DOCTOR STRANGE: Scott Derrickson, Benedict Cumberbatch Talk 'Weidrness,' Origin Story and Marvel

Next up in the Marvel pantheon of movies is Doctor Strange, the long awaited cinematic debut of the popular magical superhero. With the release date inching closer, Total Film magazine got to speak exclusively to the cast and crew of the fourteenth MCU installment. Stephen Strange, a surgeon turned sorcerer, first appeared in Marvel comic books in the 1960's and has been popularly associated with pyschedelia and the surreal ever since. Director Scott Derrickson had Marvel's backing to be as 'out there' as he desired, 'There's never been any limitation on the weirdness that I was striving for and that I think the comics represent.' Whilst some people have criticised Marvel's comic book accuracy, Decrrickson enjoyed it saying Marvel are 'not at all enslaved to the source material, but they are, I think, very good at recognising what made each comic great.' Unlike another upcoming Marvel movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Derrickson believed that this project had to tell Stephen Strange's origin story. 'I think that the movie needed to tell that origin in order to become invested in the character. But also, some familiarity was required given the incredible weirdness the movie gets into.' 

Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch will be donning the cape and goatee as Doctor Strange having been a fan favourite for the role. Cumberbatch praised his characters arc as 'fantastic,' adding, 'It's a story about him discovering he doesn't know anything: he's just at the beginning of understanding what our reality's about.' Joining Cumberbatch is another Oscar nominee in Rachel McAdams who is confirmed to play Christine Palmer. She and Strange share 'a history' according to Cumberbatch with McAdams confirming that the two 'were friendly at one time in life together.' Christine Palmer, the comic book character known as Night Nurse, works at the same hospital as Dr. Stephen Strange. 'I get to watch him go through this arc: I know there's Stephen before and there's Stephen after he goes on this soul searching journey.' Assisting Strange on that journey is Karl Mordo, Chewitel Ejiofor's traditionally villainous character who has been reworked for the film. Derrickson cast the 12 Years A Slave actor because of his ability to play characters 'who have a lot of subtext and hidden thoughts and feelings.' Which is exactly who Mordo is and this creates 'an interesting' mentor relationship between him and Strange. 

One of the downsides of drawing from source material from the sixties are the dated character stereotypes. Both Tilda Swinton and Benedict Wong's castings as the Ancient One (race swapped for Swinton) and Strange's aid Wong drew criticism. But both actors reassured that the characters have been given a moder makeover. Swinton suggests that 'the Ancient One is a title' therefore, 'all the things the Ancient One does and passes on and teaches and teases out of people, anyone can do... It's all about what's inside, so it's like super, hippy, fabulous.' The Martian star Wong said he 'wasn't comfortable being the manserver tea-maker', but added that after a 'modern update' he was 'happily residing as the master of the mystic arts and the drill sergeant.'

Rounding out the impressive cast is Mads Mikkleson as original creation Kaecilius. Despite having no source material to draw from, Mikkleson suggests, 'like all good villains, I have to believe in what they do. My character believes in a better world, adding, 'he's definitely not a villain in the classic sense.' Derrickson backs up that claim by describing Kaecilius as a 'man of ideas', adding, 'I like villains that have ideologies that drive them, as opposed to the simple quest for power.'

Marvel’s Doctor Strange follows the story of the talented neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange who, after a tragic car accident, must put ego aside and learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions. Based in New York City’s Greenwich Village, Doctor Strange must act as an intermediary between the real world and what lies beyond, utilizing a vast array of metaphysical abilities and artifacts to protect the Marvel cinematic universe.