One of the most awaited films of the year by Marvel fans and beyond is finally out: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Indeed, after the incredible hype that Spider-Man: No Way Home spawned and the final cliffhanger, in which he was also involved in first person lo Sorcerer Supremeeveryone was very eager to follow the evolution of the story right through the film entirely dedicated to Stephen Strange. However, to avoid spoilers, we will not talk directly about the newly released film, but we will focus on some curiosities and facts that all fans should know about Doctor Strange.
1. Warlock Training
To prepare himself to take on the role of Sorcerer Supreme, Benedict Cumberbatch decided to spend time in a real Buddhist monastery in Nepal. The British actor then paid a visit to the Shechen monastery, one of the main spiritual places of this religion, and was welcomed by master Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche.
The experience, as Cumberbatch himself later recounted, served the actor not only to better prepare for the role in the film, but also to give vent to a real “spiritual side”both in and out of character.
2. Doctor Strange is not an Avenger
We all remember – or should remember – how pivotal the Sorcerer Supreme was in defeating the mad titan Thanosso it’s no surprise that Strange fans have wondered if this collaboration with the Avengers, didn’t make him an Avenger.
Well, to this question replied Cumberbatch himself interviewed by the American portal KCRW: “People say since I was in Avengers, then I’m an Avenger, right? No, I’m not. I’m not at Stark Tower with Nick Fury. No, he’s outside of that realm, but I don’t think that’s necessarily a character trait. I think it’s just a job title. He’s there to protect the reality of the Avengers in a different way than how they’ve fought to the point where everything comes to a head in the last two Avengers movies, so he stands his ground as an adult de-centered from it all, but only so far. . There’s always a moment when he has to work with people and be a team player. So this will be what we will see in the next film (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, ed.); you’ll have to wait and see”.
3. The actors are vying for the role of Doctor Strange
Difficult to say now, which is now in the collective imagination fixed Benedict Cumberbatch as the face of Doctor Strangebut he was not initially the first choice for this role.
Indeed Ewan McGregor, Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Keanu Reeves, Jared Leto, Ethan Hawke and Oscar Isaac were considered by Marvel Studios for the role of the Sorcerer.
Only after several months of research, in December 2014, Cumberbatch has officially earned the part of Stephen Strange and the production had to adjust its schedule to coordinate with the actor’s busy schedule.
4. The Ancient and the controversy surrounding the choice of Tilda Swinton
Also for the choice of the Ancient One, the master of Doctor Strange and other mystics, as well as the most powerful wizard of the Marvel Universe, he has always been depicted in the comics as a man of Tibetan origin, with a long white beard. And in fact for the role Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe and Bill Nighy had been considered.
However, finally the part went to Tilda Swintona choice that was harshly criticized after the official announcement, which however the director justified by commenting: “In the comics, the Ancient is a representation of an American stereotype that we must avoid at all costs.”
5. Doctor Strange appears in the animated series What If?
The animated series released last year on Disney +, What If?and snubbed by many because it is considered unimportant, it’s actually a crucial step in better understanding the just-released Doctor Strange movie.
Indeed the format of the “What If?” is that of change a detail of one of the events we already know, to see what would have changed. In this particular scenario starring Stephen Strange, it is hypothesized that in the accident that causes Strange to lose the use of his hands, he survived unscathed, while his girlfriend Christine Palmer did not. Which leads Strange to torment for killing the love of his life in the accident, and after becoming Sorcerer Supreme, he decides to go against the laws of time and uses the Eye of Agamotto to return to the moment of the accident and prevent his beloved from dyingHowever, despite numerous attempts, the woman continues to be killed in a series of circumstances.
And so the Ancient shows up to warn him that Christine’s death is a “Absolute Point” over time and therefore it cannot be changedso Strange decides to create a paradox to revive her: he then begins to absorb the power of numerous multiversal creatures to become strong enough, despite his actions endangering the universe itself and slowly turning it into a monster. The Ancient One then draws on the power of the Dark Dimension to cast a spell and cause the Supreme Strange timeline to co-exist with one in which Stephen accepted Christine’s death in order for him to stop the evil version of himself.
But Supreme Strange tries to convince his counterpart to join him, but he refuses, he fights it until he defeats it and then absorbs it. Now at full power, Strange brings Christine back to life, but she begins to dissolve with the rest of the universe, as Strange’s paradox caused a tear in the cosmic fabric. After the erasure of the universe is complete, Christine dissolves again and the evil Strange he remains the sole survivor doomed to suffer forever in oblivion.
6. Doctor Strange’s first appearance
Stephen Strange first appears in issue #110 of Strange Tales of 1963. Only a few months later, in number 115 of the same magazine, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko told its secret originsmaking him one of the two regular protagonists.
This was followed by an increase in the popularity of the character who led the authors to definitively change the title of the monthly to Doctor Strange starting from number 169, the register in which Roy Thomas and Dan Adkins reworked its origins.
7. Strange doesn’t take sides during Civil War
Although he doesn’t appear in the film Captain America: Civil Warin the Civil War comic series Strange makes its appearance. But which side does he take?
Well, totally in keeping with the character, Doctor Strange decides not to take sides believing that neither side is completely sane and that it is unfair to use his immense powers to arbitrarily decide the fate of all heroes, which is why he retires in fasting and meditation to the north pole for victory to come “to mankind” .
8. Stephen Strange keeps Spider-Man at bay
Even before Spider-Man: No Way Home, Benedict Cumberbatch often appeared alongside Tom Holland in the interviews related to Avengers: Infinity War. However, the young Spider-Man had become a catchphrase on the web because he used to spoil crucial information of Marvel movies not yet released.
Thus, fans often seeing the two together in interviews, they began to joke that Cumberbatch was often linked up with Holland in order to save him for a corner in moments of spoiler risk; in short, to keep it at daba.
9. Good and bad
Probably not everyone knows that Benedict Cumberbatch in the first Doctor Strange film not only played the role of Doctor Strange in the Marvel film of the same name.
Indeed, in the 2016 film, Benedict also lent his voice and physical presence to as well Dormammuthe villain of the film.
10. Spirituality is Benedict’s favorite part
Benedict Cumberbatch in an interview for the promotion of the first film of the franchise in which he starred explained that Doctor Strange’s spiritualism is what he likes most about the role.
“I’m very excited about that spiritual dimension. Meditation is a big part of my life, I meditate a lot and it’s a huge tool to try and calm down, get away from the crazy circus that surrounds us.”