Benedict Cumberbatch reveals how he almost missed out on iconic Doctor Strange role

Benedict Cumberbatch has always been a fan-favourite after he first took on the role of Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange. In a recent interview with Esquire, the actor opened up about his role and shed light on being asked to accept it. He mentioned that he had his doubts about playing the character on the big screen.

Benedict Cumberbatch reveals he had his doubts about playing Doctor Strange

During the interview, the actor was asked about how he accepted the role of Doctor Strange initially in 2014. He mentioned that he had only limited knowledge about the character - that it was 'very dated and sexist'. However, the team explained to him that Doctor Strange will be a 'character of his time with a few attitude problems'. Benedict Cumberbatch mentioned that he is far from being 'offensive or stereotypical' although his character can be a 'bit cold to the folks around him'.

He went on to explain the lengths Marvel went to to ensure he was a part of Doctor Strange and played the role of the Sorcerer Supreme. He mentioned that he had been booked for Hamlet on stage at the same time as the filming of Doctor Strange. Marvel moved the production of the film back by six months and reduced the post-production time in half, as the studio was sure that Cumberbatch was the right match for the part. The actor shared that the team did explore casting other actors for the role, but decided to wait for Cumberbatch.

The actor will soon be seen in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which will release on December 17. It will star Tom Holland and Zendaya in lead roles. The film's trailer was a major hit and garnered 26 million views on YouTube. The trailer gave fans a glimpse into what to expect and focused on Tom Holland's Peter Parker's life, after the world learns about his real identity of him being Spider-Man.

The short clip shows him asking Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange to cast a spell that will make the world forget about his identity. However, the spell does not work and leads to something even more dangerous.

Image: AP, Instagram/@calvinmccluskie