In less than two months, we will be seeing Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange on the big screen, but there was a time when Marvel Studios had to consider some other actors for the role. One of them was Jared Leto, who played The Joker in this year's DC Extended Universe installment, Suicide Squad.
While speaking to Empire recently, Scott Derrickson revealed that while the Sherlock star was "the only actor" they had "seriously considered", there was a point when it didn't seem like he was meant to be in Doctor Strange. The studio was aiming to release the movie in summer 2016, but Cumberbatch was already committed to play Hamlet in London's Barbican in autumn of 2015. The director said:
It just wasn't possible. To his credit, he said, “I can't bail out of Hamlet. I've given my word.”
That was when Derrickson met "a lot of good actors", including Jared Leto, The Master star Joaquin Phoenix, and Drive star Ryan Gosling. But the director couldn't make up his mind about casting any of them as Doctor Strange, so he went back to Marvel President Kevin Feige and said, "It's got to be Benedict."
Marvel valued Scott Derrickson's opinion, and just to sign Benedict Cumberbatch, they moved the release date from summer 2016 to autumn 2016. That, of course, is not an easy decision to make for such a big production. Here's how the actor recalls the unexpected turn of events:
I really did think I had to kiss it goodbye. If you can't jump on board when the ride's going past, that's usually it, so the hugest compliment they paid me was to come back to me. It motivated me to try to fulfill their faith in me.
Empire’s latest issue has Doctor Strange on its cover, which you can check out by clicking here. And here are four new TV spots for the November 4 release!
https://youtu.be/ry3WAtOAlZs
https://youtu.be/0VrEeyDvfJc
https://youtu.be/HocvGAQo3s8
https://youtu.be/XzQIQJVz2fQ
