There has been no official word on the possibility ofDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessgetting a new release date, but recent comments fromElizabeth Olsenabout filming for the MCU sequel are grabbing our attention today. Filming onDoctor Strange 2has been ongoing since November 2020 in the UK. Olsen, as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, is set to join forces with Doctor Strange actorBenedict Cumberbatchfor the new movie directed bySam Raimi.
During her Tuesday evening appearance onJimmy Kimmel Live, Olsen revealed filming onDoctor Strange 2was currently delayed due to the latest wave of lockdowns happening across the UK in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. TheDoctor Strange 2star shared with Kimmel, “I’m in London. […] It’s the second lockdown I’ve experienced in three months,” and went on to reveal the public’s response to the government-mandated lockdown is not exactly the ideal response.
Doctor Strange 2is no, er, stranger to delays of all sorts over the last year. Originally set for release in May 2021, the movie was thenpushed to November 2021before finally getting the bump to March 2022. the COVID-19 pandemic has led to repeat filming delays which have contributed to the movie’s push further and further back on the calendar.Filming onDoctor Strange 2was once expected to start in May/June 2020 but was eventually delayed to late last year. Now, Olsen’s recentKimmelcomments indicate that there have been two delays since filming officially began (this current delay included) in accordance with the UK’s lockdown procedures.
It wouldn’t be entirely surprising ifDoctor Strange 2were to get a new release date. Sure, 2022 is a far ways away. There is no immediate concern that the filming delays happening now would affect a movie scheduled for release two years in the future. However, if 2020 has shown us anything, it’s that Marvel Studios has grown increasingly comfortable with pushing a release date for one of its movies if the current climate around the global pandemic indicates a threat to movie theater attendance.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessis currently scheduled for release on August 06, 2025. Watch Olsen give an update on theDoctor Strangesequel below and unveil the first clip fromWandaVisionbelow. For more, check out thecurrent schedule for the MCU’s Phase 4.
