Benedict Cumberbatch is beloved for his roles in Sherlock and the MCU, as well as his straightforward nature. This morning, during an interview with Vanity Fair, he shared his thoughts on being part of the “Goliath” of Hollywood.
“Am I working for the Goliath that’s killing the David?” Cumberbatch wonders. “Unless you have a Marvel star, financing any film is very, very, very, very difficult—no matter how important the story, no matter how urgent the story, no matter how talented and awarded and appreciated the artist is.”
Of the 100 top-grossing films of all time, Marvel movies occupy over a dozen spots. Add everything else owned by Disney, and you see that over half of these 100 films are licensed by the company. Understandably, some actors feel strange about working for a behemoth that may be slowly killing other production companies and streaming platforms.
But as Cumberbatch noted, it’s difficult for movies to make it if they don’t have a Marvel star to carry them. People follow their favorite Marvel actors through each endeavor, and will fill theaters to do so.
Benedict Cumberbatch doesn’t mean to say that he doesn’t enjoy playing Doctor Strange. In fact, in the same interview, he mentioned his excitement over the special effects that will be seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. “It’s a big moment for Strange. We can bring our game to this large tentpole fare and give it an authenticity and a heartbeat and something that makes it not just effects-laden nonsense.”
While it’s easy to understand the conflicting feelings, that won’t stop the world from packing theaters once again when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6, 2022.
