Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson has no regrets about choosing to helm the horror hit The Black Phone instead of the Marvel sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
What has Scott Derrickson directed since Doctor Strange?
Derrickson was initially announced to be returning as director for Multiverse of Madness in December 2018. However, he exited the project in January 2020 over reported creative differences, with Sam Raimi eventually replacing him as director. Following his departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Derrickson co-wrote and directed The Black Phone (2021), an adaptation of the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill, and directed and produced The Gorge, a sci-fi horror movie that will be released on Apple TV+ on February 14, 2025.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter to promote The Gorge’s impending release, Derrickson reflected on his decision to leave Doctor Strange 2, admitting that “[p]arting ways with Marvel was certainly a massive decision that not a lot of people would make, but that was really important for me at the time.”
He continued, “I really love those guys and it’s real that we have a good relationship, but I’m glad that I did that. I’m glad I made The Black Phone instead [of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]. That was probably the most significant choice.”
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This isn’t the first time that Derrickson has opened up about his decision to leave the MCU. In October 2023, the filmmaker confirmed that he indeed left Multiverse of Madness over reported “creative differences,” explaining that he wanted to make a different movie than Marvel Studios. “When the producer or the studio and the filmmaker are making different movies, you end up with a monstrosity and, you know, that’s why I had to bounce,” he said at the time.
Doctor Strange and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness are available to stream on Disney+.
