The Marvel Cinematic Universe endured an interesting update on Thursday night, when it was announced that director Scott Derrickson had parted ways with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The move was reportedly an amicable decision between Derrickson and Marvel, as a result of “creative differences” regarding the upcoming sequel.
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“Marvel Studios and Scott Derrickson have amicably parted ways on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness due to creative differences,” Marvel said in a statement. “We remain grateful to Scott for his contributions to the MCU.”
The news has certainly surprised and shaken up Marvel fans, especially those who were excited to see Derrickson’s love of horror movies showcased in a larger way in Multiverse of Madness. While it would be totally understandable for Derrickson to pivot away from the comic book movie world in the near future (especially with two upcoming projects currently listed on his IMDb), we can’t help but think about what other properties we’d like to see him take a crack at. Some are tied to the DC universe, which Derrickson has vocally shared his support for in the past, while others cover indie comics that feel right up Derrickson’s alley. Scroll through to find out our suggestions.
The Trench
Shortly after the billion-dollar release of Aquaman, DC announced that it was exploring a potential movie about The Trench, the deep sea creatures who made their terrifying debut in the film. Few updates have come out in the months since, but it would be easy to see Derrickson make the project something awesome, both with his horror background and his love for DC Comics and Aquaman.
“You know, all I can say is, I didn’t read as many DC comics as Marvel comics growing up but I did read DC comics and – 100 percent honest answer, honest, truthful answer – the DC comic I read the most was Aquaman,” Derrickson said in a 2017 interview. “I loved Aquaman. I read that comic pretty regularly as a kid. And they’ve got James Wan – who I think is one of the very best commercial directors in the world, right now – behind that. I’m so excited about that movie.”
Justice League Dark
Admittedly, this one feels a little obvious, especially considering the magical and horror elements that are frequently associated with the DC Comics group. The ensemble, which has featured the likes of John Constantine, Zatanna, Deadman, and Swamp Thing, has brought a dark and supernatural take on the DC universe.
A Justice League Dark movie has been in the works at DC for nearly a decade at this point, beginning with Guillermo del Toro working on an idea for the project. In the years since, the film has maintained and lost multiple directors and screenwriters, most recently in the form of Housebound‘s Gerard Johnstone. While the project having so many iterations without ever getting off the ground is a little ominous, we can’t help but imagine what Derrickson’s interpretation of that roster would be like.
Demon Knights
A lesser-known corner of DC’s magical world is the Demon Knights, a bizarre and entertaining title that was released from 2011 to 2013. The group joined Etrigan the Demon with the likes of Lucifer, Madame Xanadu, Vandal Savage, and Shining Knight, as they operated in the Medieval era.
Is it a weird concept? Absolutely. But it feels like a fitting blend of magic, alternate realities, and unique characters for Derrickson to play around in.
Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E.
Diving even further into the weird side of the DC Universe is Frankenstein. Yes, that Frankenstein. The character has had a storied history across DC Comics for decades, ultimately culminating in him being recruited by the Super Human Advanced Defense Executive, or S.H.A.D.E..
Derrickson’s work on the first Doctor Strange followed a protagonist stumbling into a secret-ish organization of protectors, and there’s something about Frankenstein that feels like the next logical – and delightfully weird – extension of that.
Collapser
While Collapser is a relatively new title in DC’s Young Animal line, it’s set itself up as something aesthetically and narratively unique. The six-issue miniseries follows Liam James, a nursing home worker/DJ with chronic anxiety, whose life is suddenly turned upside down when a literal black hole manifests in his chest. What ensues from there is a story about fame, family legacy, and a lot of larger-than-life visuals.
In a lot of ways, Collapser feels like Doctor Strange with a punk-rock edge, and it would be interesting to see any director bring the project to life in some capacity. But given Derrickson’s filmography – and Collapser‘s ability to quickly get really, really weird – it would be fascinating to see what he would do with the source material.
Curse Words
Charles Soule and Ryan Browne’s Curse Words, which was published by Image from 2016 to 2019, had quite a lot going on with it in the best possible way. The series follows a Wizard named Wizord and his talking koala named Margaret, as they navigate a surreal and amusing magical world.
With a neon-hued aesthetic and a rogues gallery of bizarre supernatural threats, Curse Words is a property that it would genuinely be fun to see Derrickson tackle. It has the scale of projects like Doctor Strange and The Day the Earth Stood Still, but with a hearty helping of humor and cosmic weirdness thrown in.
Bone Parish
BOOM! Studios’ Bone Parish wrapped up its narrative last year and established a gothic and compelling horror story in the process. The series, which was created by Cullen Bunn and Jonas Scharf, follows the Winter family, a New Orleans brood who are the creators and suppliers of a mysterious new drug called Ash. As readers quickly learn, Ash is harvested from human remains, allowing users to experience – almost too potently – the visions of the dead they are snorting.
The twelve-issue run of Bone Parish is filled with unpredictable drama, grotesque visuals, and a lot of truly creepy potential. Given Derrickson’s work on intimate horror movies like Sinister, he feels like a perfect choice to adapt the world of Bone Parish.
Ice Cream Man
It feels almost impossible to describe the world of Ice Cream Man, other than to say that it feels like something right up Derrickson’s alley. The Image title from W. Maxwell Prince, Chris O’Halloran, and Martin Morazzo, follows its titular Ice Cream Man, as he stands on the periphery of macabre and horrific one-shot stories of people’s “suffering”.
We might never get to see Derrickson’s ideal plan for Multiverse of Madness, but Ice Cream Man feels like a title that could be just as malleable and terrifying.
The Black Monday Murders
Jonathan Hickman’s creator-owned content has covered plenty of genres and moods over the years, but The Black Monday Murders is definitely something special. The series, which was co-created with Tomm Coker, follows a blood pact between several financiers, who have exchanged their freedom for power and wealth in the aftermath of 1987’s “Black Monday” stock market crash.
The book delivers a mix between occultism and capitalism, while incorporating plenty of dark twists and turns along the way. The concept and stylistic execution feel like something that is right up Derrickson’s alley.
Anything He Wants at DC
While everything we’ve suggested thus far has played into the horror/sci-fi sides of Derrickson’s filmography, there’s plenty of potential outside of those specific genres. The DC Extended Universe has developed an interesting track record for enlisting horror directors to helm all kinds of projects, from James Wan on Aquaman, to David F. Sandberg on Shazam!, to Andy Muschietti on the upcoming The Flash movie. If Derrickson wanted to take on any character or team in the DC roster, it would certainly be exciting to see how he would handle it.
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What other comic book properties would you want Scott Derrickson to direct? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
