DOCTOR STRANGE Director Scott Derrickson Has Been Thinking About the Villain Nightmare For its Eventual Sequel



Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGE was a massive success last year. Not only was it a critical hit but it made more box office cash than any previous Marvel Studios introduction solo franchise movie that came before it. (We consider THE AVENGERS and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY team movies but yeah, they did make more worldwide.)

What hasn't been announced yet is its sequel. And while its box office total definitely means it will get an eventual sequel — ANT-MAN made less worldwide and got itself the sequel ANT-MAN AND THE WASP — it's only a matter of time until DOCTOR STRANGE 2 is announced. (Probably when the next Phase of films are announced for 2020 and beyond.)

But this hasn't stopped director Scott Derrickson from doing some thinking and some teasing about what he would want to do in DOCTOR STRANGE 2. As of right now he is not attached to direct a sequel, but he created this new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe so it's logical to think he will want to continue to explore the Multiverse with actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

Right before DOCTOR STRANGE hit U.S. theaters last November, Derrickson shared his opinion of the villain Nightmare. He also shared how, in early drafts of the script, Nightmare was an idea being floated around but then removed to focus on Strange's origin tale.

“I really like the character of Nightmare and the concept that the Nightmare Realm is a dimension. [...] That’s early – that’s like the first Strange tale. I think that’s in the introductory episode of Doctor Strange, and I always loved that.  
“We decided not to do that because that’s a bit of a complex idea to try to introduce everything we do introduce and introduce the idea of nightmares themselves as being a dimension. I hope somewhere down the line we do get to explore that because I think that’s super cool concept.”

Now, Derrickson is doing a little more teasing to ComingSoon. And while his comments are not that revealing, it shows he has definitely been thinking sequel ideas. Specifically, about the potential of bringing Nightmare into the MCU.

“I wouldn’t necessarily rule anything out,” said Derrickson of Doctor Strange 2. “That’s certainly where the comics went in the ’80s but I also think that was probably the weakest era of the comics. The alternate dimensions and possibilities of the multiverse that we set up with the first film already give limitless possibilities. What I will say is that the goal would not be to underutilize that, or to create something that was less innovative than the first ‘Doctor Strange.’ The comics, especially the Lee/Ditko comics, were always pushing into unexpectedly weird places and storylines. That has continued on into the current Doctor Strange comics, which are really great. So anything’s possible with Doctor Strange, I wouldn’t rule anything out.”

Even though DOCTOR STRANGE 2 hasn't been officially green light by the studio, you will see Cumberbatch cameo in THOR: RAGNAROK (November 3, 2017) as well as join the fight against Thanos in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (May 4, 2018).


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