YES! Doctor Strange, starring our favourite British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, is finally here! But let’s face it, while many moviegoers or casual fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have grown to know and love Marvel superheroes like Captain America, Iron Man and Thor, this new character in the MCU is probably unknown and maybe even “strange” to most.
That’s why we’ve put together these 10 facts on both Doctor Strange and Benedict Cumberbatch, so you can brush up on your knowledge before you watch the film to appreciate it even more. Learn them by heart to impress your comic-loving husband, your kids or your geek friends!
Doctor Strange (rated PG13) opens in theatres islandwide on November 27.
Text: Sean Tan
Doctor Strange – That really is his name, and he really is a doctor. In the comics, Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange was a brilliant neurosurgeon before a car accident crippled his hands and destroyed his abilities to perform surgeries.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Born Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch, Benedict’s name has led to many funny memes on the Internet. A Tumblr user Wandaventham even created the Benedict Cumberbatch Name Generator, a programme that suggests random names to poke fun at Cumberbatch’s funny sounding multi-syllabic name.
Doctor Strange – The comic book character originally did not have his own title; his debut was in a book called Strange Tales, before the character got his own title. The creators, writer Stan Lee (now head honcho of Marvel Comics) and artist Steve Dikto, were inspired by a radio magic programme in the 1930s.
Benedict Cumberbatch – You may only remember Benedict as a film and TV actor in recent times, but he actually started out his career in the theatre, having been born into a family of actors (both parents, dad Timothy Carlton and mum Wanda Ventham, were actors). He has also been nominated several theatre awards and starred in many major roles in classic plays at the Regent’s Park Open Air, Almeida, Royal Court and Royal National Theatres.
Doctor Strange – So what can Doctor Strange actually do, you ask? His powers are a little difficult to understand since they are mystical. But in a nutshell, Dr Strange is trained in both martial arts and mystical arts, which includes being able to invoke powerful mystic entities or objects and manipulate the universe’s ambient magical energy. That’s why he’s called the Sorcerer Supreme of the (Marvel) world.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Have you seen Benedict’s talent of impersonating various famous people? We enjoyed it so much we watched it several times – his impersonation of late actor Alan Rickman is one of the absolute best!
Doctor Strange – Searching the world for a cure to his injuries, Doctor Strange came across The Ancient One, a protector of the universe who agreed to take Strange in as a student. The Tibetan master is an old man in the comics, but in the movie, he is portrayed as a woman by the sensational Tilda Swinton – the reason given by the studio for the swap is to put more female characters in the MCU.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Even though Benedict’s drama teacher Martin Tyrrell called him “the best schoolboy actor”, he did not encourage the youth to enter the “tough acting business”. After completing his acting studies at Harrow, Benedict took a year out to teach English at a Tibetan monastery in Darjeeling, India.
Doctor Strange – One of the artifacts which Doctor Strange uses is the Eye of Agamotto, which came into his possession (in the comics) after defeating Dormmamu, an evil mystical being. Doctor Strange draws on mystical energies from the artifact, said to be one of the most powerful in the Marvel Universe, and wears it as an amulet of protection in both the comics and the movie.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Did you know that Benedict has a condition called sectoral heterochromia? It causes his eyes to change from green to blue, depending on the light. Maybe that’s why many people are mesmerised by his gaze!
Doctor Strange – Another one of the powerful artifacts which Doctor Strange uses in the comics and in the movie is the Cloak of Levitation. Technically Doctor Strange is not able to fly the way you think Thor or Iron Man can, but he is able to float and defy gravity due to the cloak he’s wearing.
Benedict Cumberbatch – When he first started out in acting in films and TV, many would not think Benedict will become one of the hottest male style icons in recent times, but his timeless dapper style has certainly proven otherwise. From impeccable suits and bow ties to scarves and geek spectacles, Ben’s choices of clothing make the “old world gentlemen” look hip and cool again.
Doctor Strange – Every hero has his love interest, and so does every superhero. In the comics, Doctor Strange’s significant other is a sorceress named Clea, who is the niece of his arch-nemesis Dormammu. But in the movie, Doctor Strange’s love interest is a nurse – Christine Palmer (played by Rachel McAdams) – which took inspiration from the character in an old 1970s Marvel Comics series named Night Nurses.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Once known as one of UK’s hottest eligible bachelors, Benedict was suddenly taken off the market (millions of female hearts broke then) in 2014 when his engagement to director Sophie Hunter, now wife, was announced. The couple kept the relationship secret (they’ve been dating since 2009 according to sources) and nobody knew Benedict’s attached. The couple is now expecting their second child.
Doctor Strange – In the comics, Doctor Strange co-founded The Defenders, a superhero team with founding members Hulk, Namor and Silver Surfer and later feature other rotating superhero members. The Defenders is also the group with members Jessica Jones, Daredevil, Luke Cage and Iron Fist in the related Netflix series. We wonder if Doctor Strange will make a cameo in future episodes or even be the one who brings them together…
Benedict Cumberbatch – This man obviously has a penchant for photobombing others (see his aerial leaps at the 2014 Oscars). His fellow actors are mostly amused but for the rest of us it just upped his adorable factor by another few hundred per cent.
Doctor Strange – The world which Doctor Strange inhabits is multi-dimensional, since he can access and traverse different worlds and dimensions (think Matrix and Inception). The movie makes use of state-of-the-art special effects and CGI to help bring this world to life, and from the trailer we already know it is going to look astounding and mind-blowing.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Benedict originally had to turn down the role of playing Doctor Strange as it clashed with his acting schedule for the play Hamlet. But the stars must have aligned, as director Scott Derrickson managed to move the release date later to accommodate Benedict’s schedule – he feels no one else is more perfect for the role. Good move, Scott!
Doctor Strange – Even though no sequel has been officially announced as yet for Doctor Strange, we are betting all our money there will be one (judging from an end credit teaser; yes, as with all MCU movies, sit till the very end!). But one thing is for sure, Doctor Strange will join the Avengers to face the enormous threat in the upcoming MCU Infinity Wars.
Benedict Cumberbatch – Benedict is slated to come back in the super popular BBC One series Sherlock in January 2017 – the trailer shown after the Great British Bake Off finale left fans on an ecstatic high!