'Doctor Strange' News: Benedict Cumberbatch in Talks to Play Doctor Strange
After Joaquin Phoenix has recently turned down the role of "Doctor Strange" reportedly due to his hesitance to commit to Marvel's multi-picture contract, another big star is reported to be in talks to play the superhero.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Benedict Cumberbatch is in final negotiations to take on the titular role in Marvel's film, which is slated to be released in 2016.
For the past few months, many A-listers have been rumored to be linked to the role. Other actors who were considered aside from Cumberbatch include Justin Theroux, Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto, Tom Hardy, Ethan Hawke, Colin Farrell, Ewan McGregor, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keanu Reeves and Matthew McConaughey.
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Scott Derrickson is attached to direct the movie about the superhero, which is based on the character created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee in 1963. Before becoming a superhero, Stephen Vincent Strange is an actual doctor who gets into a very bad car accident. This damages his hands and causes him to give up on his profession. While in search of a cure for his condition, he travels to Tibet where he encounters a sorcerer, who offers to teach him the secrets to having mystical powers.
Cumberbatch is already a household name as he stars as Sherlock Holmes in the TV series "Sherlock," and he also took a turn playing the villain in the "Star Trek" reboot. His recent role as World War II math genius Alan Turing in "The Imitation Game" is also seen as one of the best roles to date of the actor, as THR speculates that a best actor nomination could be in his future for the upcoming awards season.
"Doctor Strange" is slated for release on July 8, 2016.
