Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Wanda's grief from WandaVision drives the plot, watch that series first
The brief
Sam Raimi brings his horror sensibilities to the MCU and it's gloriously unhinged - this feels more like Evil Dead than typical Marvel, with genuine scares and body horror that'll make you squirm. Elizabeth Olsen is terrifying as Wanda, channeling grief into pure malevolent power, while Cumberbatch gets to flex beyond his usual smugness. The multiverse hopping is chaotic fun even when the plot gets messy, and Raimi's camera work makes every magical battle feel like a fever dream. Perfect for horror fans who want their superhero movies with actual bite, or anyone who's been waiting for Marvel to get weird again.
The verdict
If you're craving a genuinely scary superhero movie with Sam Raimi's signature horror flourishes and don't mind messy multiverse plotting, this delivers the weirdest and most unhinged Marvel has been in years. If you prefer your MCU entries light and breezy or get squeamish with body horror, stick to the more traditional entries because this one commits hard to being a horror film first.
Watch with
- 👥 Horror fans craving superhero scares
- 👫 Marvel completists ready for weirdness
- ⚠️ Skip with jump-scare sensitive viewers
Heads up
- Frequent jump scares and sudden frights (frequent)
- Body horror and grotesque transformations (moderate)
- Characters possessed/mind controlled (moderate)
- Intense magical violence and gore (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Sam Raimi
- Cast
- Benedict Cumberbatch, Xochitl Gomez, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Jett Klyne
Official synopsis
Doctor Strange, with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Both explore multiverse concepts with stunning visuals and reality-bending storytelling.
Total runtime: 2h 6m + 2h 20m = 4h 26m
