Benedict Cumberbatch Was Close To Losing The Role Of ‘Doctor Strange’ To Jared Leto

Benedict Cumberbatch is about to tear up the screen as the sorcerer supreme, Doctor Strange. The Marvel film, which is set to be released in November has an all-star cast of actors including Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelson, Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, and much more. While this cast is pretty solid, things could have turned out differently were Jared Leto cast as Doctor Strange. Yes, Suicide Squad actor Jared Leto was once considered for the role of the famed marvel character. Film director Scott Derrickson spoke with Empire Online and revealed he has always wanted to Cumberbatch for the role, but due to scheduling conflicts, it wasn’t set in stone. 

So with that, they had to look elsewhere. Believe it or not, Ryan Gosling, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jared Leto were considered for the main role. Even after Derrickson met with those three a-list actors, he still wanted to cast Cumberbatch. The actor’s schedule managed to open up and he was locked into to the role quickly. But could you imagine the on-set antics Leto would have employed while getting into character for Doctor Strange?  Maybe he would have behaved a bit better were he a protagonist opposed to one of the world’s craziest antagonist, the Joker.

Cumberbatch thought Marvel started production without him. “If you can’t jump on board when the ride’s going past. that’s usually it. So the hugest compliment they paid me was to come back to me. It motivated me to try to fulfill their faith in me.”

Naturally, we all love Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, but what do you think about Jared Leto? Would you have enjoyed that casting just as much?! Let us know in the comments!

Doctor Strange will be in theaters November 4, 2016.

Source: Empire (via Comicbook.com)