc. We were so delayed in production because of that. Luckily, not during production too much. Although everything is just a little slower."

Doctor Strange 2 Multiverse of Madness Horror

Over the years, the term "reshoots" has gotten a negative connotation, with many presuming that a film is in trouble if it's undergoing additional work. Films like Solo: A Star Wars Story, Justice League, and Suicide Squad had extensive and rushed reshoots that ended in less-than-ideal results. However, reshoots are actually part of a movie's original schedule, and this is especially true for big blockbusters like MCU films. A few times before, filmmakers and producers from Marvel Studios said that they allot time and budget for pick-ups, expecting that they can't finish everything during principal photography. For what it's worth, reshoots aren't always bad; as an example, Iron Man's (Robert Downey Jr.) final stance against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame was belatedly shot, and viewers loved that scene.

Considering the filming circumstances for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse, it's all the more sensical that they're doing reshoots. As Cumberbatch mentioned, much of the problem that they're trying to address through additional work stemmed from logistical issues. More than the part where he says that they're trying to improve on a key scene, his revelati0n about being unable to do a particular bit because they couldn't do it in one day is more interesting. It's possible that it's due to actor or location availability. If it's the former, then the sequel might be bringing in some previously unconfirmed players, which is always exciting in the MCU.

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Source: Empire Magazine (via Doctor Strange 2 Updates)