Newly released Doctor Strange 2 stunt sequence show how gory the sequel almost was

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Wanda was set to break some more necks and explode some heads

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda in Doctor Strange 2
(Image credit: Disney/Marvel)

A new stunt sequence from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness depicts an even bloodier brawl between Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch and the soldiers at Kamar-Taj.

The brief sequence is rehearsed entirely by stunt performers but edited with mild special effects, taking place near the beginning of the film when Wanda invades Kamar-Taj. During the fight, Wanda decapitates a soldier and uses her powers to puppeteer him and make him fight the other soldiers. It's quite creepy, and we definitely understand why certain things were taken out of the film's final cut in order to keep a PG-13 rating.

VFX supervisor Erik Winquist previously revealed to IndieWire that his team wanted to "push the gross-out factor" of Zombie Strange and include a moment where he "hurls his undead arm at the Scarlet Witch in an attempt to strangle her." While that sounds cool, it was more than likely too "Evil Dead" for Marvel – who still tries to keep the films more or less family-friendly.

Director Sam Raimi told Collider that around 40 minutes were axed from the original cut, though we're not sure if that's before or after the film underwent multiple, extensive reshoots.

"It's a really complex movie. It's probably the most complex movie I've ever had anything to do with," Raimi told Rolling Stone, explaining why the reshoots were necessary. "Not just dealing with one character, or even five characters, but multiversal versions of those characters — and each one has a storyline." 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney Plus.

For more Marvel madness, check out our guide to how to watch the Marvel movies in order, what you need to know about the Marvel timeline, and all of the upcoming Marvel movies and shows flying your way in 2022 and beyond.

Lauren Milici
Lauren Milici
Senior Entertainment Writer

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.