Strange role benefits Benedict

Marvel’s latest offering gives British actor a role in the paranormal classic comic crossover ‘Doctor Strange’

THE LATEST superhero to dominate the big screen, Doctor Strange, is taking Walt Disney Marvel universe in an unconventional direction, lead star Benedict Cumberbatch said.

Cumberbatch plays surgeon Stephen Strange, who harnesses mystical magic powers drawn from Eastern cultures. The actor said the new film intentionally takes a different path to Marvel’s other cinematic superheroes such as Iron Man, Captain America and Ant-Man, who draw power from technology.

“It was a real left turn for the comic universe, let alone the cinematic one,” Cumberbatch said at the film’s London premiere.

“It was very dark and mischievous and psychedelic and otherworldly and to try and replicate that in modern cinema is one of the great challenges.”

Doctor Strange, out on Friday, follows Strange, a cocky and brilliant surgeon – much like the billionaire Iron Man playboy Tony Stark – whose glamorous New York life is taken away from him when his hands are crippled in a car accident.

Strange’s desperation to heal his main assets lead him to Nepal, where he encounters the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and discovers how to harness mystical powers to heal and fight with as the world faces threats from a menacing otherworldly being.

“It’s toying with a lot of new things like parallel universes... the metaphysical is just a whole new world that’s opened up for Marvel,” co-star Rachel McAdams said.

The movie has received positive reviews, with critics praising the plot, visuals and performances.

“It does feel like a new chapter for Marvel and it’s definitely a new direction for me and I definitely enjoyed playing this character so if people are enjoying it then we’ve done something right,” Cumberbatch said.

Doctor Strange is the first mainstream leading role for the 40-yearold actor, who developed a steady following through Sherlock, and in The Good Weekend and Marvel Studios have four hampers of exclusive Doctor Strange film merchandise to give away. Each contains a Doctor Strange hoodie, backpack, T-shirt, wallet and pin badge set.

To enter the draw to win one of these hampers, SMS keyword TGWSTRANGE along with your full name, physical address, daytime telephone number and email address to 34445 by midnight tomorrow.

The usual competition rules apply. his Oscar-nominated performance in 2014’s The Imitation Game.

Cumberbatch and his wife Sophie Hunter announced last week they are expecting their second child, and the actor said he was “over the moon”.

“Those are moments that you never ever forget – I remember it very clearly and obviously it was early on and so I couldn’t say anything and just yeah there’s nothing like, it’s kind of beyond words. It’s difficult to explain,” he said. – Reuters