Ewan McGregor Reveals He Was Close to Playing Dr. Strange, but Ultimately Fell Short: “I’m not a big comic guy”

Star Wars and MCU are currently two of the biggest and most profitable franchises all things considered, and actors lucky enough to take part in both are pretty much guaranteed fame in the industry and decent compensation.

One of the most popular Star Wars actors Ewan McGregor once revealed that he almost got to play Doctor Strange, who turned out to be one of the best characters with an extremely profitable franchise of movies.

McGregor stated that even though he wasn’t a comic book fan, and he had no idea who Doctor Strange was, he was still intrigued by the role:

“I was into it, yeah. I thought it was exciting. I’m not a big comic guy, so I didn’t know who Doctor Strange was. So, I was intrigued by it and I like the idea of creating, or being a superhero character. They didn’t [pick me], but it was still fun to be a part of the mix for a while.”

Source: MTV

Ewan McGregor taking on the role of Doctor Strange could have been a significant career move, building on his evolution from his breakout role in ‘Trainspotting’ to his iconic portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi in ‘Star Wars: Episode I.’ McGregor certainly seems like a good fit for Doctor Strange, but the character ultimately needed a certain aura of smugness and privilege, that McGregor simply lacked which is why the role ultimately went to Benedict Cumberbatch, an actor currently inseparable from Doctor Strange.

McGregor was not the only actor to vie for the role. Scott Derrickson once explained how Marvel Studios sacrificed the summer release to get Cumberbatch. The studio went along with his proposal and it paid off in the long run.

The role was originally supposed to go to Joaquin Phoenix, but the execs were willing to trust in a certain vision which over time paid off.

What do you think? Would McGregor be good for the role? Let us know in the comments below!

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