‘Doctor Strange’: Could Al Pacino Benefit From Joaquin’s Hesitance?

When casting ideas first started floating around for the Doctor Strange film, names like Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jared Leto and Jack Huston were all brought up. Then, at the end of August, Collider reported that Joaquin Phoenix was pretty much a lock. In fact, they claimed that Marvel Studios had been in talks with Phoenix since before Comic-Con, expecting the Walk the Line star to sign the contract and be announced at the San Diego Convention.

But that wasn’t the case. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Joaquin Phoenix has a couple 0f major misgivings about playing Doctor Strange. For one, the contract would most likely call for a multiple – perhaps even as many as six to ten – picture deal. Phoenix isn’t sure that he wants to be tied down for the next decade to a single role. The second hold up is that Joaquin hasn’t done that much green screen work. Marvel movies are big on effects, and for an actor that’s not well schooled in the art of acting like there’s a fifty-foot intergalactic demon about to step on you, the prospect is daunting.

And so we wait.

And wait.

And wait.

Meanwhile, actor Al Pacino had some interesting things to say about the Marvel Cinematic Universe while at a film festival in Venice promoting his latest film, The Humbling,according to Deadline.

“They’re doing some great stuff. I just saw Guardians of the Galaxy… it was amazing. I did find it the most entertaining, inventive, beautiful film. So I’m not anti-that at all.”

Al Pacino’s overwhelming praise of the latest Marvel film got us thinking: if an actor with Pacino’s pedigree is head over heels about the Marvel films, why not make him Doctor Strange?

Doctor Strange is one of those characters that could benefit with a little wisdom exhibited by the actor who plays him. Doctor Strange is also a character that doesn’t need to depend on strength and agility exclusively – ie. you could have an older actor play him convincingly, especially with the CGI effects available to 21st century filmmakers. Let’s not forget that George Lucas convinced us that Christopher Lee could do flips and other acrobatics while wielding a lightsaber.

Pacino has the acting chops to pull off Doctor Strange, and his advanced age probably also gives him the confidence to conquer green screen acting.

If Joaquin Phoenix doesn’t want the role of Doctor Strange, I say give it to Al Pacino.

Image via Screen Rant and New Boi