Everything You Need To Watch Before Seeing “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness”
With “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” set to be released in less than two days, here are four things to watch before you see the movie, and why they’re important.
1. Doctor Strange (2016)
The film that started it all.
Directed by Scott Derrickson, “Doctor Strange” introduces… well, Doctor Strange (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) aka Dr. Stephen Strange, as he learns the ways of the mystical arts from The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton), Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and everyone’s favorite character… WONG (played by Benedict Wong).
Why is it Important to Watch: Derrickson, and his co-writer C. Robert Cargill, introduces us to our titular hero Doctor Strange himself, as the two not only explore Strange’s relationships in this film, but also introduce us to how the world of magic in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) works. We also see Strange make a risky decision. One that is most likely going to be addressed in the “Multiverse of Madness” (or MoM, for short).
2. WandaVision (2021)
“WandaVision“, the first Disney Plus original series project set to be released following 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, follows Avengers Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), aka The Scarlet Witch. Along with Vision (Paul Bettany), as the two move into the suburbs, only for things not to appear as they seem.
Why is it Important to Watch: Head Writer Jac Schaeffer, and company, delve deep into Wanda’s past, showing us what happened to her before she joined the Avengers. In addition, we also explore her grief over losing Vision, and how that has affected her following the events of Endgame. And finally, it’s the first part to a three-part storyline, one that starts here, and continues up to MoM.
3. Loki – Season 1 (2021-)
Set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, the Disney Plus original series “Loki”, follows an alternate (or variant) version of our Loki. Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is forced to work for the TVA (Time Variant Authority) to hunt down and stop yet another Loki variant on the loose.
Why is it Important to Watch: With “Loki”, head writer Michael Waldron, and company, introduces and explores the Multiverse in depth, how it works, and what characters and worlds lie within it. The show also explores themes about redemption, and what happens when you choose a different path. It’s likely some of these themes will be brought back in MoM as Waldron is writing the screenplay for it. The series also (albeit indirectly) leads into…
4. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
The most recent entry in the MCU, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” follows Peter Parker/Spider-Man as he and his friends deal with the events of Far From Home. In Far From Home, Parker’s identity is revealed to the world. Forcing Peter to ask Strange to wipe everyone’s memory. But, when the spell is botched, a wave of villains from previous universes of the famous wall-crawler. Including fan favorites like Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, and Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock, who get sucked in to Peter’s world, causing chaos.
Why is it Important To Watch: Along with “WandaVision”, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” leads right us right into the “Multiverse of Madness”. Serving as the middle chapter of the three-part story that started with “WandaVision”. In addition, the film also shows how Strange still makes risky decisions. And while it’s for a good cause, Strange wiping out everyone’s memory… is a big risk. One that he’s ultimately going to have to face judgement for.
After all, Mordo said it best in the first film: “The bill always come due.”
And those are four things to watch before you see “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”! Was there anything I missed? Make sure to leave a comment down below.
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