Major news out of the San Diego Comic-Con as Variety confirms The Wraps‘s scoop that Signs actor Joaquin Phoenix, pictured, is in early talks to star in Marvel’s Doctor Strange.
The deal is said to be far from complete but insiders confirm that Phoenix is strongly considering the superhero role, which had previously been linked to Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy.
Sinister and Deliver Us From Evil’s Scott Derrickson is directing with Jon Spaihts currently rewriting the script.
The pic will be produced by Marvel chief Kevin Feige and could be featured at Saturday’s Comic-Con presentation in San Diego, which is already expected to include the cast of The Avengers.
The comicbook follows a former neurosurgeon who serves as the “Sorcerer Supreme” — the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats. Strange made his first appearance in the 1963 comicbook series “Strange Tales” and would go on to have his own comicbook series and would appear in several other comicbooks that included “The Fantastic Four,” “Spider-Man” and “Nick Fury.”
