Well, this is a shocker. Scott Derrickson has stepped down as director of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The filmmaker Tweeted out the news himself just after Variety broke the story. No reason for the parting of ways was given beyond the usual "creative differences, but Derrikson will remain on board as EP, so the split must have been amicable enough.
The Doctor Strange sequel was scheduled to begin shooting later this year ahead of its May 2021 release date, and that's not expected to change. The fact that this setback won't halt production may suggest that Marvel has already secured a replacement, or at least has another director in mind.
We know Derrickson wanted to add more horror elements this time around, and it's thought that Kevin Feige and co. may have balked at the thought of upping the scare factor in a PG-13 film. That's pure speculation, of course, but it's certainly one possible reason for the split.
What do you guys make of this development? Who do you think would be a good fit to replace Derrickson? Drop us a comment in the usual place.