Colin Farrell Now In The Mix For ‘Doctor Strange,’ Tom Hardy Wanted For ‘X-Men Apocalypse’ [Updated]
By Russ Fischer/Oct. 20, 2014 2:50 pm EST
Update: Like John Wick going after his enemies, Keanu Reeves has started to kill rumor talk about Doctor Strange, saying he hasn’t been approached. We have his quotes after the original story below.The Wrap reports that Marvel is “considering” Colin Farrell, and that Benedict Cumberbatch and (still) Joaquin Phoenix are still up for the role. (More on Phoenix in a moment.) Furthermore, the site claims that the fan push for Keanu Reeves to be cast as Strange also has Marvel looking in his direction.Marvel, of course, had no comment.
Jeff Sneider at The Wrap also tweets about Phoenix’s rep claiming that deal is “dead, dead, dead,” with a link referencing an official denial that Brett Ratner would make Hercules from back in 2010. Phoenix’s rep goes on to say “A couple of weeks ago they mutually decided to part ways. It was over before the New York Film Festival.”
As far as Farrell goes, it looks like Doctor Strange would get underway just as Farrell finishes True Detective early next year. So things might line up nicely. But Cumberbatch is reportedly still high on Marvel’s wish list, and there’s the Ryan Gosling talk to consider as well. Jared Leto, Justin Theroux and Oscar Isaac, all of whom have been linked to the role, are pushed down as second-stringers at this point. Sorry, guys!
(Anyone who knows the drill with these casting lists and rumors at this point knows that being pushed down the list in one report doesn’t mean someone is entirely out of the running.)
Update: Keanu Reeves told the Toronto Sun “I read about [the Doctor Strange rumor] . But I don’t know the character Doctor Strange; I need to go brush up. So I don’t know. It hasn’t been brought to me.” In paraphrased quotes from the paper Reeves says that a good script and casting offer could get him in the film, but at this point it doesn’t seem likely.
(Of course, Reeves could be lying or downplaying things. We know Marvel is working overtime to cast Strange now, so it may not be long before we hear of the official choice. The way these denials tend to go, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised if, two weeks from now, we hear about Reeves being cast.)
Scott Derrickson is directing Doctor Strange from a script most recently revised by Jon Spaihts. It is scheduled for release on July 8, 2016.David Ayer is directing Suicide Squad, which has a release date of August 5, 2016.
And Bryan Singer is directing X-Men: Apocalypse, which is set for release on May 18, 2016.
