Sam Raimi in talks to direct 'Doctor Strange 2'

MUMBAI: Director Sam Raimi, who helped launch a superhero movie with 2002s "Spider-Man", is in talks to direct "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" for Marvel Studios.

If the deal is sealed, Raimi will replace original director Scott Derrickson, reports variety.com.

On January 9 this year, Derrickson departed the project due to creative differences. Derrickson continues to remain an executive producer of the project. The film's scheduled production start date is in May.

Marvel didn't officially confirm the report.

After finishing his "Spider-Man" trilogy for Sony Pictures with 2007's "Spider-Man 3", Raimi made horror movie "Drag Me to Hell" in 2009 and Disney's "The Wizard of Oz" prequel "Oz the Great and Powerful" in 2013. He was also busy as a producer, helping relaunch various horror franchises like "Poltergeist" and his own classic, "Evil Dead".

In the sequel, Benedict Cumberbatch is returning as the Sorcerer Supreme after his 2016 debut, and subsequent appearances in "Thor: Ragnarok", "Avengers: Infinity War", and "Avengers: Endgame".

Benedict Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor are also expected to reprise their roles from the original film as, respectively, fellow sorcerer Wong and Strange's compatriot-turned-nemesis Karl Mordo.

Elizabeth Olsen has been tapped to reprise her role as Scarlet Witch, aka Wanda Maximoff, for a storyline that Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has said will link up with her Disney Plus series "WandaVision", which will debut in December.

Rachel McAdams will not reprise her role as Strange's colleague Christine Palmer. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" is scheduled to open on May 7, 2021.