Benedict Cumberbatch will star in Doctor Strange

After a long, long buildup, Marvel has finally found the actor to take on its next big superhero. Numerous sources report that Benedict Cumberbatch is in final negotiations to play Doctor Strange, a neurosurgeon-turned-sorceror who's tasked with protecting the world against other magical threats.

The road to Doctor Strange has been long and bumpy. At one time or another, pretty much every major actor in Hollywood has been rumored for the role, including Jared Leto, Ethan Hawke, and Ryan Gosling. Earlier this month, Joaquin Phoenix was reportedly the frontrunner for the role — but when those talks fell apart, the studio finally settled on Cumberbatch.

Deliver Us From Evil director Scott Derrickson will helm the Marvel superhero flick, which is slated for release sometime in 2016.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up