The stable of characters at Marvel Comics is quite vast that range from science fiction to horror to even the supernatural. After Spider-Man, Dr Strange is the other major creative collaboration that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko crafted in the early days of Marveldom.
A vain and greedy surgeon, Dr Stephen Strange lived life to the fullest at the expense of his morals until he met with an unfortunate accident that cost him the use of his hands. Searching the globe for answers, he fled to the far East where he encountered the Ancient One who saw great potential in the fallen physician. After completing his studies of the arcane arts, Stephen returned to America and set up shop in Greenwich Village where his services were free to any who needed them. Using his hands to weave patters in the air that conjure up unseen forces from other realms, Dr Strange protects our reality from invisible threats from other dimensions.
A magic-based superhero is just the kind of off-beat hero that could make Ant Man look downright sensible in 2015 if Dr Strange's inclusion on 'Phase Three' is to be believed.
Via MTV:
Marvel Studios has a lot in store for fans with their wave of Phase Two films: "Iron Man 3" and "Thor: The Dark World" in 2013, "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" and "Guardians of the Galaxy" in 2014, and "The Avengers 2" in 2015.
But Joss Whedon's "Avengers" sequel isn't the only Marvel Studios release scheduled for 2015. In November of that same year, the world will finally see Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man," long-rumored but now on the fast-track towards reality as the official start of Phase Three.
"'Ant-Man' is definitely part of Phase Three," Marvel's Kevin Feige told MTV News during our recent interview. "Like 'Iron Man 3,' it's certainly set in the Marvel Universe, but it's also through the lens of Edgar Wright — which is the only reason we're making the movie."
"I've known Edgar since our first lunch together at Comic-Con in 2004," he continued. "He asked me what Marvel was doing with 'Ant-Man' — we weren't even a studio then; what a difference eight years makes! It's very much an 'Ant-Man' origin movie from the perspective of Edgar Wright and his co-writer Joe Cornish. It will of course be firmly planted in the MCU, but a different corner than we've seen before."
Indeed, "different corners" appears to be a theme of Marvel's third phase. "So much of the stories we're telling [right now] is about the core 'Avengers' characters we've now met, and they'll be evolving in big, surprising ways, in Cap's next movie and Thor's next movie and of course in 'Iron Man 3,' as we get them all into the next 'Avengers' film," said Feige. "Beyond that… 'Ant-Man' is the only one officially announced, but you probably don't have to look too far to guess at the next list of characters we're toying with and beginning to develop."
Could the oft-rumored "Doctor Strange" be a part of those plans?
"'Doctor Strange,' which I've been talking about for years, is definitely one of them," he confirmed. "He's a great, original character, and he checks the box off this criteria that I have: he's totally different from anything else we have, just like 'Guardians of the Galaxy.' He's totally different from anything we've done before, as is 'Ant-Man,' which keeps us excited."
This makes 2015 one of the most ambitious years in major motion pictures targeting a specific demographic with the recently announced Star Wars: Episode VII directed by JJ Abrams, Avatar 2, a possible Fantastic Four Reboot, Justice League (if it ever happens), The Avengers 2 and a possible Hulk solo movie all planned for the same time period.
Can the universe survive such a thing?