Feb 11, 2008 by The MovieWeb Team

Guillermo Del Toro to Direct Marvel Comic's Dr. Strange?

Guillermo Del Toro has been all over the map recently with his directing projects. In addition to the highly regarded Pan's Labyrinth, he has just recently wrapped shooting on Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Beyond that, the director is rumored to be in talks to direct The Hobbit. And now he tells Empire Online that he is interested in possibly bringing Marvel Comic's Dr. Strange to the big screen.

Strange is less well-known than such Marvel mainstays as Spider-Man, the X-Men or The Hulk, but is an important figure in Marvel mythology, serving as the Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth's dimension.

"I talked with Neil Gaiman [about writing it]," he says. "I said, that's an interesting character because you can definitely make him more in the pulpy occult detective/magician mould and formula than was done in the Weird Tales, for example...the idea of a character that really dabbles in the occult in a way that's not X-Filey, where the supernatural is taken for granted. That's interesting...But I wouldn't use the suit!"

(Dr. Strange's costume is among the more garish in Marvel Comics, for those who are unaware.)

Gaiman would be a good choice to write the screenplay, having a long experience with the supernatural figures within comic books.

The character of Dr. Strange has been seen on television before, both in a pilot for a failed TV series back in the 1970's, and in the recent animated feature Doctor Strange.


Sources: Empire Online

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Comments (27)

  1. Funeral

    Would be interesting to see but I feel it would be diluted like all the other comic adaptations.

    4 years agoby @funeralFlag

  2. XJWS79

    if he did take the job has director it would take awhile before we see Dr. Strange on the big screen. Although the animated movie released by Lionsgate was actually pretty good

    4 years agoby @xjws79Flag

  3. -comrade-

    James McAvoy for Stephen Strange.
    I know, I know, he's young, but he's good. And if you're familiar with the character, you know it could work.

    4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  4. -comrade-

    Check it out:
    McAvoy:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/James_McAvoy.jpg
    Strange:http://www.chapelhillcomics.com/newimages/reviews/dr_strange_the_oath_1.jpg

    4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  5. Marcusx

    mustache wax hahahaha

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  6. Splatter2010

    I left the theatre during Ghost Rider.... and that rarely happens. As far as ol' doc I always liked the master of mystics. His role in marvel comics has certainly been beefed up over the last year due to his teaming up with the new avengers post civil war and his role in the illuminati. Looking forward to see how they adapt this one.

    4 years agoby @mindscapeFlag

  7. Splatter2010

    lol, yeah, rosie could do it, as long as someone stashes away her mustache wax for week, I guessing that's how long it would take for her to to grow a full one.

    4 years agoby @mindscapeFlag

  8. Radimus-83

    HAHAHA,, marcusx..... you crack me up!! lol

    4 years agoby @radimus-83Flag

  9. Marcusx

    pssh should be rosie o'donnell

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  10. Radimus-83

    i like jasonbourne's choice, Daniel day lewis!

    4 years agoby @radimus-83Flag

  11. Marcusx

    who would play him? no ideas here

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  12. Alan_Smithy

    Gaiman, Del Toro. I'm there if that happens, even though I've never read a Dr. Strange comic in my life.
    I've seen the 70's pilot and it's down right awful, bad hair equally bad acting and a disco soundtrack.
    It will be a wise move to ditch that costume.

    4 years agoby @alan-smithyFlag

  13. yellowjacket1

    Watch the Dr. Strange animated DVD movie from Marvel. It proves that a live action version could be done and that it would be spectacular. The version of the costume and the look used in that movie would translate quite well to the big screen and Del Toro would be the perfect man to helm the project.

    4 years agoby @yellowjacket1Flag

  14. TheEdge76

    Guillermo Del Toro never seems to fail. He is becoming one of my favorite directors. I look forward to seeing what he can bring to this film.

    4 years agoby @cwalkenisthemanFlag

  15. CapisDead

    del toro would be good for Dr. Strange, but is he good enough to warrant his own film?

    4 years agoby @capisdeadFlag

  16. kyle_hannah

    I love comic flicks and the Gaimen/Del Toro combo rocks it's perfect for Dr.Strange.

    4 years agoby @kyle-hannahFlag

  17. Marcusx

    well not sure that Dr. Strange is popular enough to be up with Punisher and Spidey, but as long as its better than what AndrewRyan says then we mite be ok. i mean the movies he listed were f*cking puke. ghostrider was teh biggest piece of sh*t ever on screen and it has a sequel on the way. but hey who knows?

    4 years agoby @marcusxFlag

  18. T.Clark

    I'm huge fan of comics, but I get sick of all these second-rate charcters getting thier own movie, like Elektra, Ghost Rider, and Catwoman to name a few, and look at how those movies wound up. Then again, they didn't have Del Toro directing. He's the best person for the job if they are gonna bring dr. strange to the big screen and actually make it work.

    4 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  19. The Narrator: The Better Man

    i totally think that he should make this movie and not the hobbit. i think that daniel day lewis should play the part but dats jus me.

    4 years agoby @narratorFlag

  20. Radimus-83

    ooooooh!!!! who would play Dr Strange?? now would be the time to get your word in!!!

    4 years agoby @radimus-83Flag

  21. aeinhorn

    For me the exciting thing isn't just Del Toro directing Dr. Strange - it's the idea of Del Toro directing a Dr. Strange movie where Neil Gaiman is writing the script.

    It's the perfect storm.

    4 years agoby @aeinhornFlag

  22. THE JOKER

    WHOOOOO MORE COMIC MOVIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    4 years agoby @mcleve02Flag

  23. The Kwisatz Haderach

    sounds cool, would love to see some Lovecraft on the screen but right on.

    4 years agoby @the-kwisatz-haderachFlag

  24. DarkTower19

    I'd still like to see a Lovecraft adaptation first...that seems to be right up Del Toro's alley

    4 years agoby @darktower19Flag

  25. -comrade-

    It would be so perfect, he's the best director for this kind of project.

    4 years agoby @taberjohnson18Flag

  26. Phatlightning

    agreed.

    4 years agoby @sxers2k1Flag

  27. Radimus-83

    Del Toro directing Dr Strange!!! now thats a "cool" combination!!!

    4 years agoby @radimus-83Flag

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