‘Doctor Strange’ Cover Shoot With The ‘Gesticulative’ Benedict Cumberbatch Practicing ‘Runecasting’ Poses

Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange is on its way, and Benedict Cumberbatch shows off his colorful costume and his mystical pose as the Sorcerer Supreme on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Cumberbatch mentioned he used this photo shoot as a means to research the Stephen Strange character, and to get to practicing his gestures likely associated with Strange’s spell casting. Apparently, he’s in the first steps in getting to know the role, even down to the point of the positioning of his fingers.

Here’s your exclusive first look at Benedict Cumberbatch in @Marvel's magical @DrStrange! ? https://t.co/3PYpoTv6Ds pic.twitter.com/PNGmN4KK5U

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) December 28, 2015

“It was like, okay, I’ve got to keep throwing these poses, these spells, these rune-casting things, everything he does physically. I’m thinking, there’s going to be a huge amount of speculation and intrigue over the positioning of that finger as opposed to it being there, or there. And I’m still working on that. We haven’t played any of those scenes yet. I felt really self-conscious. But, then, by the end, it was great. It’s like anything, you just have to experiment.”

This is probably not unlike his constant positioning and re-positioning as Smaug in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy. This is where he was all dressed up in motion capture garb and doing his part in trying to mimic the serpent-like movement of the age-old Middle-earth wyrm.

Stephen Strange lost his ability to use his hands due to a car accident in comic book origin story lore, and “gesticulation” wasn’t likely possible for a time. This humbled the once cold, callous, and materialistic successful neurosurgeon. He later came upon The Ancient One, as played by Constantine‘s Tilda Swinton in the Doctor Strange movie.

The Marvel movie doesn’t reveal too much about what role the starlet True Detective’s Rachel McAdams will playing, but according to MTV News, she said she joined the ensemble due to the fact that she’d be working with the talented Cumberbatch and gave credence to the popularity of being on board the successful Marvel Studios franchise. McAdams also voiced her interest in Sinister writer/director and Sinister 2 movie writer Scott Derrickson.

“I mean, I just love the director. I met with Scott [Derrickson] and loved his vision, he was so passionate. And the opportunity to work with Benedict was kind of a no-brainer. And Marvel makes amazing films, so it was a complete package.”

Another unknown movie role in Doctor Strange is that of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Hannibal’s Mads Mikkelsen. He his notorious for having played a Bond villain, as well, and with a name like Hannibal on his resume, fans could think it’s a no brainer he could be a villain, but no one knows. But now, the answer can be found out in the Entertainment Weekly publication.

In an interview with Mikkelsen via Collider, he did talk a little bit about his involvement with Doctor Strange, and emphasized how actors are pretty good about not revealing anything that needs to be kept under wraps. When probed regarding his role and the “Strange” environment in which he would be in, he noted his secrecy, but did talk about his experience with the Doctor Strange cast.

“If I do say what it was, then I’ll be revealing something. But, the cast is quite amazing. I can’t wait to start working with these guys. I’ve only done rehearsals, so far. One of these days, I’ll have my first shooting day. But, it looks like it’s off to a good start.”

The Doctor Strange movie set was teased by Marvel Studios co-president Louis D’Esposito, according to the Inquisitr, and it showed some interesting tidbits of prop archaeological symbols reminiscent of the Sorcerer Supreme’s world and Sinister 1 and Sinister 2 movie scribe C. Robert Cargill also joined up with cohort Derrickson for the Marvel movie, as well.

Doctor Strange is set to be released come November 4, 2016, and the movie project is currently in post-production.

[Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images Entertainment]