As the Marvel Universe continues to expand and encompass even more superheroes and their increasingly inter-related narratives, it was only a matter of time before something aspiring to the mystical was introduced. Unsurprisingly, this comes in the form of Doctor Strange, about which we have seen so much and learned so little. As we meander slowly to the film’s premiere on November 4, Marvel gives us another tantalizing glimpse into its concepts with a new featurette.
The featurette gives some of the cast and crew an opportunity to explain that Marvel has been largely grounded either in the reality of technology, or in the hyper-reality of aliens, but has yet to really treat of the mystical or the supernatural. Doctor Strange is going to change all that, as the various realities of the MCU are peeled away to reveal something even…stranger going on underneath.
Does this featurette tell us anything new about Doctor Strange? No, not really. The more the Marvel Universe expands, the less I find myself caring about any single film or series of films that the studio intends to introduce. They’re all beginning to feel like trailers for the next movie.
Doctor Strange looks interesting, though, mostly becomes it’s trying to be a different type of film for Marvel, dealing with more supernatural and mystical elements. The story encompasses the origin of Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), a neurosurgeon who gets into a car accident and loses the use of his hands. Traveling to find a cure, he acquires magical powers at the Kamar-Taj, and finds himself enmeshed in a battle against dark forces.
We’ll know whether Marvel is really breaking new ground with Doctor Strange or just retreading the same old story soon enough, as it comes to theaters on November 4.