‘Doctor Strange 2’ Concept Art Offers Clue at Original Director’s Junked Plans

When Sam Raimi was announced to be helm Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Marvel fans got themselves hyped for something of Spider-Man 2 proportions. As it happened, the reality-stretching sequel proved to be pretty divisive. This has led folks to ponder what the movie would’ve been like if Scott Derrickson had stuck around as director instead of parting ways with the studio over creative differences.

We don’t know all that much about Derrickson’s take on the film, but a new piece of concept art at least offers a clue at what his Doctor Strange 2 would’ve been like. Specifically, it reveals a new variant of Stephen Strange that was ultimately nixed from the story once Raimi boarded the project and revamped it from top to bottom.

Concept artist Darrell J. Warner took to Instagram to share his artwork, which unveiled a Strange who’s less of a Master of the Mystic Arts and more of a corny stage magician. According to Warner’s caption, the character goes by the name “The Marvellous Melvyn.”

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It’s ironic that Warner has just shared this piece now as the Marvellous Melvyn is reminiscent of Donny Blaze, recently seen on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, a sleazy magic man who used genuine mystic practices stolen from Kamar-Taj in his act. It’s possible that this Strange variant took a similar route with his career.

It’s fascinating to think of the completely different Stranges we would have met in Multiverse of Madness if Derrickson had remained in the director’s chair. It’s entirely possible Defenders Strange, Earth-838’s Strange, or Zombie Strange would not have appeared, especially Zombie Strange, since that concept was cooked up by screenwriter Michael Waldron and Evil Dead vet Raimi.

There must be some other Earth out there, though, where Derrickson did end up directing the Doctor Strange sequel.

via Marvel Studios

When Sam Raimi was announced to be helm Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Marvel fans got themselves hyped for something of Spider-Man 2 proportions. As it happened, the reality-stretching sequel proved to be pretty divisive. This has led folks to ponder what the movie would’ve been like if Scott Derrickson had stuck around as director instead of parting ways with the studio over creative differences.

We don’t know all that much about Derrickson’s take on the film, but a new piece of concept art at least offers a clue at what his Doctor Strange 2 would’ve been like. Specifically, it reveals a new variant of Stephen Strange that was ultimately nixed from the story once Raimi boarded the project and revamped it from top to bottom.

Concept artist Darrell J. Warner took to Instagram to share his artwork, which unveiled a Strange who’s less of a Master of the Mystic Arts and more of a corny stage magician. According to Warner’s caption, the character goes by the name “The Marvellous Melvyn.”

Click to zoom 

It’s ironic that Warner has just shared this piece now as the Marvellous Melvyn is reminiscent of Donny Blaze, recently seen on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, a sleazy magic man who used genuine mystic practices stolen from Kamar-Taj in his act. It’s possible that this Strange variant took a similar route with his career.

It’s fascinating to think of the completely different Stranges we would have met in Multiverse of Madness if Derrickson had remained in the director’s chair. It’s entirely possible Defenders Strange, Earth-838’s Strange, or Zombie Strange would not have appeared, especially Zombie Strange, since that concept was cooked up by screenwriter Michael Waldron and Evil Dead vet Raimi.

There must be some other Earth out there, though, where Derrickson did end up directing the Doctor Strange sequel.