The actor of Sherlock renown is reportedly set to play ‘the mightiest magician’ in movie adaptations of Marvel comics

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

Benedict Cumberbatch is the latest actor in talks to take on the role of Doctor Strange.

The film, to be directed by Scott Derrickson and released in July 2016, has previously seen Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto and Tom Hardy connected to the role of the Marvel comics character, a former neurosurgeon who becomes “the mightiest magician in the cosmos” after a car crash ruins his hands.

Joaquin Phoenix was reported to be in negotiations for the part, but sources say that the actor balked at the number of sequels he would have been required to do for the Disney-owned studio.

Cumberbatch is currently a hot critical and commercial property thanks to Sherlock, for which he won an Emmy. His current role as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game is tipped to net him an Oscar nomination.

Fans hailed the news on social media. The comic book writer JM DeMatties decribed the news as “the best comics-to-screen casting since Robert Downey as Iron Man”.

Doctor Strange is a key figure in Marvel’s next wave of comic-book films, which are slated to begin with Paul Rudd as Ant-Man in 2015. Strange, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, first appeared in Marvel comics in 1963.