Earlier today, a rumor broke out that Marvel/Disney was planning a series of 10-minute short films that would help introduce the lesser known characters to a wider audience. One character that I mentioned in the article, and would is a perfect fit for this kind of treatment is Dr. Strange, a former surgeon who becomes practiced in the mystical arts. Turns out that Marvel is unwilling to play it slow on that one.
Deadline is reporting that writers Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer have been hired to make a Dr. Strange film under the Marvel/Disney banner. Several studios, including Columbia, Dimension and Paramount, had unsuccessfully attempted to adapt the material before, until Marvel reacquired the rights in 2009. In the comics, written by the great Stan Lee, Dr. Stephen Strange is a neurosurgeon whose hands are damaged beyond repair in a car accident. Unable to continue working, Strange scours the world for a cure before meeting a hermit called The Ancient One in the Himalayan mountains. After protecting the Ancient One from an evil disciple named Baron Mordo, The Ancient One teaches Strange in the ways of sorcery and magic. Donnelly and Oppenheimer most recently wrote the screenplay for Marcus Nispel's Conan and wrote a draft of the upcoming Cowboys vs. Aliens.
And now the big question needs to be asked: who do you get to play him? Unlike Captain America or Spider-Man, the studio isn't going to be limited to casting 20-year-olds, meaning that the sky is the limit. Hell, Strange has some gray in his hair so they can even go older. An obvious choice for the role would be Johnny Depp, but when isn't Depp the obvious choice? Sound off in the comments who you would like to see.
