Rumor: Marvel Is Choosing Between These Four Directors for the Doctor Strange Movie
Suddenly
Looks like we might be seeing Doctor Strange and his snazzy cape hit the big screen sooner rather than later, at least if this rumor that Marvel is already in the process of choosing a director and screenwriters is true. But which directors are in the running, and which (in some cases) excellent films have they previously done? And when are Black Widow and/or Captain Marvel and/or Black Panther finally getting their movies? No news on that behind the jump. I just wanted to mention how Marvel’s chug-chug-chugging along on yet another white superhero movie before any superheroines or POC get their shot.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, four directors “have either met or are about to meet with Marvel higher-ups” to discuss the possibility of directing the Doctor Strange movie. And they are: Mark Andrews, co-director of Brave. Nikolaj Arcel, writer/director of the Oscar-nominated Danish film A Royal Affair. Dean Israelite, director of the upcoming time travel found footage flick Welcome to Yesterday. And, the best well-known of the bunch, Jonathan Levine, director of 50/50 and Warm Bodies (which he also wrote).
Kung Fu Panda scribes Jon Aibel and Glenn Berger are reportedly being considered to write Doctor Strange, though according to THR Marvel Studios may go for “a filmmaker who can do both tasks,” writing and directing.
A large part of Marvel Studios’ success comes from how they go after genuinely good directors for their films. Who thought Kenneth Branagh would ever do a superhero movie? But then was tapped for what was basically Shakespeare Family Drama: In Space, and it worked. A movie about a superhero who can make himself insect-size, which is a pretty ridiculous premise to your average moviegoer? Edgar Wright, duh. With the exception of Israelite, who doesn’t have a feature film out yet so who knows, all the directors in the running to helm Doctor Strange are really good. I’m particularly exited about the possibility of Arcel, because A Royal Affair—an historical drama crossed with romance crossed with political intrigue—is really, really good. It’s on Netflix Instant if you want to watch it. Fannibals, it has Mads Mikkelsen! And Brave isn’t the most critically well-loved of Pixar films, but dangit, I liked it.
Regardless of who’s directing or writing, it does look like all those Doctor Strange rumors will start coalescing into something. Will Johnny Depp play the good Doctor? We’ll have to see. Marvel, let’s just make the cape appropriately voluminous, please.
(via: The Hollywood Reporter)
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