In one of the best pieces of casting news that I have heard to date in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has just announced that Benedict Cumberbatch (‘Star Trek Into Darkness‘,’The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies‘) will be playing ‘Doctor Strange’! It was rumored 2 months ago that he was in final negotiations to take on the iconic robes of the Sorcerer Supreme and bring in the world of magic that will be hinted at with the inclusion of Scarlet Witch’s chaotic magic and reality warping powers in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron.’
At this time we don’t yet know if this will be an origin story or hint at his origin but we know that at the very least Hydra already considers him a threat during the time frame of ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier.’ He was one of the targets that their weapons system has listed so his powers or potential for them were already known about at that time.
Little is actually known about the movie but Strange does tend to be pit against demons and creatures of magic so one would expect a darker vibe for the film. Throw in the fact that Scott Derrickson (‘Sinister’, ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’) is directing the film (and horror is what he is known for) it seems to guarantee we’ll be getting a different kind of Marvel movie this time around. Of course if we can get science fiction with ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ I don’t see why we can’t get a tinge of suspense and horror that is grounded in the world that Marvel studios has created in ‘Doctor Strange.’
According to producer Kevin Feige, “Stephen Strange’s story requires an actor capable of great depth and sincerity. In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character.”
While a couple of the other choices I felt had the look down more I completely agree that Cumberbatch has the acting chops to not only pull this off but take the character and make it his own while giving us exactly what Marvel wants to show us.
What do you think about the choice of Cumberbatch as ‘Doctor Strange’? Are you excited for the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Share your thoughts below true believers!
Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” scheduled to hit theaters November 4, 2016
Source: Marvel
