Concept Art Of Benedict Cumberbatch As Doctor Strange Described As “Menacing, Incredible”

As the Marvel production gears up for its November start date in the United Kingdom, there has been a growing interest in Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange. From Tilda Swinton’s ambiguous role as The Ancient Role to the potential casting of True Detective‘s Rachel McAdams, Marvel’s mystical fantasy flick has flirted with the headlines numerous times in recent weeks.

Now, in the wake of a recent Disney conference in Africa, Screen Daily has unearthed further details about the studio’s 2016 release, including the first official concept art of Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role.

According to Twitter users who have seen the mock-up, the illustration displays Cumberbatch as both the ingenious neurosurgeon that is Stephen Strange and his divine alter-ego, Sorcerer Supreme.

Thoughts on the @Marvel Doctor Strange concept art from #DisneyAfrica is that Benedict Cumberbatch has never looked more menacing.

— Shaheema Barodien (@Shaheemab) July 29, 2015

@ohgodbenny His costume isn’t too colourful. From what I remember, robes are blood red and green and cap is black.

— Nick Cowen (@witenoyze) July 30, 2015

During the interview with cinematographer Ben Davis – who will act as DP on Doctor Strange following his work on Age of Ultron and Guardians of the Galaxy – Screen Daily got some fresh details about the tone and style of Derrickson’s origin story, which is infused with a “very psychedelic grounding,” making it “not your typical Marvel action movie.”

In fact, attendees at the event even went so far as to say that Doctor Strange is so dark that it borders on becoming a full-frontal horror film, with Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige supporting the film’s commitment to the shadowy Quantum Realm glimpsed in last month’s Ant-Man.

Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange will bring the MCU into the dark world of the occult and the supernatural when the film opens on November 4, 2016.