'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' Will Be the Scariest MCU Movie Yet

It's time to move on from the emotional events in Spider-Man: No Way Home because the long-awaited Doctor Strange sequel is officially hitting theaters this year.

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen as Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (or as we like to call them, the two strongest Avengers), the upcoming MCU installment is bound to get freaky with plenty of magic and reality-bending.

As we know, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is shaping up to be one of, if not the most substantial project of Phase 4. While we already know the film follows Doctor Strange and his exploration of the multiverse, it also continues the Scarlet Witch's story post-WandaVision.

After Wanda releases her Hex and frees the people of Westview, it seems she's gone off the grid and is messing with elements that she shouldn't, aka the Darkhold — this is likely where her story picks up in the film.

If you remember, Wanda's neighbor Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) says the dangerous book has an entire chapter that states the Scarlet Witch will destroy the world.

With Wanda's newfound obsession with the Darkhold and potential to obliterate the entire world, it seems the film is going to be quite frightening. So, can we expect it to scare audiences? Is Doctor Strange 2 a horror movie? Let's find out!

Though it might've been pitched as one, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige says Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is technically not a horror movie.

During an NYFA Q&A via Collider in late 2019, Kevin Feige spoke about the creative approach he and former director Scott Derrickson took for the sequel, but debunked rumors that it's a horror flick.

"I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s a horror film, but it is, as Scott Derrickson, our director, has pitched it, it’ll be a big MCU film with scary sequences in it," Kevin said. Well, that's a bummer — we were so looking forward to the MCU taking a turn into the horror genre!

However, even though Kevin Feige says Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is not a horror movie, that doesn't stop any cast members, especially Elizabeth Olsen, from praising the terrifying elements of the film.

Following her first Emmy nomination for her stunning portrayal of Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision, Elizabeth Olsen participated in an NYFA Q&A. During the session, Elizabeth spoke about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Sam Raimi's goal to make the scariest MCU movie ever.

"Sam Raimi is lovely, and I got to learn a lot from him. It was odd going from WandaVision and bringing this character to a different film that felt more based in the Marvel films. I felt like I was putting on old shoes," Elizabeth said during the event. "It’s a very scary movie. It’s 'old Sam Raimi.' They’re trying to create the scariest Marvel movie. So there’s that!"

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, 2022.