Update: According to Variety, other names on Marvel’s shortlist also include Matthew McConaughey, Jake Gyllenhaal, Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, and Jared Leto. The outlet expects an announcement “very soon.”
Original: As we reported back in August, Marvel had entered into advanced talks with Joaquin Phoenix to headline Doctor Strange, which is expected to be released on July 8, 2016. Unfortunately, it looks like a deal couldn’t be reached, and Phoenix has passed on the project, leaving Marvel and director Scott Derrickson back at square one. Production is scheduled to begin in early 2015, and now another name has entered into the mix: Ewan McGregor.
The rumor comes from Badass Digest‘s Devin Faraci, who reports the following:
Yesterday a new source contacted me and said that Ewan McGregor had been prepping for the role – doing the usual research actors do when looking at taking on an adaptation or existing character. I contacted one of my usual sources and asked if this was true, and I was told “They’re looking at him.”
If it’s true that McGregor has begun researching the role, then he’s obviously interested at some level. Of course, there are also rumors about McGregor reprising his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi for a Star Wars spinoff film – or several – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that one cancels out the other. With Marvel and Lucasfilm both under the Disney umbrella, it shouldn’t be a problem to shuffle production schedules a bit to allow for McGregor to accept both projects – if he wants them, of course.
Marvel hasn’t issued any official statement on the Doctor Strange casting, so we’ll be handling this as a rumor for the time being, and will keep you posted when we have more information.
doctor strange ewan mcgregor marvel scott derrickson