Scott Derrickson has openly expressed that he would love to work with Marvel Studios on a suitable, potential Marvel Cinematic Universe project if a chance arrives. When asked about his opinion on a possible return to the MCU, if the studio offers, The Black Phone and Sinister director, who is heavily active on Twitter, replied to the fan, saying:

I loved working with Marvel and would absolutely do it again.

Derrickson directed the 2016 MCU hit Doctor Strange that introduced Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer-slash-wizard to the franchise, along with the first hint towards the existence of the multiverse. Scott Derrickson's creative take on Doctor Strange was well received for its space and time warping magic, the sorcerers’ battles, and mirrored realities, all of which reflected a new sense of originality in the MCU. Owing to the success of the film, Benedict Cumberbatch went on to star in four more films in the franchise and got his own sequel greenlit for Phase 4.

Though Derrickson was brought back to direct the sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he left the project in 2020 citing creative differences. It was a sudden move from the studio as Derrickson had earlier appeared in San Diego Comic-Con 2019 with Cumberbatch, Kevin Feige, and Elizabeth Olsen to discuss the film. During the Hall H presentation, he had stated,

If I'm gonna do it, it has to go into the territory that drew me into the Doctor Strange comics in the first place, which is how they dipped into the gothic and the horror and the horrific, and we're gonna make the first scary MCU film.

It was reported that Derrickson wanted a much darker and scarier approach to the sequel’s story and Strange’s continuing arc; however, it wasn’t fitting well with MCU’s PG-13 regulations, thus resulting in the director stepping down.

Derrickson was later replaced by Spider-Man Trilogy director Sam Raimi, who also acted as the consultant on Spider-Man: No Way Home, which, in turn, would act as a semi-predecessor to the Doctor Strange sequel. The first teaser of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness played during the end credits of Spider-Man: No Way Home, thus establishing the direct connection between two films, which will also tie up with WandaVision, and possibly Loki. The film’s exact details are currently under wraps, but it’s sure that the highly awaited sequel will break all hell loose in the multiverse.

After leaving the Doctor Strange sequel, Derrickson worked on The Black Phone, a supernatural-horror film adapted from Joe Hill’s 2004 short story. The film will star Derrickson’s long-term collaborator Ethan Hawke, who interestingly will also appear as the primary antagonist in Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters on May 6, 2022, after multiple delays due to COVID-related restrictions and shutdowns, as well as recently announced reshoots. It will be the first MCU film for the year 2022 and the 28th film in the franchise.