All of the latest Marvel movie rumors have made it sound like Joaquin Phoenix is signed, sealed and all but delivered to be the man portraying the mysterious but powerful Dr. Strange on the big screen. The often-pouty actor has even said that he’s ready to get back into more mainstream films now, and he was previously attached to Batman vs. Superman in other rumors, so it sounded like he’d be the perfect guy to play Stephen Vincent Strange in one of the next great standalone films in Kevin Feige’s spectacular Marvel Universe outline. But not so fast, people who buy into every Internet rumor that they read. There’s a new hot, juicy rumor going around about the good doctor.
According to This is Infamous, Marvel Studios has gotten over its Phoenix crush and moved on to Ethan Hawke. With Scott Derrickson already attached to direct Dr. Strange, Hawke makes sense as the studio’s choice for the lead, because the two worked together on the surprisingly fun Sinister. And this new tipster claims that it’s already a done deal.
Ethan Hawke is their new guy, having offered him the role on Friday. I hear Hawke accepted the job over the weekend, and things have quickly progressed into contract talks, with a six-picture deal being what Marvel is hoping to lock him into.
Hawke’s name is one that was tossed around early in the process due to his prior working relationship with director Scott Derrickson on SINISTER, and, while Hawke has always done solid work throughout his career (nominated for Oscars as both an actor and a writer), he’s never really had anything of this magnitude on his resume. With word going around that Jon Spaights was involved with a Page One rewrite that would eliminate any type of origin story approach to DOCTOR STRANGE and would pick up the Sorcerer Supreme as an active part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as hinted at in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, Hawke’s age seems to land in the right range for where they’d want this character to be as they introduce him in Phase Three. (Via This is Infamous, H/T to /film)
Hawke is one of those guys whose name I hear and I feel nothing. It’s complete indifference, but definitely leaning toward appreciation. Aside from Gattaca, I can’t think of a Hawke movie that I hate, and I don’t even hate Gattaca. I just like saying, “GATTACA!” like Norm MacDonald in that old Saturday Night Live Weekend Update bit.
So there you have it – someone says that Hawke is signed to play Dr. Strange. I’ll check back next week for the new rumors that it’s Patrick Wilson or Miles Teller.