There’s no denying Doctor Strange has an incredible cast. First and foremost, there’s Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular superhero, the British actor world-renowned for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the BBC’s latest adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels. Then, there’s Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton, as well as Academy Award nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rachel McAdams.

Last, but certainly not least, the Marvel Machine/Disney also clinched Hollywood’s go-to villain, Mads Mikkelsen, best known for playing Le Chiffre in Daniel Craig’s first James Bond film Casino Royale, and the titular character in the presently cancelled Hannibal. Wearing a light-brown leather jacket, the actor meets me at his London hotel room’s door, offering a sturdy handshake and a glass of water. Not often are Hollywood stars so courteous.

This marks my second conversation with Mikkelsen this year, having discussed Men & Chicken with him over the phone in July, months before his Doctor Strange character’s name was revealed to the world. At the time, he called it “the hardest film he’s ever made”, something the 50-year-old elaborates on now Disney’s infamous snipers have left him alone.

“Physically, yes, it was the hardest film I’ve ever worked on,” he begins. “But, the hardest films I work on are those which don’t work. Physically it was tough: demanding having weeks after weeks of fighting. It was 10 to 12 hours a day, which is pushing it a little, even for people who are fit. It was quite demanding.”

Despite this, Mikkelsen is keen to get across just how great being on set was, adding: “Even when you’re hanging upside down, it’s just fun.” That “fun” feeling comes across in Doctor Strange: the film is packed with quips and one-liners. The special effects, meanwhile, are beyond comprehension.

Doctor Strange TV spot

“Obviously, we used our imagination to work out what they would hopefully put on the screen,” he says. “But seeing it in real life was a little more mesmerising. We can always fear the worse on set – like they’ve ran out of money and the magic turns out to be like pulling a little rabbit out of a hat – but this was something extra.”

Mikkelsen plays the film’s villain (of course) named Kaecilius, an ex-apprentice of Swinton’s The Ancient One who turns on sour after discovering his master’s dark secrets. There’s also another evil force at play, one Kaecilius doesn’t understand fully.

“The character is blinded by eternal life.” Could he be described as a puppet? “In many ways, but I’m not sure he’s fully aware of what and who he is worshipping. Even Doctor Strange says “you’re in for a surprise”. Kaecilius has a point, though. His world has collapsed. The Ancient One turns out to be a dictator, one who says “we’re all in the same boat”, but we’re not. She has a million dollars when we only have a thousand. What the f*ck is with that? Share! His means of getting to this beautiful place is a little radical. There’s a lot of sacrificing to get there.”

He’s certainly right about the numerous sacrifices: the film opens with Kaecilius and his followers beheading a librarian, something Mikkelsen believes is reasonable for someone trying to do good. It’s this dualism that attracted the actor to the Marvel project: “It leads to something where we can go ‘yeah, he’s got a f*cking point’. It’s more interesting than just being mad. There’s a higher purpose to the character than just being mad.”

For the actor, choosing to play a character requires a certain calibre of script. Since his performances in both Hannibal and Casino Royal, Hollywood has seemingly anointed Mikkelsen the quintessential European villain, leading to numerous scripts being flung his way, both good and bad.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Show all 34 1 /34 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 1. Captain America: Civil War Release date: 6 May 2016. Iron Man and Captain America are set to face off in this superhero blockbuster that will feature nearly all the Avengers but won’t be an Avengers film. It will also mark the first time Spider-Man will feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony having made a deal with Marvel Studios. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 2. X-Men: Apocalypse Release date: 27 May 2016. Following the success of Days of Future Past, Apocalypse will follow the young X-Men team as the battle against Oscar Isaac’s titular villain as he gathers his four horsemen; Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn). Expect carnage and no Wolverine. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 3. Suicide Squad Release date: 5 August 2016. The first ‘supervillain’ film, Suicide Squad is also based in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe, where Batman and Superman live) and will introduce the world to Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Jared Leto’s Joker. One of the more exciting upcoming DC films that’s for sure. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 4. Doctor Strange Release date: 4 November 2016. Benedict Cumberbatch will debut in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Captain America and Iron Man live) as the Sorcerer Supreme. The film already has an incredible cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 5. Untitled Lego Batman film Release date: 20 February 2017. Kicking off 2017 is the Lego version of Batman, who will lead his own spin-off, having already featured in the amazing Lego Movie. Will Arnett voices the titular character, while Zach Garfianakis - from the Hangover - will voice The Joker. But will he better than Leto? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 6. Untitled Wolverine film Release date: 3 March 2017. Having not starred in X-Men: Apocalypse, Wolverine will return to the big screen in a solo film which was recently made R-Rated following the success of Deadpool. It is expected to be Hugh Jackman’s last outing as the titular character. Fox 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release date: 5 May 2017. Chris Pratt and the crew are returning to space in the sequel to the surprisingly successful Guardians of the Galaxy. According to director James Gunn, the film will not feature Thanos, even though he will to play a major role in phase MCU Phase 3. Cast includes newcomers Kurt Russell and Pom Klementieff, as well as, rumour has it, Sylvester Stallone. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 8. Wonder Woman Release date: 23 June 2017. Gal Gadot is returning to the DCEU in her very own film, marking the first female-led superhero film on this list. Chris Pine is on board to play Wonder Woman’s love interest. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 9. Untitled Spider-Man reboot Release date: 7 July 2017. Yes, it is another Spider-Man reboot, having previously been redone with Andrew Garfield as the lead. However, this time it is part of the MCU, with Tom Holland as the titular character, and a heavily rumoured cameo by Iron Man could be in the pipeline. We can dream. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 10. Untitled Fox film Release date: 6 October 2017. In a strange announcement, Fox decided to withhold the release of Gambit until a future, as-yet unannounced date, which could be here, or this could be a completely separate project. Many suspect Deadpool 2 could nicely fit here, Fox capitalising on the success of the first film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 11. Thor: Ragnarok Release date: 3 November 2017. Chris Hemsworth will be returning as the Norse God in his third solo MCU film. Flight of the Conchords’ Taika Waititi is on board to direct, and promises a fun adventure that will likely lead into Marvel’s next project, Infinity War. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 12. Justice League Part One Release date: 17 November 2017. Hot on the heals of Thor comes Justice League Part One, the first DCEU team-up flick which will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg work together to fight bad guys. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 13: Untitled Fox film Release date: 12 January 2018. Kicking off 2018 will likely be the second Deadpool film, but then again, this could very well be another X-Men team-up. There’s also talk of an X-Force film, with Deadpool and other mutants teaming up to fight evil. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 14. Black Panther Release date: 16 February 2018. The first non-white male-led superhero film in the MCU comes in the form of Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the titular role, having also starred as the Panther in Civil War. Creed’s Ryan Coogler is on to direct what could be a very exciting film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 15. The Flash Release date: 16 March 2018. The Flash will be the first DCEU film since Justice League, and sees Ezra Miller take the lead. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were supposed to pen the film before Disney snapped them up for the Han Solo-film, leaving Seth Grahame-Smith to take charge. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 16. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 Release date: 4 May 2018. And so, we finally get to the point of all these Infinity Stones! Thanos will be the big bad, with the Avengers needing to team up to defeat their biggest foe yet. It has previously been described as “the end of the Avengers as we know it”. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 17. Ant-Man and The Wasp Release date: 6 July 2018. Peyton Reed will be back to direct this surprise sequel to one of the better received MCU films. While the name is ridiculous, at least Marvel are finally having a leading female superhero. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 18. Untitled Fox film Release date: 13 July 2018. Again, not much word on this one except it is thought to be X-Men spin-off New Mutants, something Josh Boone has been hit up to write. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 19. Animated Spider-Man Film Release date: 20 July 2018. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal - the team behind the live-action Spider-Man films - are producing this ‘unrelated’ animated adaptation of the hero. Because you can never have too much Spider-Man, right? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 20. Aquaman Release date: 27 July 2018. Another Justice League spin-off, Jason Momoa plays the leading man. Furious 7’s James Wan is on to direct, but little else is known about the film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 21. Captain Marvel Release date: 8 March 2019. We’ve hit 2019, and the first confirmed superhero film will be the first proper female-led MCU film. No-one is confirmed to be in the titular role of Carol Danvers just yet. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 22. Shazam Release date: 5 April 2019. Dwayne Johnson stars as the villain in this DCEU film which will be somewhat separate to the other DC films. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 23. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. Release date: 3 May 2019. The conclusion to the long drawn MCU saga. Expect a big finish with at least a few planets being destroyed. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 24. Justice League Part Two Release date: 14 June 2019. Soon after the Infinity War story reaches its conclusion, so will the Justice League’s. Not much is known, except Darkseid will likely be the villain for at least one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 25. Inhumans Release date: 12 July 2019. The concept of Inhumans (or Marvel’s mutants) has already been introduced in TV, through Marvel’s Agents of Shield, yet the film is expected to introduce the Royal Family who have yet to be seen in the show. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 26. Cyborg Release date: 3 April 2020. Having debuted in Justice League Part One three years previously, Cyborg will finally be making his own outing, with Ray Fisher as the titular character. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 27. Untitled MCU film Release date: 1 May 2020. The first of three untitled Marvel films. There are a couple of contenders, the first is a likely sequel to Spider-Man with Sony, or a third Guardians of the Galaxy film, thus finishing the trilogy. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 28. Green Lantern Corps. Release date: 19 June 2020. Before you start to worry, this has nothing to do with the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick that hit cinemas a little while ago. Instead, this will be another DCEU film that will likely spin-off from Justice League after the Green Lantern Corps cameo in one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 29. Untitled MCU film Release date: 10 July 2020. As well as Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, a Doctor Strange or Black Panther one could fit in nicely here. Or perhaps Black Widow may finally get the solo-film she deserves. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 30. Untitled MCU film Release date: 6 November 2020. Some speculators also think a Blade film could fit in here, marking over 20 years since the first Blade. But many believe the character may be better suited to a Netflix series, as with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. There’s also talk of a Runaways film reaching cinemas at some stage. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 31. Untitled Ben Affleck Batman film Release date: TBA. Now we’re onto the TBA release dates, the first of which is a Batman solo film, written and directed by Ben Affleck. When this is due, no one is quite sure but expect it sooner rather than later if Batman v Superman is a success. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 32. Suicide Squad 2 Release date: TBA (rumoured 2017). A sequel to Suicide Squad is expected to come in 2017 according to recent reports, but nothing has been confirmed. If the first is successful, it should come as no surprise for Warner Bros to rearrange their schedule to fit in this surefire hit. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33. Venom Release date: TBA. This is an odd one, as it has been confirmed Sony are wanting to release a Venom film completely unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man reboot. Venom, as you may know, is a Spider-Man villain, intrinsically linked to Spider-Man, so it seems odd they would release a film unrelated to the rebooted project and not linked to the MCU. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Anything else? Well, now you mention it, there’s also that sequel to Fantastic Four that has seemingly been dropped by Fox. Plus, there’s the Gambit film which has been put on hold (but will likely fill an untitled Fox slot so we haven’t added it extra). Then again, it could be shoehorned in somehow… Marvel

“Two-dimensional villains are still around but I think people have learnt their lesson and know it’s more interesting to make them three-dimensional. The writers and directors, that’s the goal they’re pursuing, but there are still those villains who are pure evilness and are just laughing when they shoot. They do the pirate laugh [Mikkelsen does a mock Joker-esque laugh].

“Writers need to step into villain’s shoes and make them go on a path where they believe they are doing right. Once you find the key to that, it’s easy to write a good villain. But that goes for a hero, I don’t think they are that different.”

Luckily, the character Kaecilius was fully formed in the script, or – as he calls it – The Bible. Why lucky? Because, unlike with the Danish scripts Mikkelsen’s career was build on, there was little room for change.

“We have the input we have as actors, our mere presence jumping into the shoes of the character,” he says. “Changing the dialogue, changing plot details is an easier process in a smaller Danish film than on a major American film. To make major changes, that’s often when I play the lead and that becomes a necessity to make the role stronger. The supporting actors are there to serve a purpose.”

There have been few times where Mikkelsen has been able to play the lead in Hollywood films, yet the opposite is true about films from his home country. Look at acclaimed Danish drama The Hunt, for instance, a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2014. Mikkelsen played the film’s lead, Lucas, a role for which he won Cannes Film Festival’s award for best actor.

Mikkelsen (Getty)

The Hunt marks just one example: his first leading role was in 2001’s Shake It All About in which Mikkelsen played one-half of a gay couple. Mikkelsen’s next leading role came in the sequel to Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher, helping further establish the pair as some of Denmark’s most talented filmmakers.

“I prefer being the lead,” Mikkelsen muses. “In general, there’s a process there that is inspiring. The film is serving you, it comes to you, it serves your story more than a character serving the film. There’s a difference in what you can get away with. The camera comes to you as the main character. That’s not often the case as a supporting one.”

Despite preferring to be centre stage, there’s no arrogance to Mikkelsen, perhaps because acting is only something he stumbled into after turning 30. Before then, he was a gymnast, then a dancer.

“I have no idea why I became a dancer, it just happened. I was asked as a gymnast to be in a show, do some flips and things. We learnt a few little moves. All of a sudden we were almost half dancing in a show. Obviously, the union of dancers hated us because we were not professional. And then the choreographer asked if I wanted to learn the craft because, in her eyes, I had talent.

“I had absolutely nothing else to do in my life so I said ‘yeah, why not. There’s not a lot of boys around here but a lot of girls.’ It fits well into my imagination of how I should live my life. That just happened and I loved it. It was super fun, super physical. Gradually, I understood I was more in love with the dramatic side of dancing than the aesthetic side. Then I went into the drama side.”

Soon into his dancing career, Mikkelsen decided upon going to drama school, having his big break while still studying all thanks to the aforementioned Drive director, Nicolas Winding Refn. “He wanted no actors in his film, just real people, real authentic dialogue. Lots of improvisation. He j hated acting, simply. There were a few of the casters who thought they may need actors because some of the characters were so big. He was like ‘f*ck no’.”

However, despite Refn wanting “real people”, one of the casting actors managed to persuade the director to look to drama schools for actors. “I had very heavy street language, very fast, which created some difficulties in drama school, but they said let’s have a look. He loved what I did. It was improvisation, it was extremely pornographic sh*t my character was saying. He just loved it so he gave me the job. Then he cast a lead, and there were two actors all of a sudden. Then a third. That expanded his mind, that he could actually find actors that are able to bring his vision to life.”

From that point, the pair’s respective careers would expand exponentially, leading both to Hollywood where, despite the rumours, Mikkelsen found most actors egos were in check.

“They’re actors, first of all, and they’re all there to translate the director's vision into a film. Big star or not, that really goes out the window. And good for that, because you can’t go around being intimidating each other because of each others skills, talent, fame. That’s simply not going to work on set, and then we don’t achieve anything. That would be the same if you’re playing soccer and you meet Messi and go ‘Oh God, it’s Messi, I can’t take the ball from him’. It’s my f*cking job to take the ball from him. The intimidation can come before and after, but not in the midst.”

He clarifies that there was nothing of the like on the set of Doctor Strange, but there is some truth to the rumours. “It happens once in a while where people do love to be intimidating and love to have that hierarchy. It doesn’t happen as much as one would expect from the rumours. Sets are not full of divas running around, asking for yellow M&Ms.”

It’s perhaps the first time Mikkelsen begins to watch exactly what he’s saying, knowing how publications can often take words out of context. After clarifying you get divas in every profession, he adds: “You hear urban myths but I haven’t really bumped into it. A lot of it comes from insecurity. You can be a big star and still be insecure. In order to be a big star and not be insecure, you need to make sure they’re more insecure than you. That’s one of the tricks. The more they feel at home and safe, the nicer people are.”