With the first official photo out today, Deadline is reporting that Conan writers Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer have been hired by Marvel Studios to pen Dr. Strange. This will mark one of their first films under the Disney banner. Check out a synopsis of Dr. Strange below.
Originated in 1963 by Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Dr. Strange was a self-centered New York surgeon robbed of his touch after a car accident. After a stint as a wandering derelict, he found his way to a healer in the Himalayas, where he learned to tap into psychic powers to battle evil wizards and other wrongdoers. His mind is his weapon, rather than the brute force that distinguish most memorable Marvel heroes.
Donnelly and Oppenheimer also wrote the adaptation of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, which David O. Russell is rumored to direct. They also took a pass at Jon Favreau‘s Cowboys and Aliens. Bob Gale, Wes Craven, David Goyer, Stephen Norrington and Guillermo del Toro were all involved with Dr. Strange at one point.
The only thing I’ve seen by Donnelly and Oppenheimer was Breck Eisner‘s Sahara, which didn’t turn out so well. Although I’ve never read Dr. Strange, it seems like a cool project and it will be interesting to see how the first Disney/Marvel films pan out.
Are you a fan of Dr. Strange? What do you think about these writers taking it on?