Joaquin Phoenix Talks DOCTOR STRANGE and Favorite Comics
Fan Art by AndrewSS
Benedict Cumberbatch is currently the actor in negotiations for Marvel's Doctor Strange, and, as of right now, we are just waiting for the confirmation. Before he entered discussions though, Joaquin Phoenix was the man they were looking to cast in the role.
During an interview with Playboy magazine, the three-time Oscar-nominated actor kind of addressed the discussions he was having with Marvel about the role.
"I can't talk about it. I’ve met on all sorts of movies throughout the years. What seems appealing about some of them is the idea of pushing myself in a way that’s out of my comfort zone. But really, it’s what I’m always looking for—good characters, big ideas and a passionate filmmaker. If those things line up with any kind of movie, I have interest in it."
Obviously those things didn't line up for him for Doctor Strange, but that's okay because I think, in the long run, Cumberbatch is the better choice anyway. When asked if he has ever regretted turning down a role in a big movie, Phoenix admitted that there was one,
"There’s only one movie I regret saying no to—except the person who ended up doing it was so good and was absolutely meant to do it, so I don’t have any regrets. I’m not going to say which one, but it was a really big hit. It’s getting to the point where they’re making some pretty decent movies. I thought Iron Man was fantastic."
It could be any movie, so it's kind of hard to pinpoint what that movie could be. The actor then talks about the kinds of comic books he used to read growing up saying,
"There’s some great Batman stuff and classic Frank Miller Dark Knight stuff and Arkham Asylum. But I was always a big Wolverine guy. I love Wolverine—big [frick]ing great dramatic character. They’re all conflicted, and they’re really interesting."
It would be cool to eventually see Phoenix take on a comic book character, and maybe one day he'll get that chance. Doctor Strange is being directed by Scott Derrickson, and it's scheduled to hit theaters on November 6th, 2016.