Doctor Strange 2 Halts Production Amid UK Lockdowns

With coronavirus cases surging once again, and hospitals becoming overwhelmed, the UK has started yet another wave of lockdowns in order to keep citizens safe. This means that most film projects throughout the country have to hit pause on production while things calm down, including the highly-anticipated Marvel Studios sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Sam Raimi-directed project has been filming in England, but that changed with the new lockdown orders, according to one of its stars.

Elizabeth Olsen will be reprising her Marvel role as Scarlet Witch in the new Doctor Strange film, appearing alongside Benedict Cumberbatch's Sorcerer Supreme. Olsen appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday night to promote her new Marvel TV series, WandaVision, and she confirmed that Doctor Strange had stopped filming for the time being.

"Since the hospitals are overwhelmed here, we can't go back to work until that calms down," Olsen said. "So just safely hanging out here, and really grateful I get to be working. Disney has kept me busy during quarantine."

At this time, there's no telling how long the production shutdown will last for Raimi and the Doctor Strange team, nor how long the general lockdown itself will be in place. A similar lockdown in Los Angeles has affected productions in California as well.

Olsen stars alongside Paul Bettany in WandaVision, the first TV series from Marvel Studios, which is set to debut on Disney+ next week. There is no telling just yet when this series takes place in the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe, given that it seems to deal with alternate reality, as well as the fact that Bettany's Vision character died in Avengers: Infinity War. However, it is likely that the show will help set the stage for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Olsen's Scarlet Witch will be playing a major role in the movie, so her story on the series will be key to getting her to Strange's side.

Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, and Chiwetel Ejiofor will also be returning to the Doctor Strange franchise, reprising their roles from the first film. Wong is the only one of the trio to appear in other Marvel films. Newcomer Xochitl Gomez will be playing the role of Marvel hero America Chavez.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness arrives in theaters on March 25, 2022.