Following its Oscar nomination for visual effects today, Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Studios are bringing Doctor Strange home next month with a Digital HD release on February 14 and a release on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, Digital SD, DVD and On Demand on February 28. We had the chance to talk to director Scott Derrickson 1-on-1, and we asked him about whether the more overtly supernatural horror elements of the comics (Dracula, Nightmare) might have a place in Doctor Strange 2 and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is generally sci-fi oriented.
“I wouldn’t necessarily rule anything out,” said Derrickson of Doctor Strange 2. “That’s certainly where the comics went in the ’80s but I also think that was probably the weakest era of the comics. The alternate dimensions and possibilities of the multiverse that we set up with the first film already give limitless possibilities. What I will say is that the goal would not be to underutilize that, or to create something that was less innovative than the first ‘Doctor Strange.’ The comics, especially the Lee/Ditko comics, were always pushing into unexpectedly weird places and storylines. That has continued on into the current Doctor Strange comics, which are really great. So anything’s possible with Doctor Strange, I wouldn’t rule anything out.”
So while Derrickson seemed hesitant to confirm or deny what direction the Strange franchise might take from here, he seemed to indicate that a more overt horror presence was something of a nadir for the comics. He has stated in the past that he considers Nightmare a personal favorite for a Doctor Strange villain, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will show up in the sequel or be treated in a way closer to the horror genre.
Click here to pre-order your copy of Doctor Strange on Digital HD!
The Doctor Strange Digital and Blu-ray releases come packaged with over 80 minutes of fascinating, never-before-seen bonus materials, including five behind-the-scenes featurettes, five deleted scenes, hilarious outtakes, part two of the comical mockumentary “Team Thor,” audio commentary, and an exclusive look at the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can check out the cover art for the release in the gallery below!
Doctor Strange stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins, Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton. Doctor Strange tells the story of talented neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) who, after a tragic car accident, must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions. Based in New York City’s Greenwich Village, Doctor Strange must act as an intermediary between the real world and what lies beyond, utilizing a vast array of metaphysical abilities and artifacts to protect the Marvel cinematic universe.
