'Doctor Strange' Movie News Update: Marvel Planning Movie In Phase 3?

With Marvel's Phase 2 films in full swing, attention has turned toward the company's next step. While some franchises will get sequels, new ones could materialize. One of those comic book heroes that could finally get his own film is Doctor Strange.

A recent Entertainment Weekly article on the Phase 3 films revealed that "Strange" is certainly part of the company's plans.

"I would love Strange to be a part of that only because he's a great character. He's a great standalone character," Marvel President Kevin Feige stated. "He's got a great origin story, for the most part. And that world of pure magic, we haven't done yet. There's a whole supernatural/magic alternate dimension going on in the Marvel comics that we haven't ever touched on. So I think that's exciting."

"Strange" is an arrogant surgeon who eventually becomes a sorcerer after a life-altering accident. The character was created in 1963 and has fascinated numerous filmmakers over the years including Guillermo del Toro and Wes Craven.

According to Entertainment Weekly, fans have been clamoring for such thespians as Viggo Mortensen and Liam Neeson to play the character.

"I think there's any number of actors who would be chomping at the bit to play this guy," Feige said.

One actor that has already stated his interest is Patrick Dempsey.

"I've been lobbying for that," Dempsey stated back in 2011. "There's a whole bunch of people [among the 'Grey's' crew] who are into comics and Marvel, too, on the set and they're like, 'Doctor Strange, that's the one you should do.' It would be fantastic. It'd be a great TV show, especially for HBO or something like that. I don't know if I'd necessarily do another show, a drama, that's 24 episodes again. HBO you're at 13 and I think that's much better. It's just so hard to sustain the quality after three years if you're doing 24, 25 episodes a year. It all depends on who you have as a writing team - it's how you set it up, what's the tone and making sure you're not locked into this one-season success [mentality], you can't be afraid to think beyond that."

Screenwriters Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer wrote a script a few years ago, but there has been no indication of whether that version will be the one to get green-lit for production.