Update 1/14: Variety confirms Johnny Depp is in early discussions for “Doctor Strange.” Or at least they did before they changed their “very fluid” story. Now it appears that Marvel do indeed want Depp, but fitting it into his busy schedule might be incredibly tough.
Update #2 1/14: Deadline says “there is really nothing to this rumor about Johnny Depp playing Dr. Strange for Marvel Studios….I’m told that Depp was approached eons ago, and it never went anywhere.”
After landing two legendary actors for their Marvel-verse in Robert Redford (“Captain America: The First Avenger“) and, yesterday, Michael Douglas (“Ant-Man“), can the comic studio make magic happen by landing one of the biggest movie stars on the planet?
They’re gonna try, as Latino Review reports that Johnny Depp has taken a meeting with Marvel about “Doctor Strange.” ZOMG. Now before you freak out too much, it should be noted that nothing is even close to happening, and moreover, work would need to be done on the script if Depp took the part. As you’ll recall, the same site noted over the summer that Marvel was chatting with Joseph Gordon-Levitt about the part, which makes a bit more sense since in the current script, Doctor Strange is around 30 years old. If Depp, takes the part, it would mean reworking the script which could take time.
And for Depp, Marvel would take that time, but again, this is just a meeting and a far way from being real. But since this movie is widely thought to coming in Marvel’s Phase Three, some direction will need to decided on the near future. And let’s not forget Depp is still linked to Disney‘s “Alice In Wonderland 2” (due in 2016) and “Pirates Of The Caribbean 5” (no set date), which could create potential scheduling conflicts (though Marvel will move mountains for Depp if he were to sign).
Anyway, something to think about before you go to bed tonight — should Depp be Doctor Strange? For more recent Marvel related features check out What Does The Netflix Partnership Mean For The Marvel Universe? 7 Points To Consider and How The ‘Avengers’-Izing Of Blockbusters Is Killing Movies.