He’s well known for playing the acerbic detective with a dark side, but now Benedict Cumberbatch is going to grapple with the dark arts, for he’s been cast to play the lead in Marvel’s Doctor Strange.
Cumberbatch will play Steven Strange, the neurosurgeon who “discovers the hidden world of magic and alternate dimensions” after being involved in a life-changing car accident.
“In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character,” said producer Kevin Feige. He added that the Doctor Strange story requires an actor capable of great “depth and sincerity”.
The announcement is part of Marvel’s “Phase 3”, which includes nine more Marvel films such as Captain America: Civil War, planned for 2016, and Black Panther, scheduled for 2017.
Doctor Strange first appeared in a 1963 comic alongside the Human Torch, and is thought to be inspired by the character from the 1930s radio show Chandu The Magician.
