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Originally, Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had R-rated violence. Sources reveal Sam Raimi toned down the film. It’s no surprise that Disney would keep it a PG-13.
While Marvel Studios won’t turn Deadpool 3 into PG-13 fare, that’s different. Deadpool 3 won’t have a massive budget. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is expensive. Disney spent over $200 million on the sequel.
Furthermore, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is an Avenger. In addition, Doctor Strange co-starred in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
On the other hand, Deadpool 3 had rated R predecessors. Ironically, despite the PG-13, parents still complained.
Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange 2 Originally Had R-Rated Violence
Image: Marvel Studios
Director Sam Raimi pushed the envelope on violence. Not only that, he heightened the darkness.
Consequently, the led to lesser ticket sales from families. Still, the movie remains a smash. In the end, it’ll grab over $800 million global. Indeed, it could crawl to $1 billion.
But Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was more gory before.
Considering The Evil Dead‘s Sam Raimi helmed it, that’s no shocker. Sam Raimi sliced 35 minutes from the movie.
Insiders reveal some of that had blood.
A few months ago a leak spilled several details about the film. If you have not watched it, spoilers ahead.
Image: Marvel Studios
There is an alternate opening of the movie. The MCU’s Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) hunts Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). Mordo holds a magical bow. Maximoff decapitates him.
Now, we don’t know if this scene was shot or not. Remember that they were changing things as they were shooting the film. If it was shot, will we ever see the scene? This is not the only time Marvel re-shot like this. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Five Rings, Florian Munteanu’s Razor Fist should have died. It is documented in a deleted scene. But in the theatrical version he is perfectly alive and well.
Nevertheless, it provides a taste of how graphic the deleted scenes could be.
So, the unused scene is good for all of us. It helped the film not reveal too much in the beginning with the early reveal of evil Maximoff. And we presume that Mordo is not dead. We still expect Mordo to have a bigger role in the future considering he has a very long history in the comics.