Marvel has ambitious plans for its "Phase Two" series of movies, bringing lesser-known characters to mainstream audiences (Guardians of the Galaxy), while also building on the established characters with multiple sequels (Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Thor 2: The Dark World). However, Marvel's Phase 3 plans are potentially even more intriguing, as the company digs even deeper into its massive roster of characters,

One of these characters is the mystical sorcerer Doctor Strange, a key figure in the Marvel Universe and someone who could bring a different flavor to the Marvel movies we've seen so far. As Marvel producer Kevin Feige explained recently, “I love the aura of mystery that surrounds this superhero and the magical world that surrounds him. We’ve never faced anything like this and there is a lot of material that we could exploit."

But who will play Doctor Strange? There has already been plenty of speculation about who could play the Sorcerer Supreme, with producer Victoria Alonso singling out Viggo Mortensen out as someone Marvel would "love to work with." Now, a new report from CHUD claims that actor/screenwriter Justin Theorux is in the running for the role.

Citing an "industry source," CHUD says that Marvel is strongly considering Theroux for the part. If true, it would be the second time Marvel has turned to Theroux - though the first time for his acting. Previously, Theroux wrote the script for Iron Man 2.

Theroux could also be a good fit for Marvel because he's not a super well-known A-List star (despite his tabloid romance with Jennifer Aniston), which meshes with the company's previous history of hiring lesser-known actors for key parts. Needless to say, since there's no other confirmation, we'll take this rumor with a huge grain of salt for now.

Dr. Strange Fede Alvarez

In other Doctor Strange news, we can debunk another recent rumor about the movie. Last week, there was speculation that Evil Dead director Fede Alvarez was being considered to direct the film. However, in an interview with ComicBookMovie.com, Alvarez said that "making a Marvel movie would be something that I would really love," but that he hadn't discussed Doctor Strange with Marvel and was unsure of how the rumor got started.

That's not to say that Alvarez couldn't still be a good fit for the job - or that Marvel won't reach out to him - only that they haven't yet. Based on his impressive (and disturbingly gory) work on the Evil Dead remake, Alvarez is definitely a director on the rise. Of course, I think plenty of fans are still holding out hope that Guillermo Del Toro gets involved with the the project.

What do you think of Justin Theroux for the part of Doctor Strange? And what other Marvel characters would you like to see brought to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

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We'll keep you updated about the status of Doctor Strange as more news comes to light.

Source: CHUD, ComicBookMovie.com