Summary
TheMarvel Cinematic Universeneeds to learn from an overlooked performance by Benedict Cumberbatch when it comes to the franchise’s nextDoctor Strangemovie. Cumberbatch joined the MCU as Doctor Strange towards the end of the Infinity Saga in 2016’sDoctor Strange, quickly establishing himself as one of the franchise’s most fascinating heroes. After playing key supporting roles in the third and fourthAvengersfilms andSpider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange starred in a second solo movie,Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which delved into the hardships of Strange’s personal life, even as he traversed the multiverse.
Doctor Strange’s MCU appearancesshowcase the incredible acting skills of Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrays Strange’s arrogant yet charismatic side during his neurosurgeon days and his more humble and curious side as he develops his skills as a Master of the Mystic Arts. Strange notably struggles with his devotion to preserving human life and his belief that death is sometimes necessary for the greater good. One perhaps overlooked performance by Benedict Cumberbatch shows that his ability to depict trauma is perhaps underutilized inthe MCU timelinethus far, and should be explored in greater detail inupcoming Marvel releases.
All Marvel Movies Releasing In 2024
The Marvel movies releasing in 2024 offer a range of film experiences - and some confusion, due to the changed dates of several incoming installments.
Patrick Melrose’s Exploration Of Trauma Needs To Be Replicated By The MCU’s Doctor Strange
The 2018 miniseriesPatrick Melrosestarred Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular protagonist. The series was well-received, withCumberbatch’s performance depicting the complexity and tragedy of Melrose, a man of wealth and privilege who grapples with an extremely traumatic upbringing and drug addiction, using the latter, along with his humor, to avoid the introspection he needs to heal from his trauma. While Melrose is obviously quite a different character from Stephen Strange, there are, notably, some similarities between the two, such as long-term trauma from their early lives, which the MCU has not brought to the forefront quite yet.
Every Spell Doctor Strange Has Used In The MCU
Doctor Strange has used a wide variety of spells over the course of his Marvel Cinematic Universe appearances, demonstrating his arcane skill.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness' Trauma Story Didn’t Hit The Right Mark
Multiverse Of Madnesshandled many elements of Doctor Strange’s character well, calling his past behaviors into question. Strange knowingly steered the events ofAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgameto ensure Thanos’s defeat, albeit at the cost of Tony Stark’s life. Similarly, Strange was willing to send multiversal Spider-Man adversaries to their deaths inNo Way Home, andMultiverse Of Madnessestablishes that Strange’s willingness to make morally questionable decisions comes at a cost, with two different iterations ofDoctor Strange causing incursionsthat threaten the multiverse itself. Yetthe film arguably does not take full advantage of this flaw.
This Doctor Strange variant willingly allows himself to be executed, proving that his cold stance on death applies to even himself.
Multiverse Of Madnessdoes, however, put a strong emphasis on Doctor Strange’s love life, with Strange failing to make a relationship with Doctor Christine Palmer work and learning, tragically, that possibly every one of his multiversal variants similarly fails. One of Strange’s variants turns to the corrupting Darkhold to dreamwalk across the multiverse, in search of a reality in which he and Palmer are together, but the endeavor results in another incursion and his murdering of numerous Doctor Strange variants. AlthoughStrange’s love for Palmer was certainly touching, the film missed an opportunity by focusing on it so much.
Doctor Strange 3 Is The Perfect Place To Bring The Hero’s Past Back To The Forefront
In his interactions with his sinister multiversal variant, the prime MCU Doctor Strange mentions that the tragic death of his younger sister motivated him to study medicine and eventually become a neurosurgeon, likely to compensate for the trauma by saving other people’s lives. Strange copes with knowingly killing an adversary in the 2016 film, having broken his Hippocratic oath and likely reliving the trauma of losing his sister to some degree, and the hero’s newfound role as a Master of the Mystic Arts eventually leads him to see some deaths as necessary for “the grand calculus of the multiverse.”
The eventual thirdDoctor Strangefilm will need to delve into Stephen Strange’s pastand come to terms with his contradicting views of death and sacrifice. Just as multiple variants of Doctor Strange have caused incursions due to their use of the Darkhold and Dreamwalking, the prime MCU iteration of Strange appears to have done the same due to his desperation to defeat the Scarlet Witch. Strange may have to grapple with newfound guilt over causing the death of an entire universe by Dreamwalking, allowing a thirdDoctor Strangefilm to take full advantage of Benedict Cumberbatch’s superb acting skills.
Doctor Strange
Cast
Doctor Strange follows the journey of a brilliant yet arrogant surgeon, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, whose career is derailed. He finds redemption under the tutelage of a mystical sorcerer, learning to harness mystical powers to protect the world from dark forces. Released in 2016, the film expands Marvel’s cinematic universe into the realm of mysticism.
