One of the best directors of a Marvel movie may join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Variety reports that Sam Raimi, who directed the original Spider-Man film trilogy of the 2000s, is “in talks” to direct the Doctor Strange sequel that is ramping up to go into production later this year:

Raimi replaces original director Scott Derrickson, who Variety reported on Jan. 9 had officially departed the project due to creative differences. Derrickson will remain as an executive producer. Raimi, meanwhile, will need to get up to speed before the film’s scheduled production start date in May. Marvel had no comment.

All three of Raimi’s Spider-Man movies were enormous commercial successes; the original was the first film in history to gross $100 million in a single weekend and Spider-Man 2 remains high on most fans’ lists of the best superhero movies ever. But since then, Raimi’s directing efforts have been sporadic at best. He made the horror comedy Drag Me to Hell in 2009 and a prequel to The Wizard of OzOz: The Great and Powerful in 2013. This would be his first feature in seven years.

Raimi would be an incredible choice for Doctor Strange, which was billed as Marvel Studios’ first horror movie. As the director of The Evil Dead movies, Raimi knows a little bit about horror — and blending horror and superheroes should be right up his alley. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine a better choice. If this happens it immediately makes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness my most anticipated Phase Four movie. It opens in theaters on May 7, 2021.

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