When Marvel failed to bring Joaquin Phoenix aboard as the titular character in the studio’s adaptation of Doctor Strange, speculation as to who would play the mystical hero quickly shifted to Ethan Hawke, who previously worked with Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson on the 2012 horror-thriller Sinister.
Now it seems the casting floodgates have opened, as Variety reports Hawke, Jared Leto, Oscar Isaac, Matthew McConaughey, Ewan McGregor, and Jake Gyllenhaal are all in the running to play Doctor Strange in Marvel’s upcoming blockbuster. There’s no telling just how interested each of these actors are in tackling the role, and they all have various projects already in their respective pipelines, save for Leto who is notoriously picky about the projects he takes on.
Just last night it seemed McGregor was the studio’s top choice, but Marvel appears to be looking at every possible option before making a decision, which makes sense given the long-term contracts the studio uses to lock in its stars. And from the actors’ perspective, it’s got to be the right fit for them as well, which Keanu Reeves, who was also previously rumored for the role, expressed to Collider over the weekend:
From a practical standpoint the idea of a longtime contract is sort of “errr” because you want to make sure the material is up to a certain level. Like the good or great level. I like the idea. I go to those kinds of movies. I grew up on them and comics and graphic novels. [But] I didn’t know Doctor Strange as a character, I didn’t read that as a kid. I’m gonna have to read it. I remember reading something… who’s going to play Doctor Strange? Would I be good for the role?
No idea just yet who the true frontrunner is here, but I assume we’ll hear more on this in the coming days or weeks, as talks continue and candidates bubble up to the top of the list or slide down to the bottom. That said, who would you like to see play Doctor Strange? Do any of the actors above interest you more than the others? Sound off in the comments below!
