Has Marvel finally found their "Doctor Strange?" According to Deadline, actor Joaquin Phoenix is the frontrunner to play Stephen Strange, a neurosurgeon who becomes the Sorcerer Supreme and must guard the Earth from mystical and magical threats.
Marvel hasn't confirmed Phoenix's involvement in the project and Deadline reports that a deal is still being worked out. However, fans are hopeful that the studio will make an official announcement at Marvel's San Diego Comic-Con panel on Saturday night.
Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President, has long expressed his interest in making a "Doctor Strange" movie.
"He's a great, original character, and he checks the box off his criteria that I have: he's totally different from anything else we have, just like 'Guardians of the Galaxy,'" Feige told MTV in a 2013 interview. "He's totally different from anything we've done before, as is 'Ant-Man,' which keeps us excited."
It was previously rumored that "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp was in talks for the lead role but Feige dismissed the rumor back in February.
"When you have a project that's been around as long as 'Doctor Strange,' there is sometimes, 'Oh, I've met with Stan about this! Or I did that!' So Strange is one of those projects that predates me by a long shot," Feige said. "Obviously, the character does, but even in its cinematic brewing. So there's a lot of things that have happened before me, and I've been here 14 years. So that's a long time ago. I don't know if that happened then."
"Doctor Strange" will be directed by Scott Derrickson with Jon Spalihts writing the script. Kevin Feige is producing the film, Deadline reports.
