Here are 21 kickass and interesting facts about Doctor Strange (2016)
1-5 Interesting facts about Doctor Strange
1. While filming Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch would sometimes go to comic book stores in costume and buy an actual Doctor Strange comic.
2. Doctor Strange is the fourteenth film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
3. Stephen Strange received training at an Eastern monastery before becoming the Sorcerer Supreme. Benedict Cumberbatch volunteered as an English teacher at a Buddhist monastery for a year in Darjeeling, India. He described that the experience was very heartfelt and had a great impact on his life and sought to use this experience in preparing for the role.
4. The creators of Doctor Strange, Stan Lee, and Steve Ditko based this character’s appearance on Hollywood actor Vincent Price. The character even shares the middle name with Vincent. The full name of Doctor Strange is “Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange”
5. References to Doctor Strange has been made in earlier Marvel Studios’ movies.
- Thor (2011): The Orb of Agamotto, which rests in Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, can be seen among the treasures in Odin’s treasure chamber.
- Thor: The Dark World (2013): The Crossroads is one of the many phrases written on Selvig’s chalkboard. The Crossroads is an other-dimensional reality that has a noticeable role in the “Doctor Strange” comics.
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): In this movie, Jasper Sitwell states Stephen Strange as one of the high-risk targets that HYDRA keeps under surveillance.
6-10 Interesting facts about Doctor Strange
6. In the comic books, the Ancient One who was the mentor of Doctor Strange is an old man, whereas in this film the Ancient One’s role is played by a woman (Tilda Swinton).
7. Stark’s Avengers building can be seen at the start of the movie when Manhattan skyline is shown.
8. Doctor Strange is able to see events that take place in other dimensions. This allows him to detect and prevent an extra-dimensional invasion.
9. Stan Lee, one of the creators of Doctor Strange, has a cameo in the movie. He appears as a passenger on a bus that Doctor Strange bumps into.
10. Director Scott Derrickson is a big fan of Doctor Strange and spent his own money on a concept video he pitched to Marvel so that he could get the job of directing the film.
11-15 Interesting facts about Doctor Strange
11. Kaecilius (Doctor Strange’s villain) is named after the word “caecilian”, a rare snake-like amphibian.
12. In the comics, Stephen Strange had a younger sister named Donna, who died when he was young and motivated him into becoming a doctor. Lulu Wilson was cast as Donna in the film and shot some scenes, but they were cut out for running time purposes.
13. It took between 2-3 hours for Zealots’s makeup.
14. Actor Joaquin Phoenix was the first choice for Doctor Strange role.
15. Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, and Bill Nighy were considered for the role of The Ancient One.
16-21 Interesting facts about Doctor Strange
16. Dr. Strange was top Neurosurgeon before becoming a master of the mystic arts.
17. Stan Lee, the mastermind behind Marvel Comics, revealed in interviews that the character was originally called “Mr. Strange”, but there were concerns at Marvel as the name was quite similar to Mr. Fantastic of Fantastic Four.
18. The film is inspired by Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Fantasia.
19. Dancer Jayfunk helped Benedict Cumberbatch with finger-tutting movements to make the spell-casting gestures look fluid and agile.
20. The mid-credits scene with Thor was directed by Thor: Ragnarok (2017) director Taika Waititi.
21. Astrophysicist Adam Frank was hired as a science consultant on the film, to advise on how to portray changes in the human experience of space and time. Frank also helped Marvel conceive their ideas for the multiverse, as well as suggest dialogue and belief stances for the characters.
So I definitely shouldn’t have read some of these before seeing the film (that’s my mistake, can’t blame it on anyone). That being said, maybe the next time y’all do one of these for a movie that came out the same day your facts list comes out, put a spoiler warning on the facts that have to do with movie plot/end credit scenes? Thanks a bunch!