Moviefone Editorial

Tag: sam-raimi

  • Thomas Haden Church Talks Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man 4’ Rumors

    Thomas Haden Church in 'Spider-Man 3.'
    Thomas Haden Church in ‘Spider-Man 3.’ Photo Courtesy of Sony Pictures.

    Thomas Haden Church has “heard rumors” that director Sam Raimi may be directing another ‘Spider-man‘ movie with none other than original Spider-man actor Tobey Maguire.

    The actor, who played Flint Marko/The Sandman, has appeared in two Spider-man films – 2007’s ‘Spider-Man 3’ and 2021’s ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.” When asked which Spider-Man he’d go toe-to-toe with during an interview with Comicbook.com for the Peacock series ‘Twisted Metal,’ Church named Maguire as that was the Spider-man [movie] he started out with and expressed his interest in appearing in a possible ‘Spider-Man 4’ movie.

    “There’s always been some kind of…I’ve heard rumors…that Sam Raimi was going to do another [Spider-Man movie] with Tobey [Maguire] and if that happens, I would probably campaign to maybe at least do a cameo,” Church said.

    18651

    Sam Raimi’s History With Spider-Man

    Director Sam Raimi at San Diego Comic-Con
    Director Sam Raimi at San Diego Comic-Con

    Sam Raimi directed the ‘Spider-man’ trilogy starring Tobey Maguire as the web-slinging superhero. The 2002 film also starred Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane and Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin. ‘Spider-man’ earned over $825 million worldwide and became the third highest grossing movie of 2002. Raimi continued to work with Maguire for the next two ‘Spider-man’ movies.

    After the ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy, Raimi returned to his horror roots with ‘Drag Me To Hell,’ then in 2022, the director teamed up with Marvel for ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’ starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen. Last year, while speaking with Comicbook.com, the director expressed interest in directing a fourth ‘Spider-Man’ film as well as working with Maguire again.

    “I’ve come to realize after making ‘Doctor Strange’ that anything is possible, really anything in the Marvel universe, any team-ups,” Raimi said. “I love Tobey. I love Kirsten Dunst. I think all things are possible. I don’t really have a story or a plan. I don’t know if Marvel would be interested in that right now. I don’t know what their thoughts are about that. I haven’t really pursued that. But it sounds beautiful. Even if it wasn’t a Spider-Man movie, I’d love to work with Tobey again, in a different role.”

    Related Article: Thomas Haden Church Talks ‘Acidman’ and Working with Dianna Agron

    The Next Spider-Man Movie

    (L to R) Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire from 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.' Photo Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment's Instagram.
    (L to R) Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire from ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment’s Instagram.

    Currently, Sony Pictures owns the right to make and distribute the current Spider-Man films starring Tom Holland. Disney shares the right, allowing the character to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    In 2021’s ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home,’ fans finally got to see all three iterations of Spider-Man on the same screen. The film opens up the possibility for the trio to meet once again, as well as appear in other Marvel films or a standalone film. Marvel is diving fast into the realm of the multiverse, and we saw a cameo of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man in Sony’s latest hit ‘Spider-man: Across The Spider-Verse,’ which means the probability of seeing Maguire’s Spider-man on-screen again is quite likely.

    Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home.'
    (L to R) Electro (Jamie Foxx), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), and The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’

    Other Movies Featuring Spider-Man:

    Buy ‘Spider-Man’ Movies on Amazon

     

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Evil Dead Rise’

    Gabrielle Echols as Bridget, Nell Fisher as Kassie, Lily Sullivan as Beth, Morgan Davies as Danny and Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film “Evil Dead Rise," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Gabrielle Echols as Bridget, Nell Fisher as Kassie, Lily Sullivan as Beth, Morgan Davies as Danny and Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film “Evil Dead Rise,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    In theaters now, ‘Evil Dead Rise’ breathes new life into the mythology of Sam Raimi’s low budget chillers, and, even more than Fede Álvarez’s 2013 reboot, establishes its own identity away from the woods.

    R76SnjQE1PuLzavqxnSVz6

    A gore-soaked legacy

    Sam Raimi’s ‘The Evil Dead’ remains a much-cherished entry in the horror genre, even though the director himself effectively remade it with 1987’s even more well-regarded sequel (technically a requel) ‘Evil Dead II’, which had a (slightly) boosted budget and even more gory action featuring his friend, muse and –– frequently –– on-screen punching bag Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams.

    The story is similar in both: friends stay at an isolated cabin in the woods, discover a Necronomicon, a strange book bound in human flesh and illustrated with blood, and unleash an unspeakable evil, leading to demons possessing people, hacked-off limbs, and vigorous use of a chainsaw.

    A third entry, ‘Army of Darkness’ expands the scope (and time period), transporting Ash to 1300 A.D., where he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead so he can return home. It’s bigger, though not always better.

    In the years since, the hugely inspirational franchise (Raimi’s freewheeling, dynamic style has been frequently copied but rarely matched) has expanded to include Álvarez’s film and TV spin-off ‘Ash Vs. Evil Dead’. The 2013 entry is well-liked, though while it is certainly gory, it doesn’t channel the level of self-deprecating humor that infuses Raimi’s movies.

    Now here comes ‘Evil Dead Rise’ written and directed by Dublin-born filmmaker Lee Cronin, who has previous experience with shorts and critically acclaimed horror movie ‘The Hole in the Ground’.

    A devout fan of the ‘Evil Dead’ movies, he was hand-picked by Raimi to craft the fifth in the series, and the choice was a wise one.

    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    What happens in ‘Evil Dead Rise’?

    The new movie follows two estranged sisters, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), a freshly single mother raising daughters Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), Kassie (Nell Fisher) and eldest son Danny (Morgan Davies) and traveling guitar tech Beth (Lily Sullivan), whose reunion is cut short.

    An earthquake rocks the building where Ellie and the kids live, revealing –– since the creaking high rise was once a bank –– a buried vault that contains a copy of a very familiar tome and some vinyl records that appear to go with it. Danny foolishly tries to open the book and plays the records… which leads, of course, to the rise of flesh possessing demons, thrusting them all into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

    A scene from New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    A scene from New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: Every Sam Raimi Movie, Ranked From ‘Evil Dead’ to ‘Spider-Man 2’

    Blood-soaked terror

    Cronin’s film, while not at the level of Raimi’s in terms of humor either, certainly injects a frothier style into the story.

    Before we ever get to the high rise, however, we’re treated to some more familiar forest territory, leading to an effective fake-out that this movie might be taking the expected direction. We won’t go into how that ties into the plot too much, since there are some surprises to be found, but it kicks off with a shot borrowing the Raimi style that turns out to be something else. It’s clever, knowing and the perfect start to the movie.

    Moving the story away from the traditional setting offers up some truly fresh ideas for the premise, and there are some very inventive horrors to be found lurking within. It’s also more emotionally grounded than any that have come before, the sibling and family dynamic used thoughtfully to truly set up characters before unleashing the Deadite creatures for which this franchise is known.

    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,”' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,”’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Sutherland and Sullivan in particular are relatable, grounded characters, swapping realistic sisterly dialogue and feeling like people rather than stock movie stereotypes.

    Once the bloody pedal hits the metal and the Deadite madness overwhelms anything, the movie takes off at a high gear and rarely stops for breath, eye-catching, gross injuries and deaths flying thick and fast.

    An elevator, a glass, a cheese grater and even a bathtub are all delivery methods for terror and anguish here, and horror fans are likely to find plenty to keep them entertained.

    Cronin also manages to include nods to Raimi’s films (a chainsaw, a shotgun, and a certain classic car among them) without the Easter eggs diverting attention and ruining the movie for those who don’t obsessively watch the original movies.

    It’s wild, wicked, and entirely thrilling stuff.

    Director Lee Cronin and Alyssa Sutherland on the set of New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Director Lee Cronin and Alyssa Sutherland on the set of New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Any problems?

    There are only a few issues with ‘Evil Dead Rise’ that keep it from true greatness –– youngest child Kassie occasionally falls into the grating overly cute kid mode, and of course displays some of the questionable decisions needed to get everyone else into trouble. Characters beyond the family are largely chattel, briefly set up in order to be suitably offed in nasty fashion, but then that’s par for the course for a horror movie and to expand them further would inflate the movie beyond its swift running time.

    The dumb decisions are not limited to Kassie, though, and there is the odd howler that only characters in this situation make. Also, likely to be more eye-rolling than cover-your-eyes-with-your-hands is an odd time jump where you can’t quite figure out how characters overcame seemingly insurmountable odds with little to no trouble.

    Final Thoughts

    That said, ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is an effectively creepy and freakish horror movie that easily earns its place in the ‘Evil Dead’ pantheon and, even if it doesn’t star Bruce Campbell (though he’s been cleverly included in a way we won’t reveal here).

    Fans will be happy with the frenetic action and even those who don’t know their Ash from their elbow will appreciate the creative scares on display here. And that, as Ash himself might say, is just groovy.

    ‘Evil Dead Rise’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Evil Dead Rise:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Evil Dead Rise’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Evil Dead’ Movies On Amazon

    ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is produced by New Line Cinema, Renaissance Pictures, Ghost House Pictures, Pacific Renaissance Pictures, and Wild Atlantic Pictures. It is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 21st, 2023.

  • Benedict Cumberbatch Talks ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'
    Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ from Marvel Studios.

    Opening in theaters on May 6th is the latest MCU movie and sequel to 2016’s ‘Doctor Strange’ entitled, ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’

    Directed by Sam Raimi (‘Evil Dead II,’ ‘Spider-Man’) the new film once again stars Benedict Cumberbatch (‘The Power of the Dog’) as the title character and follows the events of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and the Disney+ series ‘WandaVision’ as Strange must stop Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) from destroying the multiverse.

    In addition to Cumberbatch and Olsen, the cast also includes Benedict Wong as Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, and Xochiti Gomez as new MCU character America Chavez.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Benedict Cumberbatch about his work on ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’

    vzbUergv

    You can read our full interview with Benedict Cumberbatch below or watch the interview by clicking on the video player above.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what do you want to tell fans that are planning to see ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?’

    Benedict Cumberbatch: Welcome back. Thank you for coming in your droves to see ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and thank you for being here again. It’s just great to have you back. It’s great to have people in a seat about to see a film that I’m super proud of, and that’s got a lot of treats, thrills and surprises for you. It has some great nostalgia, and I think very interesting development of a character I love playing for you guys. I love being your Doctor Strange and I hope you love watching the film as much as we loved making it.

    MF: Director Sam Raimi introduces horror elements to the MCU with this movie. Just how scary will this film be?

    BC: It’s not ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose.’ But there are some jump scares. There’s some great cinematographer John Mathieson/Sam Raimi camera work, but it’s got to be palatable for a family. So, it’s kind of scary and it’s quite dark at times, but I wouldn’t say it’s a horror film, that’s for sure.

    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange
    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: When you saw the final film for the first time, did it scare you?

    BC: First time, probably. I am very involved. I think I have a very different lens on when I’m watching my own work and it’s to give feedback for editorial notes, ADR and all the kind of post-production stuff, reshoots and everything that we kept doing to try and perfect it. I’m really looking forward to having the audience experience it in Los Angeles at the premiere, and I’ll be in that audience watching the movie. I had such a fun time doing that with ‘Spider-Man,’ and I know it’s going to be a similar ride with this, hopefully.

    That film filled so many extraordinary kinds of desires. I mean, to be in an audience and experience the humor of it and hear the laughter, hear the cheer moments, but also to hear the pin drop silence of the emotional moments landing, it was such a thrill to be viscerally amongst a community of people experiencing that. It really amplified the joy I had individually watching it. So, I’m hoping that moment will come. if there are jump scares that work with a big audience, I’ll know it when I watch it at the premiere.

    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange
    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Director Sam Raimi has also said publicly that this movie will “drastically change who Doctor Strange is.” Can you talk about that?

    BC: I like to think so. I mean, there’s an awful lot going on in this film. I hope that isn’t lost on people. There is some character development, which I think is pretty crucial to him. I think we’ve seen him in his first introduction to the Marvel cinematic universe, as he was an arrogant neurosurgeon and a man trapped in a gilded cage of his own making. His ego was driving what he was doing, it was not out of a duty of caring. Then to have a duty of caring, the idea of doing things for others, being selfless and sacrificing, that came with his transition into a superhero.

    I think since the last few films he’s been pretty omnipotent and unquestionable, and then a human relationship with Peter Parker has destabilized all that and creates the need for him to help someone he both admired as a fellow soldier on the battlefield, so to speak, but also as a human being who’d lost his mentor and someone he cared about by the end of the film.

    It opened up the problem that he still faces in his own character, which is this level of arrogance believing that his way is the only way and only he can actually solve the problem. I think what he learns in this is it’s better to act together than to act alone. That’s the big shift I’d say, without pointing too much in the direction of how that happens.

    Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' from Marvel Studios.
    Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ from Marvel Studios.

    MF: Finally, would you say that in real life you are a “people person” or more of a “lone wolf?”

    BC: I think like most people, I have to be a bit of both. Certainly, with my craft, I lean massively on every department of talent, whether it’s costume and makeup or writer, director, and producer. I stand on the shoulder of many people when I’m in front of a camera doing a role, but I also then need some separation from all of that to try and own it, to believe in what I’m doing, contain it and immerse myself in it a little bit.

    That’s kind of isolating, I suppose, that’s work you have to do on your own. So, it’s a combination. I think in life, one moment I’ll be fine being in a crowd in a party, the next moment, I just want to be on my own in a room, staring at a wall with nobody but myself. I like to mix it up.

    'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' Poster. Photo Courtesy of Disney+.
    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Poster. Photo Courtesy of Disney+.
    Yn5kjVbedpQ4FE8rL2agE6

  • Movie Review: ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

    Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, and Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez
    (L-R): Rachel McAdams as Dr. Christine Palmer, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange, and Xochitl Gomez as America Chavez in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on May 6th is the latest MCU movie and sequel to 2016’s ‘Doctor Strange’ entitled, ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Directed by Sam Raimi (‘Evil Dead II,’ ‘Spider-Man’) the new film once again stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character and follows the events of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and the Disney+ series ‘WandaVision’ as Strange must stop Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) from destroying the multiverse.

    In addition to Cumberbatch and Olsen, the cast also includes Benedict Wong as Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer, and Xochiti Gomez as new MCU character America Chavez. The result is a strong sequel that surpasses its predecessor and transcends the genre by introducing horror elements into the MCU. Sam Raimi delivers one of his best films, which is anchored by excellent performances from Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen.

    The movie begins with Dr. Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) having a dream of helping a mysterious young girl escape from a demon. He awakes only to see the same girl running from a monster in the streets of New York. Strange saves the girl and soon learns that she is from another universe and that her name is America Chavez (Gomez). She has the power to move through the multiverse, and the demon chasing her is trying to steal her powers.

    Strange goes to Wanda Maximoff (Olsen) for help, only to find that she is the “demon” chasing Chavez and wants her power to find her children who “disappeared” after the events of ‘WandaVision.’ In order to stop the Scarlet Witch, Strange and Chavez travel through the multiverse and meet alternate versions of Strange, Christine Palmer (McAdams), Karl Mordo (Ejiofor), and the Illuminati, which is an Avengers-level team within the multiverse comprised of new and different versions of Marvel characters.

    Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff i
    Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    Without giving anything away, the Illuminati scenes are some of the best in the film and feature real surprises for fans. The actors that play different versions of characters they’ve played before are fun to watch in these new roles, while the actors playing characters we haven’t seen in the MCU previously, are all perfectly cast and have moments to shine. In fact, the Illuminati is a team I would love to see back in the MCU again, even if it is just on an episode of Disney+’s ‘What If …?’

    As always with Marvel movies, there are two end credit scenes, and I won’t give either away. But I will say that the mid-credit scene features an A-list actress joining the MCU as a new Marvel character, and the end credit scene is just for laughs.

    What elevates this film from the original is definitely the vision of master filmmaker Sam Raimi. The creator of ‘The Evil Dead’ series, as well as the man behind the first ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy, Raimi clearly has a love for the source material, he actually name-dropped Doctor Strange in ‘Spider-Man 2.’ Obviously, he also has a gift for making scary movies, and was able to push the horror in this film in a way he could not with the ‘Spider-Man’ films. Raimi is also a master at mixing horror and comedy, as seen in ‘Army of Darkness,’ and gets to do that a bit in this movie with a run-on gag featuring his ‘Evil Dead’ star Bruce Campbell.

    Raimi fans are really going to enjoy this movie and will see his signature shots and camera movements all over the film. But the director also nicely blends his directing style with the material, the already established tone of the MCU, and the advanced visual effects that were not available when he began his career. Composer Danny Elfman’s score also adds to the horror-vibes of Rami’s film and its dark tone.

    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange
    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    The script by Michael Waldron is good and covers a lot of ground quickly. One complaint I do have, is that the basic plot is just too simple. “Strange has to stop Wanda while traveling through the Multiverse to save America Chavez,” a character he just met, by the way. But it does work and delivers fun characters and set pieces along the way.

    Another downside to the movie is that it’s not really a follow up to ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ as previously believed. In fact, I think it’s only referenced once. The movie is really a follow up to the Disney+ series ‘WandaVision’ and I fear that if you didn’t see that show, some of Wanda’s motivations in the movie may be lost on you. However, the film does work hard to make you understand what happened to her and why she’d behaving this way, as misguided as it may be.

    Elizabeth Olsen first played Wanda Maximoff in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and at the time it seemed like Marvel didn’t really know what to do with the character. But thanks to her relationship with Vision, she really grew through the latter Avengers films and has come into her own after the series and now with ‘Multiverse of Madness.’

    Scarlet Witch is a full-on villain now and Olsen plays her well, with true conviction yet an emotionally vulnerable but also somewhat relatable side. It’s unclear where Marvel will take the character from here, and whether a redemption ark is in her future, but Olsen deserves credit for creating a truly memorable MCU character.

    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange
    Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange in Marvel Studios’ ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Multiverse of Madness’ marks Benedict Cumberbatch’s sixth time playing Doctor Strange on screen and with Iron Man gone, is now one of the premiere heroes in the Marvel Universe. While the first ‘Doctor Strange’ only gave a taste of the character, he’s grown through his experiences in the Avengers and Spider-Man movies and is at his best when sparring with fellow heroes, which this film includes quite a bit. Cumberbatch is charming, funny, and believable in the role, giving one of his best performances yet as the character. The actor also had the task of playing different versions of his character and gives each one a unique spin.

    In the end, ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ is a really fun and unique Marvel movie, which expands the genre by mixing horror with heroes. The film succeeds in large part thanks to Sam Raimi’s unique style, the horror elements, the multiverse concept, Benedict and Olsen’s strong performances and the surprise cameos.

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ gets 4.5 out of 5 stars.

    Yn5kjVbedpQ4FE8rL2agE6

  • ‘Doctor Strange’ Sequel Brings Horror to MCU

    Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' from Marvel Studios.
    Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ from Marvel Studios.

    ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ is shaping up to be a major first for the MCU. But, not in ways that people expect. The upcoming sequel, which is directed by Sam Raimi, will be the first horror movie set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    While this may not seem like a major upheaval of the formula Disney and Marvel have going, it could mean a change for the better for the future of the MCU and how Disney approaches its very heavily family friendly franchise.

    Before we get into the MCU present, it’s important to note that Marvel has attempted to make horror movies in the past, outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brand. Marvel was dipping into the genre all the way back in 1998 with ‘Blade,’ and one can even argue 2007’s ‘Ghost Rider.’ Both films being massive successes, and ‘Blade’ being a stepping-off point for Marvel creating more comic book films in the future.

    3695

    When most people hear of a film so successful that it allowed Marvel to continue making movies, one wouldn’t think it was a ‘Blade,’ which was dark, violent and a horror film about a B-tier superhero. Not something as big as ‘Iron Man,’ or ‘Captain America.’ While you can easily explain this away as Marvel dipping its foot into the supernatural horror craze of the era, you can’t ignore the impact the film had on the superhero genre going forward.

    Now, what does this mean for the current MCU? While we have a ‘Blade’ film currently in development, it will not be the franchise’s first horror film. But that doesn’t mean ‘Multiverse of Madness’ can’t help influence the tone the film might end up having. But to get to the bottom of that, we have to talk about the movie’s two different directors.

    The first ‘Doctor Strange,’ released in 2016, was directed by Scott Derrickson, one of the prolific horror directors of the 2010s. The mind behind ‘Sinister‘ and ‘Deliver Us from Evil,’ both of which are incredibly terrifying and disturbing. While ‘Doctor Strange’ was a different project for him, it shared similarities with what he had done before. Surreal-sometimes scary-imagery, and otherworldly evil. You can’t argue that ‘Doctor Strange’ just felt different then everything in the MCU that came before it.

    20060089

    Even with something incredibly different, ‘Doctor Strange’ still was a hit, making $677.7 million at the box office. The numbers don’t lie; audiences enjoyed, well, the strange (no pun intended) and weird. As we’ve seen before, Marvel listens to the box office and the viewers. So, what does that mean for ‘Multiverse of Madness?’

    Enter Sam Raimi, and finally, why a horror movie could lead the MCU in the perfect direction. A lot of MCU fans know Raimi was the director of Marvel’s original ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy. But many more know him as the director of the iconic comedy-horror franchise, ‘The Evil Dead,‘ which was violent, funny and most importantly, scary. Everything that Marvel can use.

    Raimi is quite possibly the best director that can integrate horror into the superhero genre. Many consider the original ‘Evil Dead’ a great first-time horror film, and a great lead into the spooky and the scary. And while ‘Spider-Man’ was a long way from being scary or terrifying, Raimi has shown his props in both genres.

    Director Sam Raimi at San Diego Comic-Con
    Director Sam Raimi at San Diego Comic-Con.

    Horror is very moldable. We’ve seen everything from psychological horror, to comedy, to even humor driven towards the young adult genre. Horror can be done without being terrifyingly scary, which is what I believe to be a major misconception the filmgoing audience has, and is prominent in how people are handling the ideas of ‘Multiverse of Madness’ being a horror film.

    When one looks at horror, all they see is jump scares or brutal, gory violence. But horror can be used in so many ways, some of which has already been shown in the trailer. Everything from dimensional beings such as Gargantos (which in the film bears a striking resemblance to Lovecraft-inspired monsters) and even from everything we’ve seen, Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) herself, which one can argue is a take on the monstrous feminine trope.

    What I’m trying to get at here is that Marvel would be really giving up something special if they don’t go full-in with the horror route. Horror is a genre that is very rarely touched in big name franchises like this, but the MCU has shown it’s not afraid to dip its toes into experimental works, with ‘Eternals‘ being a huge example of this.

    7ntA9bxQAz88yPJhNae7O1

    But as we know, horror can scare away an all-ages audience. You alienate an audience by deviating too far from the mold, and this does seem too far to the normal viewer. This is all leading up to the reason why Marvel adding horror into such a huge franchise is fantastic.

    While early, they’ve shown that horror isn’t something they’re afraid to dive into to fit the source material. If ‘Blade’ had been released with no vampires save for Blade himself, how would that have worked? Or if the Spirit of Vengeance’s skull in ‘Ghost Rider’ was incredibly dumbed down and not realistic? For both films, the horror would have been pretty much non-existent and it would lose the point of the adaptation in the first place.

    Doctor Strange’s comics have always been weird and otherworldly. And while the first movie tackled that fantastically, the second film has a chance to continue. The first movie can be considered a toe-dip, inching people into the idea of an even freakier and out-there sequel. They’ve seen what the world looks like, now what if we go deeper?

    Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' from Marvel Studios.
    Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ from Marvel Studios.

    While going deeper keeps it close to the comics, it also helps audiences open to the idea of this sequel breaking genre expectations. While you’d have trouble calling the first movie “scary”, that leaves ‘Multiverse of Madness’ open to pick up that mantle. And as we discussed, Marvel has a crazy number of angles they can take this from.

    But let’s also look at how crazy appealing this can make the horror genre. While we have had superhero horror films in the past, they have been considered cult. ‘Multiverse of Madness’ has a huge chance to change that, welcoming so many viewers into a genre that would have once scared them off, now having them in with open arms.

    It can also show that horror doesn’t just need to be for adults, and can create something that nearly every audience can lose themselves in, without returning home with nightmares (at least I hope not!) With ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’ Marvel seems to be setting up their chance at branching out into other genres and experimental plans in the process.

    Whether this works out or not is still to be seen, but I think if any company can pull off getting a massive audience into a new genre of film; it’s Marvel. And I can’t wait to see how spooky they take it!

    Yn5kjVbedpQ4FE8rL2agE6
  • ‘Escape Room’ Director Sets Supernatural Thriller as Next Project

    ‘Escape Room’ Director Sets Supernatural Thriller as Next Project

    Columbia Pictures

    Get ready for the next escape.

    “Escape Room” director Adam Robitel has set his next project, an untitled supernatural thriller written by Gavin Heffernan. It will be produced by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert through their Ghost House Pictures, according to Deadline.

    “Escape Room” was a sleeper hit, earning $155 million on a $9 million budget. Robitel is also attached to direct the sequel, which is slated for release on August 14, 2020.

    “Ghost House is thrilled to partner again with Sony Pictures, and to work for the first time with the enormously talented Adam Robitel,” Raimi said. “From the moment Adam and Gavin pitched me their vision for the movie, I knew that this would be an exciting and terrifying experience for the audience.”

  • 12 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Spider-Man 2’

    12 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘Spider-Man 2’

    Sony Pictures

    If they’re worth their salt, every new superhero movie raises the bar on what audiences can expect from comic book adaptations, which makes it easy to forget that it was Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2” that set that bar in the first place. Released on June 30, 2004, the film elevated Raimi’s work on the first “Spider-Man” to new levels, combining the brisk, visceral action of his origin story with an emotional and thematic complexity that quite frankly few people thought movies like this one could possess. As much as it may seem quaint in comparison to the rambling MCU films that followed in its footsteps, Raimi and his collaborators created something truly special that continues to hold up brilliantly today.

    To commemorate the film’s 15th anniversary, we dug through its history for a list of some of the little details that were both discarded along the way, as well as some of the ones that made it the masterpiece that it became.

    1. Not long after the first film’s release in 2002, Sony hired Michael Chabon (“The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay”) to rewrite the story conceived by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. He reimagined Otto Octavius as a peer of Peter Parker’s who develops an infatuation with Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). Not only was it revealed in Chabon’s script that Octavius bred the genetically-enhanced spider that bit Peter in the first film, but his battle against Spider-Man is primarily driven by the desire to replace his own spine with the web slinger’s, who can handle the weight and the pain of being fused with his mechanical limbs.

    2. Director Sam Raimi eventually dug through the various drafts of earlier scripts and enlisted Alvin Sargent (“Ordinary People”) to cobble them together into the version that appears on screen. Inspired by “Superman II,” Raimi wanted a story that explored the cost of Peter’s double life that would take him on a journey to learn how to appreciate his powers and be happy as a hero.

    Sony Pictures

    3. Nevertheless, much of the story is also derived from “The Amazing Spider-Man” No. 50, titled “Spider-Man No More,” which the filmmaker drew from directly for several shots including when Peter throws his suit in the trash. Meanwhile, Raimi jettisoned the idea that Octavius would be a peer or colleague and made him a mentor to be saved rather than competed with, which added complexity to the villain and eliminated a love triangle subplot that was already explored once in “Spider-Man.”

    4. Prior to shooting the first “Spider-Man,” Tobey Maguire injured his back on the set of “Seabiscuit,” and Jake Gyllenhaal was recruited to step into the role in case he didn’t recover. Maguire however rebounded and took back over the role that would become one of his signatures. Gyllenhaal got his time in the Spider-verse 15 years later playing Spider-Man’s adversary Mysterio (opposite Tom Holland) in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”

    5. During shooting, Maguire reportedly did several of his own stunts, including a flip over a car that Raimi deemed more naturalistic than the one performed by a stunt man. Rosemary Harris similarly did several of her own stunts, but Alfred Molina said that he was eager to leave that work to the professionals, although the stunt team supposedly “tricked” him into performing a few himself.

    Sony Pictures

    6. Raimi stacked the emergency room scene in which Octavius’ tentacles “come to life” with references to his own “The Evil Dead” films, including point-of-view shots of the tentacles like the evil force that chases Ash in the trilogy, and an attack on a surgeon with a mini chainsaw. The shot where a female physician leaves grooves with her fingernails while being dragged away was achieved by making the floor out of wax.

    7. Molina worked with an extensive team of technicians to bring his costume to life, including one operator per tentacle. He nicknamed each tentacle — Larry, Harry, Moe and Flo, the latter operated by a female grip to perform tasks like removing his sunglasses and serving him beverages.

    8. The technicians were skilled enough to give the tentacles individual personalities, but also to dovetail their behavior into Molina’s in the role. At the time of shooting, he was also performing in a stage version of “Fiddler on the Roof,” and in a scene when he is humming “If I Were A Rich Man,” the operators moved his tentacles in time to his singing.

    9. The alley where Peter discards his Spider-Man suit is the same set where he and Mary Jane shared their upside-down kiss in the first film.

    10. In the scene with the apartment fire, the actor who tells Spider-Man that there’s someone trapped on the second floor is the same one who throws trash at Green Goblin in “Spider-Man” to protect ol’ web-head during the bridge fight.

    Sony Pictures

    11. Raimi used 16 large-format cameras to capture the action in the train fight sequence, then one of the most ambitious ever undertaken. Throughout the film as a whole, he also made more extensive use of the “Spydercam,” used only in one of the final scenes in “Spider-Man,” which allowed the filmmakers to create a more visceral sense of the superhero’s movement as it could “swing” more than 50 stories shooting only six frames of film at a time to increase the sense of speed and fluidity.

    12. “Spider-Man 2” was nominated for three Oscars and won one, for Best Visual Effects. A longer version, “Spider-Man 2.1” expands several scenes to make them clearer and the relationships more nuanced. However, there has still never been a satisfying explanation for the “chocolate cake scene” between Peter and his landlord’s daughter, in which — crucially — the cake isn’t even chocolate!

  • 9 Things You Never Knew About ‘Drag Me to Hell’ on its 10th Anniversary

    9 Things You Never Knew About ‘Drag Me to Hell’ on its 10th Anniversary

    Universal Pictures

    While director Sam Raimi will probably always be best remembered for franchises like “Spider-Man” and “Evil Dead,” he also gave us one of the best horror movies of the 21st Century thanks to “Drag Me to Hell.” That modern classic is now ten years old, so celebrate the occasion by learning a little more about the background and making of “Drag Me to Hell.”

    1. The film is partly inspired by 1957’s “Night of the Demon,” which itself was based on the M.R. James story “Casting the Runes.”

    2. Raimi and his brother Ivan originally wrote “Drag Me to Hell” after completing “Army of Darkness” in 1992. The film sat dormant until Raimi completed work on the “Spider-Man” trilogy.

    Sony Pictures

    3. Raimi actually offered Edgar Wright the chance to direct “Drag Me to Hell,” but Wright opted to focus on “Hot Fuzz” instead.

    4. The 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 seen in the film is the same one that’s appeared in nearly every one of Raimi’s movies.

    Universal Pictures

    5. Ellen Page was originally cast in the lead role, but she had to drop out due to scheduling issues caused by an impending SAG strike.

    6. Raimi and several of his family members have cameo roles in the film. Raimi himself appears as a ghost, while his younger brother Ted plays a doctor.

    Universal Pictures

    7. “Drag Me to Hell” is the first Raimi movie not to include actor Bruce Campbell. Campbell was unable to participate due to his commitment to the TV series “Burn Notice.”

    8. The Greek letters seen in the Great Room scene quote a biblical passage from Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation.

    Starz

    9. The film includes multiple references to the “Evil Dead” series, including Sylvia’s line “I’m going to get some,” and Clay’s mention of his parents’ remote cabin in the woods.

     

  • Screen Gems Nabs Bride Horror Thriller Involving ‘Evil Dead’ Creator Sam Raimi

    Screen Gems Nabs Bride Horror Thriller Involving ‘Evil Dead’ Creator Sam Raimi

    Ash vs Evil Dead Comic-Con panel still
    Starz/YouTube

    A horror thriller project about a bride has caught Screen Gems’ eye.

    The studio has picked up a project that counts Evil Dead series creator Sam Raimi among its producers, THR reports. Blair Butler is set to write the script, while Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Emile Gladstone will produce. Raimi and Tapert will do so via Ghost House Pictures.

    Between them, they’ve all worked on some terrifying flicks. Butler co-wrote “Hell Fest” and the recent “Polaroid.” Rami and Tapert have collaborated on the Evil Dead movies as well as the Starz series “Ash vs Evil Dead.” Meanwhile, Gladstone produced 2019’s “The Curse of La Llorona.”

    We don’t know much about this latest project. The basic plot, however, involves a destination wedding gone wrong, per THR. It sounds like it will fit right in at Screen Gems; the Sony Pictures division is known for primarily producing and distributing horror films. Some recent ones include “The Possession of Hannah Grace,” “Searching,” and “Slender Man.”

    [via: THR]

  • Here Are 7 Hidden Gems From Your Favorite Horror Directors

    Here Are 7 Hidden Gems From Your Favorite Horror Directors

    It’s easy for horror directors to be pigeonholed. It seems to come with the territory.

    If they’ve had success with one film, then that film winds up defining their entire career, whether that filmmaker likes it or not. Sometimes, though, these horror filmmakers make wild attempts with audacious films that, while they might not necessarily connect with audiences, make a big impact on those that see them. Its in this spirit of adventurousness — and coinciding with the imminent release of Shout Factory’s amazing new “Drag Me to Hell” Blu-ray — that we look at lesser known films from some of your favorite horror filmmakers that you might have missed. Just be sure to watch with the lights on.Tobe Hooper

    Best Known For: “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974)

    Our Recommendation: “The Funhouse” (1981)

    Texas-born, Dr. Pepper-loving Tobe Hooper is best remembered for his groundbreaking “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” and for directing at least part of Steven Spielberg‘s “Poltergeist.” But he had a long and varied filmography, from his big budget movies with Cannon Films to his return to independent features towards the end of his career. But our recommendation is 1981’s “The Funhouse.”

    It was Hooper’s first studio project and it’s as stunningly beautiful (the cinematography by Andrew Laszlo, who had just come off “The Warriors,” is amazing) as it is deeply scary. The plot concerns a group of teenagers stalked inside a carnival funhouse but that’s just an exclusive for Hooper to pile on the neatly stylized atmospherics and nifty suspense set pieces.Wes Craven

    Best Known for: “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) and “Scream” (1996)

    Our Recommendation: “The Serpent and the Rainbow” (1988)

    Few horror filmmakers can lay claim to an entire franchise, let alone two huge sensations. But with “Scream” and “Nightmare on Elm Street,” Wes Craven can handily take responsibility for two of the most influential horror series ever. But some of his smaller, less well-received films are also his most interesting.

    Case in point, “The Serpent and the Rainbow.” Based on the nonfiction bestseller by Wade Davis, Craven sensationalized and embellished on that original text, amplifying an already horrific tale of zombies and voodoo in the Amazon jungle. Sometimes, this makes things somewhat wobbly, at least on a tonal level, but it’s undeniably gritty, thrilling stuff.John Carpenter

    Best Known for: “Halloween” (1978), “The Thing” (1981).

    Our Recommendation: “Prince of Darkness” (1987)

    John Carpenter is one of our favorite American filmmakers, period. He’s made so many great movies. But one of his most underrated, scariest, and indeed best, is “Prince of Darkness.”

    This apocalyptic tale (penned by Carpenter under a pseudonym) follows a group of grad students, scientists, and priests, as they study a vial of otherworldly green goo uncovered in the basement of an ancient church. Weird and deeply unsettling, “Prince of Darkness” goes to some genuinely unexpected places and feels formally adventurous (particularly when it comes to some early found footage-type elements). If you’ve never see it, be prepared — it’ll scare you silly.David Cronenberg

    Best Known for: “The Fly” (1986)

    Our Recommendation: “The Brood” (1979)

    Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg broke through to the mainstream with his witty remake of “The Fly” and had a recent critical resurgence with a series of more traditional (but still Cronenbergian) thrillers. But if you’re looking for something more outré and, indeed, totally scary, then we suggest looking back to “The Brood,” made before he had crossed over.

    Made around the time the director was going through a bitter custody battle, “The Brood” is unnerving and unrelenting, with suitably off-the-wall performances by Oliver Reed and a fearless Samantha Eggar (there’s a moment towards the end that she totally owns that will make you go “ewwww”).Gore Verbinski

    Best Known for: “The Ring” (2012)

    Our Recommendation: “A Cure for Wellness” (2017)

    Gore Verbinski has always flirted with the dark side, even when making giant spectacles (see his “Pirates of the Caribbean” films) and is perhaps best remembered for his chilling remake of the Japanese horror phenomenon “The Ring.” But just last year Verbinski returned to the genre and hardly anybody noticed.

    “A Cure for Wellness” is long and baroque (you could imagine Vincent Price filling in for Jason Isaacs without issue) but it’s also incredibly rewarding. It’s a singularly visionary, uniquely stylized romp that satirizes our modern obsession with wellness while also tapping into something much more primordial.Sam Raimi

    Best Known for: The “Evil Dead” Trilogy (1981, 1987, 1992)

    Our Recommendation: “Drag Me to Hell” (2009)

    Although he ushered in the modern superhero era with his beloved “Spider-Man” films, Sam Raimi got his start making down-and-dirty horror movies that both scared and delighted in equal measure. So when he got done with the web-slinger, he returned to his roots, completing the delightfully gooey “Drag Me to Hell.” And it flopped.

    But already it seems that there is a small but vocal group that considers “Drag Me to Hell” a lost classic (because it is). Smartly adapted for the financial crisis, a young bank worker (Alison Lohman) is cursed by a vengeful gypsy. After that, well, it all goes to hell. You can feel Raimi’s looseness and joy coming through in every frame. He’s so excited to scare an audience again. It’s a blast.George A. Romero

    Best Known for: “Night of the Living Dead” (1968)

    Our Recommendation: “Monkey Shines” (1988)

    When George A. Romero passed away last year, most zeroed in on his zombie films, which served as both socio-political allegories and midnight movie freakouts. But there were a number of fascinating one-offs in his career, some more celebrated than others. “Monkey Shines” is most definitely not all that appreciated, but it’s still scary as hell and very much worth a watch.

    The set-up is undeniably goofy (a quadriplegic man develops a psychic and sinister bond with his service monkey) but Romero commits to the premise fully and the slick production (it was Romero’s first studio film) is undeniably impressive. (That David Shire score!) While some last-minute tinkering from the studio robbed the movie of its more moody tone, it’s still scary as hell.