It's hard to imagine Marvel's Doctor Strange being played by anyone other than Benedict Cumberbatch, but it turns out we were pretty close to seeing the Sherlock actor pass on the surgeon-turned-sorcerer role.
As fans already know, Cumberbatch initially brought the character to life in the 2016 Doctor Strange movie and has reprised the role several times since, including in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and, of course, in the upcoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, set for release next year, and December's Spider-Man: No Way Home.
But it turns out the actor actually had some serious initial doubts about the character, explaining he once thought Doctor Strange was "dated" and "sexist". So much so he pretty much had to be talked into taking on the gig.
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"I kind of had my doubts about it, from just going into the comics. I thought, 'This is a very dated, sexist character,'" Cumberbatch told Esquire. "And it's very tied up in that crossover, that kind of East meets West occultism movement of the '60s and '70s."
The star didn't reveal any more specific character traits that turned him off the role, but fans will know that the comic book iteration of Doctor Strange hasn't exactly seen him be a mild-mannered Superman or Captain America-esque good guy over the years.
Among Doctor Strange's more questionable moves came when he turned his own brother into a vampire, and he obviously isn't afraid to make his no-filter thoughts pretty clear in, well, not the most polite way.
As for what changed Cumberbatch's mind? "They sort of sold me on the bigger picture, on 'Oh no, don't worry, this will be very much a character of his time. And, yes, he has attitude problems… but this is what we envisage,'" he explained of his change
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Cumberbatch was then really committed to the part (and Marvel to him) after that, despite a clash in his schedule. So much so that production on Doctor Strange was actually pushed back six months to accommodate him.
"They came back and said, 'We don't want anyone else to do it,'" he shared.
And the rest, as they say, is Strange history!
Spider-Man: No Way Home has a December 17, 2021 release date. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is due to be released on May 5, 2022.
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![Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga - Collector's Edition [Blu-ray, region-free]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1592930813-51rTY4QSSxL.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=980:* "Marvel Studios: The Infinity Saga - Collector's Edition [Blu-ray, region-free]")
Sub-editor, Digital Spy
Emily has a BA in Media with a pathway in Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and an MA in Film, Television, and Screen Industries from the University of Nottingham. She has worked as a freelance journalist since she was a teenager, and now writes and sub-edits stories about celebrities, TV shows, movies, and lifestyle features.
Emily currently works for Digital Spy and Static Media and has had her work featured in various online and print outlets over the years, including Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, Harper's Bazaar, The Inquisitr, Nicki Swift, Women.com, Mirror and Yahoo.
