Ever since Sam Raimi replaced Scott Derrickson in the director’s chair, which was a cruel twist of fate when the latter reportedly departed because he wanted to take the project in a darker and scarier direction than Marvel was willing to allow, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had been repeatedly touted as the cinematic universe’s first foray into horror.
The cast, crew, and other key creative players kept talking up the influences of Raimi’s blood-soaked background, shocking moments the likes of which the MCU had never seen before, and just a generally gnarlier vibe. While that’s all true to a certain extent, at the end of the day we’re still talking about a PG-13 superhero blockbuster geared towards an all-ages audience.
Unsurprisingly, then, Reddit has found itself caught up in a heated debate after user isommers1 questioned why everyone keeps referring to the Doctor Strange sequel as an outright exercise in horror, when it’s anything but.
Kevin Feige’s franchise has always sought to categorize its many standalone installments, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness being about as much of a horror as Captain America: The Winter Solider is a political thriller; sure, there are plenty of tropes and familiar elements to be found throughout, but neither project ticks the required boxes to sit comfortably with its designated wheelhouse.
Maybe one day we’ll see the MCU take a full-blown detour into the realm of blood, guts, gore, and entrails, but it can’t be denied that the Master of the Mystic Arts’ second solo adventure does a decent enough job filling the void until that day does or doesn’t arrive.