Sam Raimi Makes A Stunning Admission About His Knowledge Of The MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has what may be the most dedicated and passionate fanbase in pop culture today. They're constantly on the lookout for hidden clues, Easter eggs, and references within MCU projects, and the most important concept of the whole enterprise is the idea that every movie, TV show, and various miscellanea all fit into a grand narrative tapestry — basically, the film and television equivalent of what Marvel Comics has been doing for almost three quarters of a century.

There are certainly plenty of fans who have seen every MCU film too many times to count, but is that kind of knowledge a requisite for actually making a movie within the MCU? That question was put to acclaimed filmmaker Sam Raimi, director of the upcoming "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (not to mention the Tobey Maguire "Spider-Man" trilogy), and his answer may come as a surprise to many fans.

In a recent interview with Fandango to promote "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," Sam Raimi was asked an unusual question by the interviewer. Supposedly based on a tip from "Multiverse of Madness" star Elizabeth Olsen, the interviewer asked Raimi about his level of familiarity with "the new Marvel," presumably as opposed to the classic Marvel comics of the '60s and '70s that Raimi is long known to have affection for (via ComicBook).

"I had seen 'Iron Man,' the first 'Avengers,' 'Black Panther' and 'Doctor Strange,' and little clips of the other movies," Raimi revealed, adding that he's only seen "four or five" of the 28 movies in the MCU leading up to "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." "I loved what I saw, but [I'm] not that familiar [with the MCU]," he added.

Raimi also noted that he brings a depth of knowledge and familiarity with the Marvel Comics source material to the new film: "I was a giant fan of the Marvel comic books of the '70s and '80s and into the '90s," he explained, continuing, "So, I was super familiar with the characters, and their stories, and their interactions. That's what the Marvel movies are based on."

This could well prove to be a controversial statement. But hopefully all will be forgiven when fans get to see "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" on May 6.