After months of speculation, Star Trek into Darkness and Sherlock‘s Benedict Cumberbatch will be the next in line to cast a spell onto Marvel’s cinematic universe as Doctor Strange if reports are true. Multiple sources tell us that The BBC star and BAFTA winner has begun talks to play the Sorcerer Supreme in the character’s very first film, which is scheduled to start shooting May of next year.
The news follows a well-chronicled contest for several rumored contenders for the cape and amulet, including Joaquin Phoenix (Her, the Sixth Sense) and Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Alice in Wonderland). The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Star Wars: Episode VII‘s Andy Serkis and Tom Hardy were even reported at one point to be on Disney’s hotlist for the role, though the former’s clearly got a full schedule.
In the comics, Doctor Stephen Strange is a neurosurgeon who becomes the Sorcerer Supreme and protector of earth against various mystical threats and wields many such powers himself, namely from the ethereal entities that granted him his powers after an accident that ended his career. The character was created by comic legends Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first published by Marvel in Strange Tales #110 in 1963.
Doctor Strange, as it’s been tentatively titled, releases July 8th, 2016 alongside Captain America 3 on May 6th. This coming year brings us The Avengers’ hulk-busting sequel courtesy of Joss Whedon May 1st and Twentieth Century FOX’s The Fantastic Four on Aug. 7th.
We’ll update you with more details as they come in.
Tell us: What would you think of Benedict Cumberbatch wielding the power of the Sorcerer Supreme?