8 Ways Doctor Strange Is Basically The New Iron Man
4. Doctor Strange Is A Perfect Starting Point For Newcomers
One of the best, yet worst things about Doctor Strange is how unbelievably separate it is from the rest of the Marvel universe. Besides brief mentions of the Avengers, the Infinity Stones and a quick shot of the Avengers tower, there isn't anything to suggest that the movie takes place in that same world.
And, again, you can't shake the feeling that this was Marvel's intent from the very beginning.
If Doctor Strange is indeed the character that's set to anchor the MCU for the next decade, then his first movie needs to be as universally-appealing as possible - and heaps of in-jokes, references and connections to the other superheroes is not the way to do that. After all, not everyone watches every Marvel movie, and not everyone understands every nod.
This 'standalone' factor mirrors Iron Man to a tee. Granted, that was the very first movie the studio pumped out so it could hardly be packed full of Easter Eggs, but its ability to tell a self-contained story focused on just one hero helped audiences connect with Stark almost instantaneously, and Doctor Strange, because of how easy it is to watch if you don't consume every morsel that Marvel has to offer, is likely to affect audiences in the same way.