‘Doctor Strange’ Movie Will Be ‘Darkest And Most Serious Marvel Movie,’ Director Says


The upcoming Doctor Strange movie seems like it will be the latest in a long line of surefire Marvel successes. The superhero movie stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular Doctor Strange, a talented surgeon who learns to control his supernatural powers and warp through dimensions.

Early reports of Doctor Strange reviews have been positive, and it seems like the movie will be quite a bit different from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In an exclusive interview with D23, the official Disney fan club newsletter, Doctor Strange director and writer Scott Derrickson teased a few hints about the tone of the movie.

“We’re doing visual things that haven’t been done before,” the director told D23. He went on to describe the Doctor Strange movie as “unusual, weird and surreal. Even the fighting is in the context of magic.”

Sure, that all sounds pretty standard for a Marvel film – Thor is a literal Norse god, and Scarlet Witch fights foes with magical telekinesis. While Doctor Strange might have the trippiest visuals of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, other Marvel movies have also played around with extreme visual styles.

Derrickson, however, made it clear that the Doctor Strange movie will stand in a class all on its own.

“[Doctor Strange] will probably be the darkest and most serious Marvel movie, and I think that’s a good thing. This is a new flavor in the buffet of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

What can audiences expect from a darker and more serious Marvel movie? After all, Captain America: Civil War was marketed as a darker entry into the MCU canon, but it still featured plenty of wisecracks courtesy of Ant-Man and Spider-Man. Derrickson went on to explain that the Doctor Strange movie will set itself apart because of the extremely personal nature of Strange’s journey.

“The spiritual aspects have to do with personal growth and the supernatural and dimensions outside of ourselves. That’s where the idea of unique personal evolution and growth combined with the fantastical and supernatural and otherworldly. That is the essential DNA of Doctor Strange.”

This quote makes Doctor Strange sound pretty similar to the Iron Man movies, especially with reference to Tony Stark’s development as a hero slowly learning to take responsibility for his actions. Iron Man, however, is firmly grounded in the physical realm – all of Stark’s powers come from his robotic suit. Doctor Strange, on the other hand, will deal with the metaphysical realm.

Much like Iron Man, the Doctor Strange movie is an origin story, introducing viewers to Doctor Strange before his eventual appearance inAvengers: Infinity War.

However, unlike Iron Man, viewers should not expect Strange to interact with a lot of his future Avengers teammates. Derrickson explained in his D23 interview that Doctor Strange was not created to simply be a stepping stone towards Infinity War.

“The character will venture out into the MCU, but there were no restraints on me to create a film that would graft into that universe. It’s tonally very different than all the other movies. It’s visually very different than all the other movies.”

Not only will Doctor Strange serve to introduce viewers to the hero, it will also create an entirely new tone for the MCU. That might be for the best; it would be visually strange (pardon the pun) to see someone like Captain America interact with interdimensional fields or supernatural magic.

Critical reviews for Doctor Strange are starting to trickle in, and it seems like Derrickson’s bold directorial choices are paying off. Some critics tweeted their praise for the film, making sure to emphasize its visual splendor.

Are you excited for the upcoming Doctor Strange movie?

[Featured Image by Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures]

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