9 Reasons Doctor Strange Is The Least Anticipated MCU Movie
Not so Supreme after all.
Get excited: the next Marvel movie is less than two months away!
No, seriously, get excited, because so far the hype for Doctor Strange, which hits cinemas in the UK on 28th October and US 3rd November, has been localised entirely on super-fans of the comics and those who like Christopher Nolan trailers. Compared to the near-defining screams of excitement leading up to Captain America: Civil War just a few months ago the debut of the Sorcerer Supreme on the big screen seems to have a much lower level of excitement (despite all signs - director, star, studio - suggesting it'll be damn good).
I'm not going to say this is Marvel's riskiest project or will be its first dud, because those complaints are far too common and, thirteen movies in, feel a bit past it; as things stand, the studio's most questionable project is definitely in their past (either Iron Man, The Avengers or Guardians Of The Galaxy). But what I will say is that they've not been able to work that same Marvel magic that's led the franchise to become the highest grossing franchise of all time in eight years.
But why has this film, one that was, at a point planned to be the launch-pad for the whole franchise, struggling so much? Let's take a look through the Doctor Strange's journey to the screen and try and find out.
9. It's Disconnected From The Rest Of The Universe
Despite being set (partially) in New York, home of Tony Stark and Spider-Man, and a regular drop-off point for several other Avengers, there's an odd feeling of disconnect between Doctor Strange and the rest of the MCU. No doubt they'll throw in a few easter eggs, but after massive team-ups like Age Of Ultron and Civil War, as well as stand-alones that played into the fabric of the wider world - The Winter Soldier with S.H.I.E.L.D. or Ant-Man with Avengers HQ - it seems to be a mostly removed adventure.
And while the Marvel logo now brings in a lot of interest by itself, not having a clear connection will really test a general audience's interest, and has already meant there's noticeably less geek chatter online. Indeed, much of the conversation around the film has been focused on how it could connect, but outside of an Infinity Stone (rumours that Robert Downey, Jr. will have a cameo fit more with a post-credits scene) that seems unlikely.
This was also a potential roadblock for Guardians Of The Galaxy, but there we had home-run marketing and a direct addressing of many of the concerns that plague Strange.