Joaquin Phoenix was also being considered for the role of Doctor Strange, which eventually went to Benedict Cumberbatch.

Doctor Strange Director Reflects On Why Joaquin Phoenix Did Not Get The Marvel Role( Photo Credit – IMDb )
Benedict Cumberbatch is an accomplished actor whose fame increased after starring as Doctor Strange in the MCU. Things would have been different if Joaquin Phoenix had donned the Cloak of Levitation. Director Scott Derrickson has recently opened up on why Phoenix did not land the Marvel role. Phoenix found his place in the DC Universe and even won an Oscar for his performance as the twisted villain, Joker.

Derrickson was associated with the Doctor Strange movie, released in 2016. The film was made on a reported budget of $165 million and earned a staggering $677.8 million globally. The movie featured an ensemble of cast members, including Mads Mikkelson, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Joaquin Phoenix was reportedly being considered for the role of Doctor Strange, which eventually went to Benedict Cumberbatch. In an interview with Slash Film, Scott Derrickson revealed that he had wanted Benedict for the part all along and had even flown to London to talk to him about it. But he was committed to doing Hamlet in London theater. He returned from the trip disappointed and was like, “We’re not going to get Benedict.”

Regarding his interaction with Joaquin Phoenix for the part of Doctor Strange, Scott recalled, “I met with a bunch of actors, and Joaquin was the one that I spent the most time with. As we continued to talk, it became clear to me that Joaquin didn’t really belong in that movie and probably never belonged in the MCU. He’s a very specific guy with very specific goals as an actor and a very specific way of performing. I think it became clear to both of us that this might not be a good fit, really is what it came down to.”

Scott then revealed going to Marvel boss Kevin Feige to move dates. He recalled, “I just went back to Kevin [Feige], and I just said, ‘We have to move the date because it’s got to be Benedict.’ Kevin went to Bob Iger and Alan Horn and told them what I said. To their credit, they moved the date, and it became a fall movie.”

Now, the rest is history; fans adore Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange while Joaquin Phoenix is thriving in the role of DC’s Joker. Phoenix led Joker 2, which is slated to be released in October.