Hollywood is full of films that never make it to the big screen. Sometimes the story isn’t right for the studios to risk their money on, while other times the pitchers don’t have enough experience to support their ambitious ideas. However, some unfulfilled proposals are so good that it makes you wonder what the hell was going on in the minds of the people who threw them in the trash. This is the case Neil GaimanX Doctor Strange film that will Guillermo del Toro like a director.

The best Doctor Strange movie that could have happened before the MCU

Nowadays, everyone is used to the idea that superheroes are the bread and butter of the Hollywood business. While other major franchises are vying for box office records, just about any superhero adaptation can turn a profit, no matter how expensive those films are to make. This has not always been the case, as a couple of decades ago, superhero films weren’t as common. In the case of Marvel, the turning point was the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one of the most ambitious multimedia projects ever created. Before MCU movies like 2002 Spiderman2000s X-Menand, most importantly, 1998 Blade proved that comic book characters have untapped potential. So, of course, the corporate parts started to move as Marvel executives plunged into the MCU, which will start from 2008. iron Man.

This brief history lesson illustrates how Gaiman and del Toro Doctor Strange the film was cursed with poor timing. Before the MCU, Marvel didn’t know that lesser-known characters could be hits. And while Benedict CumberbatchThe Wizard is an iconic MCU character, no one outside of comic book circles knew that Doctor Strange even existed. Yes, they tried to make Iron Man the head of their franchise plan. But, to be fair, it’s not hard to see why they closed Gaiman and del Toro’s school. Doctor Strange step in 2007. As Gaiman says“At the time, Doctor Strange was way off their list and we missed it.”

While we can understand the business decision that caused Marvel to turn down Gaiman and del Toro’s offer, their Doctor Strange movie still sounds like a terrific idea. As Gaiman recently reported on Josh HorowitzOn the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the idea was to give Stephen Strange an origin story that took place in the 1920s when he “became an alcoholic and disbarred doctor”. Falling to the bottom of a well, Strange turned to the mystical arts and became the Sorcerer Supreme. As Gaiman and del Toro envisioned, Strange would become a powerful sorcerer “maybe in his early 30s, late 20s, and he’s been living in Greenwich Village for 90 years, looking the same in his place, and no one notices “. That means the movie will be about how Strange doesn’t fit into the world, given that time flows differently for him than it does for anyone else. Gaiman said, “We just loved the idea and he would be kind of timeless.”

2007 was still too early for Marvel to know just how groundbreaking the MCU would be. By that time, they probably didn’t imagine that Doctor Strange would become the keeper of the Time Stone, one of the most important artifacts of the entire Infinity Saga. However, looking back at this curious story, we realize that Gaiman and del Toro could fit right in with the MCU. And the creative duo had all the tools they needed to create the best Doctor Strange movie ever.

Neil Gaiman and Guillermo del Toro would star in Doctor Strange

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Let’s be clear: no need to be mean with two Doctor Strange MCU movies brought us. However, despite their redeeming aspects, there are some obvious flaws caused by Marvel Studios trying to drive the boat too hard instead of trusting the creatives behind the wheel. Scott DerricksonX Doctor Strange is a commercial hit, but the story feels too limited and formulaic for a character who always breaks barriers in comics. Things got weirder in the sequel Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness, but the film also leaned too heavily on fan service and world building. And because of this, not even Sam Raimicampy energy could make up for the sequel’s lack of madness. So, in the end, despite being directed by competent filmmakers, both Doctor Strange the movies are too tame and contrived for a character to shine the way they should. Now imagine for a moment what Gaiman and del Toro could do with this character.

Gaiman is a talented writer whose great opus, Sandmanturns out to be one of the best comic book series ever printed. Gaiman also has a deep understanding of how different media require the same story to be told in different ways. That is why the Gaiman adaptations Sandman, good omensAnd american gods so successful. Finally, Gaiman understands the comic book business inside and out, making him the perfect person to work on an original script featuring Marvel characters.

Del Toro is another genius that needs no introduction. Over the past decades, del Toro has become one of Hollywood’s most influential directors, working on original screenplays and comic book adaptations such as Hellboy. And while Hollywood is full of talented people, few have the directing ability that del Toro has in using practical effects to bring fantasy characters to life. Damn, del Toro’s recent act Pinocchio proves how the director is always honing his skills and expanding the scope of his activities. Also, despite his preference for quirky characters, every story del Toro tells has an incredible emotional charge.

So Gaiman and del Toro are working together to adapt a character known for pushing storytelling boundaries? This is a dream project that could take the MCU to new heights. In fact, he still could. Both Gaiman and del Toro are very busy right now, but there is hope that one day they will be able to return to their Doctor Strange project. We all know the MCU is in dire need of a shake-up as fans are tired of films that follow a similar structure. Giving creative control to people like Gaiman and del Toro could help the MCU surprise us again, which is something we’ve all wanted for a long time.