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EXCLUSIVE: Marvel Studios has hired Conan scribes Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer to write Dr. Strange, marking forward progress on a long-gestating superhero property which will likely be among the first Marvel films generated under the Disney banner. Aside from Conan–the Marcus Nispel-directed Lionsgate film that stars Jason Momoa–Donnelly and Oppenheimer also scripted a live action adaptation of the vidgame Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune for Sony and producer Chuck Roven, and they wrote a draft of the Jon Favreau-directed Cowboys and Aliens for DreamWorks/Universal.
Originated in 1963 by Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Dr. Strange was a self-centered New York surgeon robbed of his touch after a car accident. After a stint as a wandering derelict, he found his way to a healer in the Himalayas, where he learned to tap into psychic powers to battle evil wizards and other wrongdoers. His mind is his weapon, rather than the brute force that distinguish most memorable Marvel heroes.
Dr. Strange has had a long strange journey to the screen that included stints at Savoy Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Dimension Films and Paramount–with a parade of writers and directors that included Bob Gale, Wes Craven, David Goyer, Stephen Norrington and Guillermo del Toro. Marvel finally got the rights and brought the property back into the fold.
Marvel Studios has four more films committed to be distributed through Paramount (including Iron-Man 3). Those will include Thor and The First Avenger: Captain America, with the last to likely be The Avengers. Marvel is separately working on the youth-oriented Runaways as well as Ant-Man, which is also oft-mentioned as a promising character among the 5000 Disney acquired in its $4 billion buy of Marvel. Marvel is making the deal with the writers’ reps at Gersh and Underground and they should get going on Dr. Strange shortly.
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I’ve been a huge Doctor Strange fan for many years, and I’ve always known that (other than Thor) he would be the hardest Marvel character to adapt to a feature film. All the successful Marvel films are science-fiction related, while Thor and (esspecially) Doctor Strange both dive deeply into the fantasy realm. I hope Disney chose the best writers for this project because the plot synopsis for their Conan film sounds terrible, almost like they’ve never read a real Conan story. If they like Robert E Howard, however, and that film turns out better than it reads on Internet plot summaries, then I wish them the best. The only actor I can truely see knocking this out of the park would be Johnny Depp, who could give the role both a serious tone and a quirky, odd sense of humor to balance it out. They need an older actor for this one; someone already in their 40s, but with a youthful energy.
Although I love Favreau’s deep connection to the Marvel universe (remember, in addition to his Iron Man directing gigs, he also was perfectly cast as Daredevil’s law partner) — I don’t think he’s necessarily right for Dr. Strange. My dream director for Dr. Strange has to be Tim Burton, unlikely though it may be (since he paid his superhero-movie dues long ago).
Peter Weir (the Last Wave) would be perfect for this movie.
not that he needs the work…but Johnny Depp with the mustache and the silver streaks in the hair would be amazing…with a white haired Mila Kunis as Clea
Mila Kunis?
As in “Book of Eli” Mila Kunis?
Um, no.
Mila Kunis is Angelina Jolie minus 5 inches and the Oscar winning talent.
I WAS JUST WONDERING – What if Disney’s first 4 movies based on Marvel characters all bombed, and each film had a $150-$200 million price tag? Imagine, it’s possible. And then would Iger be thrown out as CEO? For spending BILLIONS to buy a company like that?
It’s an interesting nightmare for Iger to have, that’s for sure. And believe me, it’s not just making a ‘good film’ – it’s having incredible timing. WHAT IF THE PUBLIC FINALLY GETS SICK OF COMIC BOOK MOVIES JUST AS DISNEY IS PUTTING OUT IT’S 3rd, 4th, or 6th COMIC FLICK? Remember dudes – WE don’t make the hits – the public makes ‘em hits. And if you give them tons of the same thing, they turn away to something DIFFERENT. Like a love story, comedy, or a movie closer to reality. Tastes change….
I’m glad that they are announcing this but it does leave me with the concern that they might be butchering yet another one of my favorite Marvel superheroes (cough cough Ghost Rider). As for the 3-D element, part of what made Dr.Strange the quasi success that it was, was artistic illustration and vivid colors. Therefor I think that this is a case where 3-D could actually make the movie feel more like the comics. As for enemies I hope they put in Nightmare because he was an absolute badass.
Dr. Strange becomes Dracula’s thrall, he not only cures his own vampirism but finds the Darkhold (source of all vampires) and wipes out all vampires on the Earth from Dracula’s castle (with a little help from Blade). Great crossover comic, great movie if they amp up the horror.
Dr. Strange? Ant-Man?
For this, you spend billions?
Bob Iger is in for a rude awakening.
first: hopefully disney doesnt screw it up and make it with animated talking animals
second: hopefully theyll keep the pg-13 rating and not make it like g or pg.
Charles Band’s Doctor Mordred was written as a Doctor Strange movie, but Band didn’t lose the rights to the character – he was unable to acquire them. Hence the changed title [and very little else].
If the proposed Marvel/Disney film is as good as the 1978 TV-movie – which is considered by many critics to be one of the best genre made-for-TV films ever made [ranking right up there with The Night Stalker] – then I’ll be a happy camper.
del toro directs. movie is ahit. nuff said.
ok, dr. strange is a really cool character — IF DONE RIGHT. unless, he looks like a ripoff of mythical wizards and just corny
if these writers can get him done RIGHT then it will be a hit. i agree that guillermo del toro would definately KILL with this movie, but, given his current state, with making two movies (haunted mansion and at the mountains of madness), i dont think that’ll happen
keep it an emotional, character-driven story about strange’s redemption — the cool VFX (NEEDS TO BE IN 3D!!!) and mystical stuff should always be about the consequences of strange’s actions, not just there to please the audience
either dormammu or baron mordu HAVE to be the villains, dont throw in Count Dracula just because they met once for a one-shot comic
dr strange could really sail, but i’m worried it’s going to BOMB like JONAH HEX — WHICH WAS TERRIBLE
Casting Strange would be a challenge. As others have pointed out, you need an older leading man. Viggo Mortenson might be a good fit for the part – or, if you wanted to take it in a slightly different direction, how about Hugh Laurie?
Clea is also a tough one. Some have suggested Malin Ackerman, but I think it would be too difficult to separate her from her Silk Spectre role, even with white hair. My suggestion would be Diane Kruger.
I think that the real problem Disney has here is that to work, the film would have to counterbalance bright and exciting visuals (admittedly a Disney strength) with darker subject matter, and I don’t know that Disney would have the nerve to do it properly. I guess the balance I’m looking for is the one that is struck in ‘Jurassic Park’ – exciting dinosaurs that are nevertheless capable of scaring the pants off little kids. A ‘Dr Strange’ movie with similar levels of threat/fear would be brilliant, but I doubt Disney would be willing to do it…