‘Doctor Strange 2’ to be unlike anything Marvel has ever produced, writer reveals

Marvel fans are in for some major surprises with the Doctor Strange sequel, hinted the film’s writer.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Michael Waldron, who is penning the script for Doctor Strange 2, said that superhero flick will take on a new direction that has not yet been taken by another other film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

He explained that Benedict Cumberbatch’s character was inspired by late chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain as well as the fictional character of Indiana Jones.

“I gravitated toward Anthony Bourdain. Strange is an elitist as a neurosurgeon and a sorcerer. Anthony Bourdain was a man of the people, but there was that intense intellect,” he said.

“You always felt like he could eviscerate anybody with his words at any time. But yet, Anthony Bourdain never really punched down. That was the first ingredient in the stew for Doctor Strange,” he explained.

"Anthony Bourdain had been everywhere, seen everything. What surprises you at this point? I think for all of the heroes in the MCU, in a post-Endgame world, how do you rally yourself to fight the stand-alone movie villains after you fought Thanos?" he continued.

“He’s Indiana Jones in a cloak to me. He’s a hero who can take a punch. That’s what made those Harrison Ford heroes so great.”

“Look at Stephen Strange in the first movie. He’s really getting beat up but he’s very capable and everything. I can tell you that it’s a ride…very Sam Raimi,” he shared.

"The film is incredibly visually thrilling...I think the look of it is going to be unlike anything you’ve seen in the MCU before,” he added.

Doctor Strange 2 was all set to go on floors in May 2020 but owing the coronavirus pandemic shuttering production studios, Waldron had to start writing the script for the film from scratch.

The film is now scheduled for release on March 25, 2022.