Benedict Cumberbatch To Star As 'Doctor Strange' In Forthcoming Marvel Movie
After months of fans speculating who will play the titular character in Marvel's forthcoming 'Doctor Strange,' it has now been reported that Benedict Cumberbatch is in final talks to play the Sorcerer Supreme in the flick, set for a summer 2016 release.
For the past several months many big Hollywood actors have been rumoured for the role, including Joaquin Phoenix, , Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto, Tom Hardy, Justin Theroux, Ethan Hawke and Keanu Reeves.
Cumberbatch was reportedly an early target for the film studio, but Phoenix became the frontrunner until he dropped out of talks in early October, Deadline reports. There were issues with the British actor's schedule, due to theatre and other film commitments, which made him initially walk away from the production, but filming is apparently going to begin later than first thought.
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American filmmaker Scott Derrickson will be directing 'Doctor Strange,' which was first released into the Marvel Universe over 50 years ago in 1963, and follows a former neurosurgeon who was appointed as the Sorcerer Supreme. He was the main protector for Earth against threats that involved magical and mystical elements.
'Strange', who was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, first appeared in the comic book series 'Stranger Tales,' before going on to have his very own series, and eventually crossing over to other comic books that included 'The Fantastic Four,' 'Spider-Man' and 'Nick Fury.'
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Cumberbatch becoming attached the superhero film would be a huge boost for Marvel as he already has a huge fan base from starring in the television series 'Sherlock.' The 38 year-old actor was also the antagonist in J.J. Abrams' 2013 'Star Trek: Straight Into Darkness,' and his latest role in 'The Imitation Game' is slated to earn him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.