MARKETING DONE WRONG: 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (2022)

Writing about a Marvel movie might seem like the most random topic for my first ever LinkedIn article - and it might also come as a surprise for those who didn't know I'm a huge Marvel fan. Ever since the premiere of X-Men back in 2000, I was obsessed with the superhero genre and even more excited when the Marvel Cinematic Universe - headed by the genius himself Kevin Feige - hit the big screen over ten years ago. Finally we were being gifted with a faithful adaptation of the comics that mixed character-driven drama, a visual spectacle and lots of unexpected twists.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premiered in Portugal on May 4th and had a lot powerful assets going for it: firstly, director Sam Raimi took center stage as the genius known for bringing horror elements into superhero stories (he directed the first Spider-Man trilogy with Tobey Maguire); secondly; Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), the main characters of the film, are some of the most powerful and multilayered characters in the Marvel universe; last but not least, the concept of the multiverse allows for so much creativity that I would argue it's hard to miss the target when it comes to crafting a new story related to it.

The problem with the movie is: all of these elements are there but they are not, by any means, used in the right manner. Warning: here come the spoilers!

Long story short, after being visited by a monster from another universe and newcomer America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), Doctor Strange decides to seek help from Wanda, the other magic-bending Avenger he knows. In the first minutes of the film, you quickly discover Wanda has embraced her full power as the terrifying Scarlet Witch and has an agenda of her own: to obtain Chavez's power of multiversal travel in order to reunite with her lost sons in another universe. The film quickly becomes a two-hour chase as Wanda wreaks havoc and Strange and Chavez jump between universes to run away from her.

Before moving forward, it's important to keep one thing straight: in my not-so-humble opinion, the Marvel Cinematic Universe operates on the basis of fan service. And this is not a bad thing. Marvel has crafted a loyal fanbase that pays attention to every new move in the franchise. Thousands of theories are thrown around online on a daily basis, trying to guess if the films - and now also shows streaming on Disney+ - will be faithful to the comics or blow fans away with unexpected turns. This to say that Marvel fans pay attention to detail and have thought of dozens of different ways the stories could go possibly go in.

And that's the main question: there are barely any surprises waiting for you, both in terms of what came from Marketing as well as in terms of storytelling. Let me explain.

The fact that Wanda would turn evil and become the villain of the movie was already heavily implied, both from where she ended her journey on the 2020 series WandaVision but also from the trailers for the film. So, no surprise there. The other trump card Multiverse of Madness had going for it was the appearance of the Illuminati, a group of heroes from different universes that provided Marvel with the opportunity to bring in interesting cameos: the return of Sir Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier, the debut of John Krasinski as Reed Richard / Mr. Fantastic; and others. But then again, most of these cameos (at least the return of Professor X, the Captain Marvel variant and the Captain Carter variant) were already promoted in the trailers. So, once more, no surprise there. And let's not mention the part where Wanda basically butchers every member of the Illuminati, making their appearance, though exciting, eventually useless.

Another thing that heavily bothered me in Multiverse of Madness was the fact that Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff were probably the most one-layered they have ever been. Strange is stuck in his unspoken love for Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) and that theme is brought up so many times that it ends up getting frustrating. Wanda, on the other hand, though more powerful than ever, ends up getting the same storyline she went through in WandaVision: sacrificing her own happiness and accepting grief. When the credits of the film start rolling, you just can't shake off the feeling that these two went absolutely nowhere as characters.

Director Sam Raimi was also extremely used as a marketing tool and there is good reason for that. Don't get me wrong: Multiverse of Madness is action-packed, with some of the most incredible magic fight scenes I've seen in recent years and all the horror, gruesome elements you can expect from the director. As a Sam Raimi, standalone film, it could probably work. As a Marvel one, it simply doesn't.

Last but not least, I'd like to mention the fact that anyone who pays attention to recent theater releases knows there is another movie about the multiverse in cinemas at the moment: Everything Everywhere All At Once, directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, and headed by the outstanding Michelle Yeoh as leading lady. Now THAT is a superb film. I could write an entirely new article on it. The concept of the multiverse is actually used as an intrinsic spine of the film and not just as a visual rollercoaster like in Multiverse of Madness. Michelle Yeoh breathes life into Evelyn, the most interesting and fearless middle-aged, Chinese-American woman I've seen in film. The movie is an absolute play on the senses and a masterpiece from start to finish. I could honestly go on and on for hours about it. Now, if you've watched Everything Everywhere before Multiverse of Madness - or dare I say even if you watch it afterwards - you will quickly realize what makes the concept of the multiverse work. The new Doctor Strange simply didn't stand a chance with such competition.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is not at all a boring film: you get some intense action sequences and that creative CGI spectacle that Marvel fans seem to enjoy so much. But I'd say that the marketing for the film failed in some of its most basic foundations: they underestimated their audience; they didn't exactly innovate in terms of storytelling; and they did not overdeliver in any way. An absolute disappointment, to say the least. I mean, let's face it, this is my first ever LinkedIn article and it's basically an unhinged rant about the movie, so you can imagine how frustrated I felt when I left the theater.