Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness star Chiwetel Ejiofor opened up about reprising his role as Karl Mordo in the upcoming sequel.
"It’s pretty bonkers, and it’s going to be really exciting," Ejiofor told ET Online. "It’s been a real joy to bring that team back together, and [director Sam Raimi] made me sort of the leader for this film, and, you know, I just think his work is so extraordinary and has been for so long. So it was very, very exciting, and I think people are really going to enjoy it."
Baron Karl Mordo made his Marvel Comics debut in 1963's Strange Tales #111. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Mordo often appeared in the comics as a villain and adversary of Doctor Strange. Mordo first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2016's Doctor Strange portrayed in live-action by Ejiofor as an ally to Strange, though he ends the film by vowing to eliminate his fellow sorcerers.
Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange in the MCU, described the upcoming sequel as "bonkers" as well. In commenting on the scale of the production, the actor stated that he was not entirely sure if the sequel was really "his" movie. "There's a lot of stuff going on in it," he said. "It's like, do I have a character arc in this? Is it working? No, there's great stuff for me to do. It's very busy. It's called The Multiverse of Madness, and it's bonkers."
Multiverse of Madness wrapped extensive reshoots in January 2022, which were described as "significant" when they began in November 2021. The additional material was helmed by Raimi and Loki head writer Michael Waldron. Raimi took over directorial duties from Scott Derrickson, who directed the first film and departed the sequel over creative differences. Multiverse of Madness will pick up after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and tie directly into two of Marvel's Disney+ series, WandaVision and Loki, both of which dealt heavily with the multiverse.
Following the success of No Way Home, it was reported that Multiverse of Madness would have "more fun with the multiverse," with reshoots including even more cameos and character introductions than originally intended. Among the possible cameos are an appearance from Patrick Stewart as Professor X, whose role has been confirmed, and a possible appearance from Captain Carter, who was introduced in Marvel's What If...? series. The film will also mark the MCU debut of America Chavez and the Illuminati.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres in most theaters on May 6.
Source: ET Online