'Doctor Strange 2' director Scott Derrickson steps down due to 'creative differences' at Marvel
Scott Derrickson has stepped down as director of 'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness,' citing creative differences. He will remain as executive producer.
According to Variety, Marvel has confirmed the departure and made a statement about Derrickon's decision to leave. “Marvel Studios and Scott Derrickson have amicably parted ways on ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ due to creative differences,” Marvel said, in a statement to Variety. “We remain grateful to Scott for his contributions to the MCU.”
Derrickson, who directed the first 'Doctor Strange' movie, also made a statement on Twitter, saying the decision was mutual and that he stepped down due to creative differences. "Marvel and I have mutually agreed to part ways on Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness due to creative differences. I am thankful for our collaboration and will remain on as EP," he tweeted on Thursday.
There are no reports on what those creative differences are, though last month saw the director speak out against Marvel's tight scheduling processes, tweeting that "studio release dates are the enemy of art."
This is not the first time that a major Marvel movie director has felt the chafe of Marvel's strict adherence to movie deadlines, and the company's eye to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. Egdar Wright, initially set to direct the first 'Ant-Man' movie, left the movie, citing creative differences. He later talked about his decision to leave in an interview with Vulture.
“I think the most diplomatic answer is I wanted to make a Marvel movie but I don’t think they really wanted to make an Edgar Wright movie,” he said. “It was a really heartbreaking decision to have to walk away after having worked on it for so long.”
The movie was expected to release on May 7, 2021. According to Variety, there are no delays expected for the movie's release, and Marvel is already searching for its next director.
'Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness' stars Benedict Cumberbatch returning to his role as Doctor Strange, and Elizabeth Olson as Wanda Maximoff. The movie is supposed to tie in to 'WandaVision,' a TV series that will release on Disney+.