As the film nears its theatrical release, the studio is pushing the hype machine into full gear. Similarly to how Marvel and Disney gave select fans the opportunity to see Captain America: Civil War in its entirety early, Marvel gave determined and eager fans the chance to catch a select 15 minutes of footage from Doctor Strange, and the early response from fans are likely what the studio was hoping for.
Fans across the world have been exiting theaters over the last few hours directly after seeing the preview and many are buzzing about the creative and unique visuals behind the film. Not too many details that have come out as a result of the screenings, with the exception of fans getting to see the Stan Lee cameo, although how the cameo works has thankfully remained a secret. Here are just some of the reactions that have made their way onto Twitter:
It appears those in attendance were shown multiple scenes that may or may not have been related to one another, but many showcased the use of IMAX. Outside of the hype around the visuals that the film will have, it will be interesting to see what kind of references are made to the rest of the MCU and how that plays into the plot of the new film.
Fans awaiting the movie are just over three weeks away from seeing it in theaters for themselves, depending on what part of the world they live in. No doubt it’s Marvel and Disney’s hope that these reactions will get even more people interested in seeing the movie, but it is important to remember that the people attending these screenings are likely already sold on the film. Similarly glowing early reactions to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice came out, but the film was ultimately divisive. Critic screenings will likely start happening closer to the film’s release, so once the embargo lifts, fans will be able to see how the critical reception to film is in comparison to early fan reactions.
Doctor Strange opens November 4, 2016; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017; Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel– March 8, 2019; Untitled Avengers – May 3, 2019; and as-yet-untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.