As if DOCTOR STRANGE wasn't building a stellar cast already, go ahead and throw Michael Stuhlbarg onto the pile.
Following strong performances in STEVE JOBS and TRUMBO and just about everything else he's been involved in, Stuhlbarg can now add the Marvel Cinematic Universe to his resume. Marvel looked to have been playing his role close to the vest, as they have with a number of other castings – hoping to maintain some level of mystery as to the stories they'll be telling in the future. However, according to The Wrap's Jeff Sneider, Stuhlbarg may be filling the part of Nicodemus West.
For those unfamiliar with West's spot in Marvel lore, he was a longtime admirer of Stephen Strange who actually performed his surgery following his car accident. He was able to save his hands, but was unable to avoid the severe nerve damage that resulted. He later sought to learn the mystic arts from the Ancient One, but never completed his training and later turned into a rival of sorts upon returning to the corporate world.
I still believe DOCTOR STRANGE will be a tougher sell to the masses than some previous Marvel efforts, but that Marvel name does mean a lot when it comes to customer satisfaction, so perhaps getting STRANGE-r might not be as risky as once thought. And the cast they've assembled to pull it off should inspire confidence in anyone who knows anything about movies. Now onto executing the vision well…
DOCTOR STRANGE arrives on this plane on November 4, 2016.