Marvel Studios is moving full speed ahead with the hype train for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU's first theatrical release of 2022. Directed by Sam Raimi, most famous for the 2000s Spider-Man trilogy, this movie is looking to turn the Marvel universe on its head in multiple ways. With A-list cameos and wild visual effects, Doctor Strange 2 is already near the top of fans' anticipation lists for this year's blockbuster films.
Adding to the excitement is the second full trailer for Doctor Strange 2, which broke the internet upon its debut at Super Bowl LVI.
With ties back to the events of Elizabeth Olsen's WandaVision and teases pointing to the introduction of the Illuminati, the trailer is already becoming the source for crazy theories about what's coming this May. How much of that comes true is still a mystery, but regardless of what happens, Raimi has the chance to deliver one of the MCU's biggest solo adventures to date.
Even though this is Raimi's biggest directorial effort in several years, his success from Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man trilogy makes his name an important one to use in promotional material for Doctor Strange 2. With that in mind, Marvel utilized his name in a unique way with the movie's second trailer, something that's only been done once in MCU history.
Doctor Strange 2 and Eternals in Their Own League
The second trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured director Sam Raimi's name along with new footage from the movie:
As Reddit user u/CJFilkovski noted, this is only the second time an MCU director has received a "from" credit as part of a Marvel Studios film's promotion.
The first film to do this was 2021's Eternals, which promoted Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao in its second full trailer:
Marvel Promoting Sam Raimi in New Trailers
Marvel Studios has certainly had its fair share of impressive names behind the camera, from Kenneth Branagh on Thor to the Russo brothers on four different films. As the MCU continues growing in popularity and gains more top-level talent from a directorial standpoint, it seems that the studio is utilizing creators like Sam Raimi in an effort to become more of a filmmaker-driven franchise.
This practice is more popular outside the MCU, most recently seen with James Gunn's work on Guardians of the Galaxy being used in promo material for The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. Now, thanks to Raimi's popularity from the Spider-Man trilogy that long preceded the MCU coming into play, Marvel Studios is using that status to its advantage in new trailers for Doctor Strange 2.
With the addition of Raimi and Zhao's names in trailers both coming in Phase 4, it remains to be seen which other directors will receive similar treatment in future marketing efforts.
Taika Waititi's pair of Oscar wins in 2020 for Jojo Rabbit will likely put him in line to have his name included in trailers for this year's Thor: Love and Thunder, particularly thanks to his popularity within the MCU. Ryan Coogler has the chance to join this exclusive club as well with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever due to his 2021 Oscar nod for Judas and the Black Messiah.
For now, Sam Raimi will enjoy his time in the directorial spotlight as anticipation continues to build for his MCU debut in May. The Doctor Strange sequel has already started countless conversations about the impact it will make on the entire Marvel landscape, much of it coming as a direct result of Raimi's vision.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to debut in theaters on May 6, 2022.
