Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is well known to have had a number of alternative and deleted scenes, but star Xochitl Gomez has revealed how extensive reshoots completely changed one important aspect of the movie’s opening. The movie is currently the second highest-grossing movie of the year and looks like it will retain its title as the highest-grossing Marvel of 2022, with Thor lagging a little at the box office. However, as one of the first movies to fully immerse audiences in the multiverse, there were a number of alternative ways the story could have played out, and Gomez detailed one of these to /Film. She said:
"Yeah, it changed lots of things. The main thing about Marvel is that they do test screenings so that they can get the movie to be what fans want, make them be what Marvel movies are. We did lots of changes for that reshoot, it was pretty insane. Lots of work, but it was really fun and it was a challenge, but it was also really fun to do wirework again of the stuff that I already had done, to do it in a different style with different intentions and stuff. One main thing that got changed is that Defender Strange was actually saving me at the beginning and it was a turning point, that when he died it was me being heartbroken over the fact that someone who cared and was protecting me had passed away. Then, when we did reshoots it was this main drastic change that Defender Strange was actually betraying me and trying to take my power away from me. A lot more to work with, but also it's a completely different perspective on her and her trust issues because before it was this whole other thing. A little, simple thing like that can change so much."
Marvel Reshoots Have Recently Been Revealed to Be Extensive
While not exclusive to Marvel movies, reshoots are becoming a more common part of filmmaking than ever in Hollywood, and especially following compromises made to shooting schedules during the Covid pandemic. While not so long ago, the announcement that a movie was undergoing reshoots of any kind usually meant that a film was in trouble or trying to make a quick fix to early audience feedback, now they are just a sign that the director needs some additional footage or alternative shots that weren’t captured in initial shoots.
One thing that does seem to be a Marvel thing is many last-minute changes made to storylines and characters. In many ways, this is not surprising, considering the franchise now comprises almost 50 interconnected projects and is not about to stop anytime in the near future. With eagle-eyed fans always willing to point out any plot holes and minor discrepancies, a little additional time taken to try and eradicate those missteps seems more than worth it.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is available now on Disney+.