DOCTOR STRANGE
The newest dimension of the Marvel Universe
Doctor Strange is more than just a movie. It’s an almighty summoning spell, cracking open reality itself and unleashing all manner of dark forces and occult phenomena into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Seriously, people, cast a protective hex while you can – this is the stuff they don’t tell their shareholders…
Yes, the introduction of Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme unlocks a whole new vault of comic book mythology, from mind-melting mystical realms – the Astral Plane and the 13th Dimension are just begging for the big screen – to a demonic pantheon of potential villains, from Blackheart to D’Spayre, Mephisto to Baphomet.
It’s also a chance to explore Marvel’s colourful roster of supernatural heroes. Perhaps future films will see Benedict Cumberbatch team with the likes of vampiric ’tec Hannibal King, witches Wiccan and Pixie, fellow sorcerer Brother Voodoo or even Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, a trident-wielding exorcist trying to step out from his dad’s horned shadow. Great concepts, great visuals: perfect cinema.
And if Marvel want an eldritch take on the Guardians of the Galaxy then who better than ’90s faves the Midnight Sons – or even ’70s superteam the Legion of Monsters, an uneasy alliance of such macabre misfits as Man-Thing, Ghost Rider and Morbius the Living Vampire. In the comics Doc himself led the Avengers of the Supernatural, a magical spin on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
We probably won’t see the studio’s icons reimagined as the rotting, flesh-crazed Marvel Zombies… But then who thought a talking raccoon and a walking tree would ever front a blockbuster?