The press tour for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness officially kicked off in Berlin today, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Elizabeth Olsen doing a photocall to which they both dressed as if they are living in different universes, indeed. Cumberbuns is rocking a “philosophy prof after spring break” look, while Olsen is dressed like she’s doing Golden Girls cosplay. I love fancy pajamas as much as anyone, but those PANTS are a PROBLEM. What in the figure skater hell. If wrinkled suits and hideous embroidery are what we have to look forward to on this press tour, we are IN for IT over the next couple of weeks. I like both of these people very much, but yikes, y’all, let’s bring up the fashion. Some of us have to look at these photos as part of our job, it’s already stressing me out so much.

 

I am still looking forward to Multiverse of Madness—there’s a TON of stuff Marvel has successfully kept secret for over a year, do yourself the favor of not looking for spoilers—but I have to be honest, after Everything Everywhere All At Once, I do wonder how the big budget multiverse stuff is going to stack up. Everything is just so inventive and energetic and unexpected, and it doesn’t have to set up twelve movies coming after it, it has all the advantages of unburdened storytelling and creative freedom. Like, there definitely is not a butt plug fight or hot dog fingers in Doctor Strange. It’s Marvel, I trust the film will be a certain level of quality because they’ve got what they do down pat. But will it be “two legends of the screen slap-fighting with hot dog fingers” good? Time will tell.