Movie Feature: The Supreme Trailer Breakdown Of Marvel’s Doctor Strange

Published April 1, 2016

Tuesday evening saw the global release of the first Doctor Strange trailer and my chakra is bubbling in anticipation.I’m really not a fan of trailers and at a brief 1:37, the trailer is stuffed with numerous tidbits beneficial to the story so it’s easy to miss out on a few details. Fortunately, I’m here to watch it on loop and break down what you need to be paying attention to and the direction that this relatively new superhero will be going.

WARNING: This trailer breakdown might contain a few spoilers.

Death By Origin Story

While Strange was briefly mentioned in Captain America: TWS, as a potential threat to H.I.V.E, this is his first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Like every initial superhero movie out there, its primary focus will be an origins story, and no mortal man can become a superhero without a tragic beginning.

Enter a submerged Strange, well, technically not submerged. The gifted and arrogant neurosurgeon survives a horrific car accident that leaves him with the struggle to use the finer motor functions of his hands. A downward spiral of unsuccessful medical procedures, finds Strange desperately searching for an answer to his ailment. This leads him to crossing paths with the Ancient One.

A (Slightly) Different Ancient One

The gifted Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) makes her debut to the MCU as The Ancient One, the initial Sorcerer Supreme who guides her protege into the magical realm. Swinton’s voice is pretty distinct, “You’re a man looking at the world through a keyhole.”, is the line that strikes home as she gives Strange a punch that transports him into the next dimension, an astral one.

While the plane skinned actress looks nothing like her comic book adaptation, wisdom incarnate was the inspiration behind this casting. Well, Swinton you sure do look wise, you look smart and frankly, you look like someone who could give one a punch that transports you to the next realm.

Baron Mordo

“Stephen Strange, might I offer you some advice? Forget everything that you think you know.” Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Martian) as Baron Mordo tells Strange. This line, along with the shot of the Doctor following Mordo is a strong indicator that he could be introducing Strange to the Ancient One. If this is true then it’s a painfully ironic situation since Mordo is a pupil of the Ancient One, whose thunder is stolen once Strange arrives. Eventually they become bitter enemies but it seems like we won’t see full-on bad-ass Mordo yet. Sources speculate that this could be an earthly disciple (Mads Mikkelson from Hannibal) to the other dimensional Dormammu who eventually gets possessed by the being he worships.

Time/Reality Warping as a Plot Device

The match shots of various Stranges has lead to differing views on what it could mean. On the one hand the trailer could be teasing the possibility of time travel or reality warping. Will Strange be given the opportunity to stop the accident? Other sources speculate that this is just a brilliant editing choice from director Scott Derrickson. Lastly, there’s a good chance it is the structural tone the movie will take, similar to Deadpool with flashbacks to Stephens’ past as he embarks on a journey to find himself (in the present). A couple of shots do give off a Christopher Nolan vibe. Batman Begins on the one side and Inception on the other.

There might have been other details or nifty easter eggs I could have missed, so please leave your comments, theories and disagreements below. Doctor Strange is scheduled for release on November 2016. Excuse me while I enter a meditative state until then, got to make sure my mojo’s right.

The following two tabs change content below. - Bio

Latest Posts

S3nsationz

Guest Contributor at Geek Node