The MCU is full of iconic heroes. From Iron Man to Black Panther, the list of superheroes is ever-growing, and the executives at Marvel continue to bring as many live-action as possible. While some decisions about who will play a hero are easy, like Robert Downey Jr. perfectly cast as Tony Stark, other casting choices aren't quite so straightforward. For example, there were more than 10 actors considered for Spider-Man before Tom Holland was finally chosen. This is the case with many of the heroes within the MCU, including Doctor Strange.
Updated February 27, 2023: This article has been updated with more details about the various actors who were considered for Doctor Strange, including more names and future updates related to the MCU.
Doctor Strange is becoming an important part of the MCU's Multiverse Saga, with his most recent film Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness ending on a cliffhanger that seems to set up Avengers: Secret Wars. Fans eagerly await news of Doctor Strange's next appearance, including the possibility of a third film. While it's hard to imagine anyone else as Doctor Strange right now, with how long Cumberbatch has been playing the role, it's important to remember that the Doctor Strange we all know and love could have been portrayed by a different actor. played. That would have led to not only a different portrayal of Stephen Strange, but also Benedict Cumberbatch's absence from the MCU. Here are nine actors who almost got cast as Doctor Strange.
9 Joaquin Phoenix
Known for his appearances in movies like jokerAnd Gladiator, Joaquin Phoenix is a highly respected actor. In fact, Phoenix was the very first actor that Marvel pursued to play the role of Doctor Strange. The deal is reported to be around the joker starring as Strange almost went on until Phoenix changed his mind when he realized how much energy taking on the role would expend.
Plus, Phoenix also wasn't too keen on the idea of having to commit to starring in several MCU releases over the years. Ultimately, the actor turned down the role, preferring to focus on indie endeavors rather than Marvel blockbusters, though the actor does enjoy the Marvel movies.
8 Jared Leto
From one Joker actor to another, Jared Leto was considered for the role of Doctor Strange following his Oscar win for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club. Leto ended up not playing the role of Strange and instead took on the mighty task of playing the Joker Suicide Squadwhich was in production at the same time Doctor Strange. Leto has long been a favorite for superhero projects, as the actor was also considered for Green Lantern in 2011.
After the disappointing response to his role as the Joker, he later became the star of Morbiusanother Marvel character in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Morbius was a critical and box office bomb, so considering his two comic book performances weren't well received (and all the allegations against Leto), it's probably a good thing he didn't play Doctor Strange.
7 Edgar Ramirez
Edgar Ramirez had worked with Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson on the film Deliver us from evilopened in 2014. This was the same year Derrickson signed on to direct Doctor Strange and when Marvel Studios began the casting process for the film. Ramírez reportedly spoke to Derrickson about the role, but nothing ever came of those discussions. Ramirez has yet to join the MCU, and with Phases 5 and 6 ready to introduce more characters, there are plenty of parts for him to play.
6 Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling has become a household name in Hollywood. From his outstanding performance in the classic romance The notebook into his latest iteration of a police replicant Blade Runner 2049Gosling has proven his worth as an actor who can take on any role.
After Phoenix turned down the role, Gosling was another high-profile star Marvel considered for the part. There was even early concept art showing Gosling almost looking like Doctor Strange. While neither came to fruition, if he had gotten these roles, we might not have gotten his phenomenal performance La La Land or The nice guys. The actor has now expressed interest in joining the MCU as Ghost Rider.
5 Ethan Hawke
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Like Phoenix, Ethan Hawke has claimed that he was very close to getting the role of Stephen Strange as he was one of the first to be approached after Phoenix turned down the role. Hawke had previously worked with Doctor Strange directed by Scott Derrickson Sinisterso it makes sense that the director and actor would want to work together again.
Hawke has stated that he suspected one of the main reasons he didn't get the part was the lack of a fan base, unlike Benedict Cumberbatch who garnered a fan base thanks to his performance in the TV series. Sherlock. Hawke also stated that his name is not a big box office draw and would not have attracted as large an audience as the studio wanted. Hawke later joined the MCU as the villain Arthur Harrow in the Disney+ original series Moon Knightand he reunited with Derrickson in the 2022 horror movie The black telephone.
4 Oscar Isaac
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In 2014, when Marvel Studios was casting Doctor Strange, Oscar Isaac had made a name for himself in critically acclaimed films like Inside Llewyn Davis And A violent year and would become part of Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy in the role of Poe Dameron. Isaac didn't land the role of Doctor Strange, but the actor has now played three separate Marvel characters in three different franchises.
First he played the villain Apocalypse X-Men: Apocalypse. He was then a voice cameo in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as Miguel O'Hara aka Spider-Man 2099 and will reprise his role in Spider-Man: About the Spider-Verse. He eventually joined the MCU in 2022 as the superhero Moon Knight, and many fans were excited at the prospect of seeing him cross paths with other superheroes, including Doctor Strange.
3 Ewan McGregor
There was a mutual interest in it Ewan McGregor taking on the role, for obvious reasons. The actor was a respected performer in critically acclaimed films such as Trainspotting And Moulin Rouge as well as known around the world as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars precursors. McGregor admitted he was excited about the idea of taking on a superhero character, a role he had never played before.
When it came down to it, McGregor stated that his lack of comic book knowledge most likely put him out of the running, as he knew little about the character and the role he plays within the Marvel Universe. McGregor would later take on the role of Black Mask in DC's Birds of prey.
2 Jake Gyllenhaal
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Jake Gyllenhall is another one who was considered for the role of Doctor Strange. With a long history of working on dark movies like Donnie Darko And Enemytaking on the superhero role would have been a bit of a departure for Gyllenhaal, even though the actor had previously starred in a potential blockbuster, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Gyllenhaal was shortlisted for the role, but he didn't get very far in the casting process. Although this was another disappointment for Gyllenhaal after he was almost cast to replace Tobey Maguire spiderman 2the actor later joined the MCU Spider-Man: Far From Homeportraying the character of Quentin Beck/Mysterio.
1 Patrick Dempsey
Most famous for his role as Dr. Derek Shepherd AKA McDreamy in the long-running TV series Gray's Anatomy, Patrick Dempsey has made a name for herself in Hollywood that everyone recognizes. Before his run on the show came to an abrupt and emotional end, Dempsey planned to get back into movies, as he had in the past, taking a special interest in Doctor Strange.
During the promotional tour for Transformers: Dark of the Moon in 2011, Dempsey expressed interest in playing Doctor Strange. This was even before the release of The Avengers, when a Doctor Strange movie had yet to be officially announced. While Dempsey wasn't cast as Doctor Strange, and the actor didn't even appear on the studio's shortlist, he did star in movies like Bridget Jones' baby in 2016 and recently appeared in the sequel to enchanted titled Disillusioned which premiered on Disney+ in 2022.
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