Could Joaquin Phoenix have been the MCU’s Master of the Mystic Arts? Director Scott Derrickson reveals why he cast Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange.
From Tom Cruise as Iron Man to Asa Butterfield as Spider-Man, “almost castings” are one of the most popular topics when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Perhaps none is more infamous than Joaquin Phoenix, who almost played Doctor Strange, with many believing the actor came within a whisker of the role. However, according to director Scott Derrickson, it was clear early on that the pairing wouldn’t work.
“I met with a number of actors and Joaquin [Phoenix] was the film I spent the most time on,” Derrickson explained in a recent interview with Slash Film. “As we continued to talk, I realized that Joaquin didn’t really belong in this movie and probably never belonged in the MCU. He is a very special guy with very special goals as an actor and a very special way of acting. I think we both realized that this might not be a match, which is what really matters.
“After we tried, we didn’t have a script either. Keep that in mind. I think he was very nervous about committing to multiple films, which he has never done before. I just returned to Kevin [Feige] and I just said, ‘We have to reschedule because it has to be Benedict.'”
Looking through Joaquin Phoenix’s catalog, it’s clear that Scott Derrickson’s observation that he doesn’t belong in the MCU was spot on. While he has played comic roles, as in jokerPhoenix has never been a blockbuster actor, at least not in this way Doctor Strange would demand it of him.
Why Benedict Cumberbatch was the perfect doctor, strange
It’s commendable to hear that Disney was willing to push back the release date of Doctor Strange back when Scott Derrickson decided to choose Benedict Cumberbatch over Joaquin Phoenix. However, it seems Derrickson always had Cumberbatch in mind and stated he was his original choice.
“What happened, to be clear, was that we offered the film to Benedict [Cumberbatch]. I wanted Benedict. That was my choice for the role. I flew all the way to London to try and persuade him to do it. It came down to the fact that it was a summer film and Benedict had committed to filming Hamlet in the London cinema.”
“Benedict, he is a man of great integrity and he understood the importance of this role and how it could impact his life. But he just said, “I said yes to these people.” I committed to it. I can’t back out of this.’ He personally just wouldn’t do that to the theater and the show’s director. So I came back from that trip and thought, ‘We’re not going to get Benedict.'”
While Scott Derrickson would end up getting Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, it’s this integrity that makes him the perfect Sorcerer Supreme. A few years ago, Cumberbatch even prevented an attempted robbery. Let’s see if other MCU actors beat this!
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