Doctor Strange Promo Will Turn Your World Upside-Down

Screen Rant

By Chris Agar

Published Oct 27, 2016

A new promo for Doctor Strange teases the film's mind-bending visuals and asks audiences if they're ready to have the world turned upside-down.

Marvel's Phase 3 continues this fall with Doctor Strange, which has already had its premiere in the U.K. and is earning positive reviews from critics. While some pundits believe that the film falls victim to the typical origin story tropes, many are in agreement that its visuals are extraordinary and worth the price of a 3D ticket. As the first movie to dive deep into the concepts of magic and mysticism in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's encouraging to hear that director Scott Derrickson was able to craft something that's aesthetically unique to the long-running franchise, which will make it a must-see on the big screen.

The look of Doctor Strange has been a crucial part of the movie's marketing campaign, as the trailers and posters showcase mind-bending set pieces reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's Inception. With different realms (and planets), spells, and buildings folding on top of each other, the Sorcerer Supreme's MCU debut certainly has the potential to be one of the property's most eye-catching offerings yet. Fans eager to see Derrickson's vision for the world should enjoy a new Doctor Strange TV spot, which you can watch above.

Primarily consisting of voice over from Tilda Swinton's Ancient One, the promo asks Doctor Strange (and by extension, the audience) if he's "ready to have your world turned upside down," as he learns that the universe is far more expansive than he could have ever believed. Some of the Ancient One's dialogue bears similarities to something Morpheus would say in The Matrix, given that she's pushing her pupil to test the boundaries of reality. Strange seems like he will be the ideal conduit for the viewers, since he is taken aback by all that is happening, expressing awe and wonder at everything he's learned. The pull quotes selected certainly sell that point, and Doctor Strange should go down as a different kind of Marvel movie, which is probably best for the franchise as a whole.

Die-hards will enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch's line, "This is just the beginning," since the plan is for Stephen Strange to become a very important figure in the MCU moving forward. It's already been confirmed that the character will appear in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War, and a direct sequel seems like a given - especially if it meets or exceeds its box office projections. In all likelihood, the Doctor will be positioned as one of the new faces of the brand, taking the torch from the original Avengers crew as the contracts of Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, and other expire soon. Derrickson has repeatedly discussed his desire to make a followup during the press tour, and it sounds like he'll eventually get that chance in Phase 4.

Marvel found a great deal of success introducing Black Panther and Spider-Man to their ranks in Captain America: Civil War, and chances are Doctor Strange will be a hit with audiences as well. Cumberbatch has long been a fan-favorite actor, and was one of the public's top choices for the role when the movie was first announced. It's clear that Doctor Strange has a lot going for it, and it should be one of the biggest movies of the fall. Disney has had a 2016 to remember, and that isn't changing soon.

[vn_gallery name="Doctor Strange World Premiere Photos (Los Angeles and Hong Kong)" id="828591"]