A new report offered a huge update on Doctor Strange 3's development.
This past May, Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch offered a disappointing update on the threequel as he revealed he is just as in the dark as fans regarding his next solo outing.
Doctor Strange 3 Takes a Huge Step Forward
According to a new report from The InSneider, Marvel Studios is nearing a deal with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness director Sam Raimi to return and direct the trilogy-completing threequel.
If The InSneider's report proves true, Raimi will be returning for his fifth Marvel outing. He previously took the helm on Doctor Strange 2 and his infamous Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire in the early 2000s.
Doctor Strange 3 has yet to be officially announced by Marvel Studios but has been heavily rumored for some time and comes as no surprise after Multiverse of Madness turned over almost $1 billion at the global box office.
When Will Doctor Strange 3 Release After Huge Update?
Sam Raimi once spoke of the “superhero overdose” he felt after directing three Spider-Man movies. However, that feeling certainly appears to be gone as he lines up a second dip into the MCU machine.
Renowned for his horror genre work, Raimi undoubtedly brought a unique vision to Doctor Strange 2 with his familiar flare, and fans can look forward to more of that in the years to come.
The reported hire is bound to face backlash from some as, despite impressive box office results, Multiverse of Madness suffered mixed reactions from moviegoers.
Many believe Doctor Strange 2 suffered after changing directors and writers far into development as Raimi and Loki writer Michael Waldron came on to replace Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill - who led the way on the 2016 original.
It remains unclear who will pen the script for Doctor Strange 3, but that news likely won’t be far behind after this huge director update.
With a director likely soon to be on board, Doctor Strange 3 is one step closer to release, but when will that come to pass?
After Benedict Cumberbatch confirmed in an interview with Netflix earlier in 2024 that he is “very much looking forward to Avengers next year,” it’s unclear what the filming schedule will look like for the threequel.
Marvel Studios currently has untitled movie release dates set for February 13 and November 6, 2026, with two more coming on July 23 and November 5, 2027.
After Multiverse of Madness' ending set the course for another Multiverse story in which Clea and the sorcerer will deal with Incursions, Doctor Strange 3 ought to release before Avengers: Secret Wars does in May 2027.
As such, the most likely release date that will allow enough time to develop the threequel would have Doctor Strange 3 glide into theaters on November 6, 2026, placing it neatly between the two Avengers blockbusters.
This would likely require Doctor Strange 3 to begin production by November 2025 to release the following year. After all, the studio clearly has faith in its ability to produce a blockbuster in one year after starting production on The Fantastic Four: First Steps this July to release just 12 months later.
The first two Doctor Strange movies are available to stream on Disney+. Doctor Strange 3 has yet to be officially confirmed, and it does not have a release date.
