As production on the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness continues in London, Marvel fans are wondering what the sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange (as well as quasi-sequel to the recently concluded Disney+ series WandaVision ) has in store.
While it was announced well before production began that many actors would be reprising their MCU roles in this movie - most notably Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange and Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch - there has been much speculation as to who else may show up in the film. Actor (and close friend of Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi ) Bruce Campbell has hinted at his involvement with the movie multiple times , and now he is once again teasing fans about possibly being in it.
SCRIPT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Campbell took to Twitter with a picture of what appears to be a page of the Multiverse of Madness script...but upon close inspection, it's pretty obvious that it's an April Fool's joke.
The script page described a scene in the woods involving Doctor Strange and a Disheveled Man (whose lines are highlighted in Campbell's script). It was posted along with a coy social media caption from Campbell: "Oops. This slipped."
EXT. WOODS - NIGHT
The kaleidoscope-like multiverse effect fades away, and Strange finds himself alone in mist-covered woods.
STRANGE: (muttering) Now where am I ?..
He raises his hands to once again call upon the energy of the twelve moons of Munnopor when the muffled SOUND OF A CHAINSAW from behind causes him to turn around.
The MISTS DISPERSE to reveal a RAMSHACKLE CABIN with a PORCH SWING. Several windows are BROKEN, and TWO FIST-SIZED HOLES appear on the front door.
The front door opens, and a DISHEVELED MAN steps through the doorway. Strange can't help but notice that the man has a CHAINSAW where his right hand should be.
Strange readies his Eldritch shields.
DISHEVELED MAN: Who the hell are you?
STRANGE: (cautiously) I'm looking for the Darkhold.
DISHEVELED MAN: Never head of it.
STRANGE: It's an ancient book of magic, a grimoire of darkness and evil.
DISHEVELED MAN: Does it have a face on the cover?
Strange lowers his shields. He wasn't prepared for such a response.
STRANGE Um... no...
EXT. GREENWICH VILLAGE - NIGHT
Wong continues tracking the entity down Kiffington Boulevard. STREETLIGHTS FLICKER and STEAM RISES steadily from the sewers.
The (most likely fake) script page indicates Campbell's role to be that of a "Disheveled Man" who Doctor Strange approaches about the Darkhold, also known as the Book of Spells. The scene appears to be a reference to Evil Dead , and the Disheveled Man whose lines Campbell has highlighted is likely meant to be Ash Williams, his character in the franchise.
Evil Dead features a book called the Necronomicon, which has similarities to the Darkhold (though the Evil Dead book has a face on the cover, which is referenced in the above script page). The scene would bring Ash Williams face-to-face with Stephen Strange, and the two would briefly reference the magic books in their respective franchises.
Campbell's full Tweet can be seen below:
Oops. This slipped. pic.twitter.com/VUG8i5eB8Y
APRIL FOOL'S
Again, this is more than likely an April Fool's joke, but it has already gotten some fans of both Evil Dead and the MCU dreaming of a real crossover between the two properties. Sam Raimi actually has the legal rights to Evil Dead , so a scene like this could theoretically happen for real, however unlikely it may be.
Campbell's involvement with the Doctor Strange sequel is looking more and more likely, and is close to reaching the status of the idea of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home as a likely "surprise" that many fans are flat-out expecting to happen at this point.
In terms of an actual Doctor Strange and Evil Dead crossover, it looks like that idea will remain a fun fandom fantasy for now, but like the dreams of seeing the Disney-owned franchises of Marvel and Star Wars cross over with each other, legal rights make it technically possible.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is currently slated for release on March 25, 2022.
