A few days ago, Marvel Studios made their plans for a Doctor Strange film official by hiring Sinister director Scott Derrickson to bring the Sorcerer Supreme to life. Now, the next step is finding the right man to play the character, and according to Deadline, Marvel has a wishlist that includes the names Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Of course, we still have no idea when Doctor Strange will arrive in theaters, though we can safely assume that it will be sometime within Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chances are it will be the second Marvel movie released in 2016. Captain America 3 is already slated for May 6th of that year, while an “Untitled Marvel Movie” is expected to arrive a few months later on July 18th.
Marvel’s current strategy is to open the year with an established character, and then introduce a new franchise later on in the summer. We’re seeing that with The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, and will witness it again next year with Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man. So, bringing in Doctor Strange near the end of the summer in 2016 certainly makes sense and fits the pattern the studio has established so far.
Now, take these names with a grain of salt, because there’s a very big chance that they won’t land the titular role, as both actors are on the rise and incredibly busy. Cumberbatch has a number of films lined up as well as more seasons of Sherlock to juggle, and Hardy will star in the Splinter Cell movie on top of other smaller-budget projects.
These aren’t the only names we’ve heard either, as Madds Mikkelsen, Johnny Depp, and most recently Jared Leto have been rumored for the part as well. With a release date likely two years away, I expect we’ll be hearing a lot of names tossed around before the studio finally settles on someone we weren’t expecting.
Tell us, would you like to see either Tom Hardy or Benedict Cumberbatch play Doctor Strange? Or do you have someone else in mind for the role?