MCU: 10 Fascinating Facts Behind Doctor Strange (2016)

However, Marvel isn’t exactly one to wallow in self-pity.

In the time between Cumberbatch declining the role and eventually accepting it, the studio did explore a few other options. Most notably, critically-acclaimed, all-around phenomenal, and now known as the newest iteration of the Joker, Joaquin Phoenix.

Phoenix was interested in the role and the prospect of joining the cast of the MCU. However, the constricting schedule and Marvel’s prerequisite multi-picture deal scared him a bit, leading to months of negotiations that eventually fell apart.

Ultimately this worked out for the best. Due to the length of this process, Marvel pushed back the film’s shooting schedule, meaning Phoenix is directly responsible for the circumstances that led to Cumberbatch being able to finally take the job. And now Phoenix gets to play an iconic comic book character in a film that doesn’t such extensive commitments, so everybody wins.