- Title: 'Doctor Strange' stars talk 'unconventional' Marvel blockbuster
- Date: 24th October 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** WIDE OF RED CARPET CLOSE OF SIGN ADVERTISING 'DOCTOR STRANGE' ACTOR, BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, ARRIVING ON RED CARPET WITH WIFE, THE THEATRE DIRECTOR, SOPHIE HUNTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, SAYING ABOUT POSITIVE REVIEWS FOR FILM: "Thrilled. I've heard this by proxy. I don't tend to read my reviews even if they're good because there's always something that's weird and difficult to deal with even if it's positive. I'm happy because we put a lot of hard work into this and it does feel like a new chapter for Marvel and it's definitely a new direction for me and I definitely enjoyed playing this character so if people are enjoying it then we've done something right, so it's great." VARIOUS OF CUMBERBATCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, SAYING ABOUT WHETHER FILM IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL MARVEL BLOCKBUSTER: "Yeah, intentionally so I would think. We tried to draw off the original comics in that regard, it was a real left turn for the comic universe let alone the cinematic one and you know Steve Ditko's art, which is truly extraordinary even know truly stands the test of time. It was very dark and mischievous and psychedelic and otherworldly and to try and replicate that in modern cinema is one of the great challenges and I think the effects department have done the most incredibly, profoundly beautiful job of that." VARIOUS OF CUMBERBATCH WITH SOPHIE HUNTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, SAYING ABOUT RECENT REVELATION HE IS DUE TO BECOME FATHER FOR SECOND TIME: "Over the moon. I mean those are moments that you never ever forget - I remember it very clearly and obviously it was early on and so I couldn't say anything and just yeah there's nothing like, it's kind of beyond words. It's difficult to explain." VARIOUS OF ACTRESS, RACHEL MCADAMS, TALKING TO PRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, RACHEL MCADAMS, SAYING ABOUT POSITIVE REVIEWS FOR FILM: "I'm over the moon. I think especially with a film like this there's so much anticipation from the audience and lovers of the comic books and you just want to do everybody proud and so I'm just thrilled for Benedict. He put so much work into this and I think he is the perfect choice for Doctor Strange, so I'm glad everyone else feels that way too. It's great." VARIOUS OF MCADAMS PHOTOGRAPHERS MCADAMS POSING FOR PHOTOS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, RACHEL MCADAMS, SAYING ABOUT WHETHER FILM IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL MARVEL BLOCKBUSTER: "I think so. I think it's toying with a lot of new things like parallel universes and kind of philosophical ideas and working on a deeper level with some of that stuff and I think it's quite an emotional thing and yet somehow keeps the fun going so it's really balanced that way and then the metaphysical is just a whole new world that's opened up for Marvel with this." DIRECTOR, SCOTT DERRICKSON, SPEAKING TO PRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, SCOTT DERRICKSON, SAYING ABOUT POSITIVE REVIEWS FOR FILM: "Yeah, it's wonderful. I try not to think about that when I'm making the movie and now that they're coming out I'm still trying not to think about them but it is relieving. I do feel relieved that people are responding to it the way that they are. It's great." DERRICKSON (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, SCOTT DERRICKSON, SAYING ABOUT RUMOURS OF A SEQUEL: "Oh yeah, I've got ideas for sequels. Oh yeah." REPORTER: "You want to say anymore about that?" "No, no, no. We'll have to wait and see. But I'll tell you as someone who's read all of the comics the possibilities are infinite as the tagline says." ACTRESS, TILDA SWINTON, POSING FOR PHOTOS VARIOUS SWINTON SPEAKING TO PRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, TILDA SWINTON, SAYING ABOUT WHETHER FILM IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL MARVEL BLOCKBUSTER: "Well, it is. I mean when the first comic books came out in 1963 the Stan Lee, Steve Ditko 'Doctor Strange: Strange Tales' - that kind of blasted Marvel into a bit of a new area and I think this film's going to blast this Marvel cinematic universe into a new area as well because for a start Strange isn't actually a superhero, he's a sorcerer so it's a whole new bag of cats, it's all about magic." PHOTOGRAPHERS / ACTOR, MADS MIKKELSEN VARIOUS OF MIKKELSEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, MADS MIKKELSEN, SAYING ABOUT POSITIVE REVIEWS FOR FILM: "We're hearing rumours about it now and it's perfect. We're happy. We try always to ignore it but when we hear about that we get a little cheery. It's great." MIKKELSEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, MADS MIKKELSEN, SAYING ABOUT WHETHER FILM IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL MARVEL BLOCKBUSTER: "Yeah, to a degree. I think you see quite a bit of philosophy in quite a few of the other Marvel films as well but this one even more so I would say. It's very intellectual as well and we're dealing with some of the big topics - eternal life, what's life going to look like if you get that? Is it worth living? Questions that, you know, the human race has been asking themselves since the beginning of dawn." ACTOR, BENEDICT WONG (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, BENEDICT WONG, SAYING ABOUT WHETHER FILM IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL MARVEL BLOCKBUSTER: "Yeah, they've gone really daring with this I think. It's not as I said - it's not your archetypal superhero film. It really is like you're kind of, you can't just sit there and let it happen. You've got lean in and invest into this and I think audiences have done and it's refreshing." CUMBERBATCH
- Embargoed: 8th November 2016 21:14
- Keywords: Doctor Strange Benedict Cumberbatch Rachel McAdams Mads Mikkelsen Marvel
- Location: UNIDENTIFIED / LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: UNIDENTIFIED / LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Film
- Reuters ID: LVA00255D8WNH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Father-to-be Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams and Mads Mikkelsen all walked the red carpet at London's historic Westminster Abbey on Monday (October 24) for the European premiere of the latest Marvel blockbuster 'Doctor Strange'.
The film features a talented neurosurgeon, Doctor Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch), who, after a tragic car accident, learn the secrets of a hidden world of mysticism and alternate dimensions.
Based in New York City's Greenwich Village, Doctor Strange, who is trained by Tilda Swinton's mystical The Ancient One, must act as an intermediary between the real world and what lies beyond, using an array of metaphysical abilities and artifacts to protect the Universe.
With metaphysical themes and philosophical questions at the heart of 'Doctor Strange' the film's stars agreed with the idea that the movie is a somewhat unconventional Marvel blockbuster.
"Yeah, intentionally so I would think. We tried to draw off the original comics in that regard, it was a real left turn for the comic universe let alone the cinematic one and you know Steve Ditko's art, which is truly extraordinary even know truly stands the test of time. It was very dark and mischievous and psychedelic and otherworldly and to try and replicate that in modern cinema is one of the great challenges and I think the effects department have done the most incredibly, profoundly beautiful job of that," said Cumberbatch.
'Mean Girls' actress McAdams also said, "I think so. I think it's toying with a lot of new things like parallel universes and kind of philosophical ideas and working on a deeper level with some of that stuff and I think it's quite an emotional thing and yet somehow keeps the fun going so it's really balanced that way and then the metaphysical is just a whole new world that's opened up for Marvel with this."
The movie's director, Scott Derrickson, who confirmed at the event that he already had ideas for a sequel, described his 'relief' at hearing of the string of positive reviews the film has received over the weekend.
"Yeah, it's wonderful. I try not to think about that when I'm making the movie and now that they're coming out I'm still trying not to think about them but it is relieving. I do feel relieved that people are responding to it the way that they are. It's great," he said.
Cumberbatch also commented on the news that he and his theatre director wife Sophie Hunter are due to have a second child.
"Over the moon. I mean those are moments that you never ever forget - I remember it very clearly and obviously it was early on and so I couldn't say anything and just yeah there's nothing like, it's kind of beyond words. It's difficult to explain," he said.
'Doctor Strange' is released in the UK on Tuesday (October 25). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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