Casting Call: Doctor Strange
In which we suggest who should star in the next big adaptation, remake, or historical film.
Whenever Marvel Comics is attached to an upcoming film project, the media—and comic book enthusiasts everywhere—go into a frenzy. Who will play the titular superhero? Failure, both financial and of casting, is not an option. After complications surrounding the upcoming Marvel film Ant Man (writer and director Edgar Wright abruptly left, citing “creative differences”), the pressure for the newest superhero film to succeed, Doctor Strange, is particularly high.
Marvel Studios originally green-lit Doctor Strange in 2010, opening up a new, nightmarish, supernatural, and interdimensional niche of the Marvel universe. The titular Strange (full name Stephen Vincent Strange) is a formerly successful but egotistically arrogant neurosurgeon who, after a car accident permanently damages his nerves, travels the world trying to find a cure. With draining funds and no success, Strange eventually encounters a man known as Ancient One in the Himalayas and is amazed by his magical and mystical prowess. After witnessing a crippling attack on Ancient One by his chief disciple-gone rogue, the demonic Baron Mordo, Strange realizes the need for good and altruistically dedicates himself to foiling Mordo’s plans for world destruction. After years of vigorous training, Strange returns to his home in New York and eventually becomes the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, the chief protector of the planet against magical and mystical threats. He’s also buddies with Spider Man and Thor.
With Scott Derrickson set to direct (crossing our fingers he doesn’t follow Wright’s fate), casting speculation has been running rampant (Cumberbatch! Hardy! Leto!), especially since a release date has been already confirmed for summer 2016. According to the latest rumor, the casting news will be revealed at the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con. We thought we’d take advantage of our remaining week in the dark.
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