Marvel’s Doctor Strange Gets A New Writer

Marvel’s “Doctor Strange” adaptation continues to move forwards apace, with reports that the studio is in negotiations to bring John Spaihts on board to rewrite the script. The studio recently filled the director’s chair with Scott Derrickson, and is now looking to Spaihts to submit a new draft of the script, after initial work by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer.

Screenwriter Jon Spaihts got his first taste of big summer blockbuster world a couple years ago when he was enlisted by Ridley Scott to write the earliest drafts of what would end up being “Prometheus,” but now he is getting his next chance over at Marvel Studios.

New reports have surfaced saying that Spaihts is in talks to become the latest writer to get to work on “Doctor Strange,” the upcoming superhero movie that is being planned as part of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Spaihts himself seems overjoyed by the development, taking to Twitter to announce, “Doctor Strange was always my favorite Marvel hero… it’s a good day.”

Earlier this month it was announced that horror director Scott Derrickson, best known for movies like “Sinister” and “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” is helming the project.

This makes Spaihts’ hiring into a bit of a headscratcher, as early reports suggested that Marvel was looking for a writer/director to take control of “Doctor Strange,” and Derrickson fits that description. It’s possible that either the rumors from earlier were wrong or that the studio just changed its mind.

While things seem to be progressing forward behind the camera, the production is still working to try and find the actor who they can cast in the titular role. As was reported previously, both Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch remain on Marvel Studios’ wishlist, but another possible candidate is “Dallas Buyers Club” Oscar winner Jared Leto.

Obviously nothing is even close to a done deal yet, and we can probably expect a lot more speculation to travel down the wire in the coming weeks. The original “Doctor Strange” script that Marvel Studios had in development for years and years was written by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer, but unfortunately the report about Spaihts’ possible hiring doesn’t mention if he will be starting from scratch or working on the pre-existing draft.

First introduced in the 1960s, the comic book character Dr. Stephen Strange was an extremely gifted surgeon who lost the use of his hands during a fateful car crash. With his life seemingly destroyed, Strange begins a worldwide search for some kind of cure. It’s in the Himalayas where he discovers a hermit known as the Ancient One, and under his tutelage he becomes a master of magic.

“Doctor Strange” doesn’t have a release date yet, but don’t be surprised if that important bit of info either comes around in the next few weeks or is revealed at San Diego Comic-Con late next month.