Benedict loved challenging himself with different versions of ‘Doctor Strange’; says Shah RukhKhan is the best bet to be part of the MCU

Hollywood star Benedict Cumberbatch was ‘excited’ to challenge himself with different versions of his Marvel character in the upcoming film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. “I think it’s same-same, but different. You have to get a correlation so that you know you’re watching an iteration that basically through perhaps choices or circumstance and environment has had a different outcome. But it’s a nice sort of loop feeding into self-discovery and self-therapy for the character that we know from our universe, as to how he betters his choices or the situation. So it’s a fun thing to explore. It’s one of the paradoxes that a multiversal narrative will throw up, and I was excited by that challenge.”

The Multiverse was opened in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, when Doctor Strange tried to cast a spell to help Peter Parker (Tom Holland) by making people forget he was Spider-Man, but things didn’t go according to plan. Cumberbatch has defended his character, noting he made his decision with ‘pretty good’ intentions.

He added: “He’s a human being, and I think it was a very human error. He saw Peter as a fellow foot soldier and then as a teenager going through a very formative experience of not being able to be his true self because of being exposed, and having lost a mentor, Strange decided to step in with a gesture of pretty good intention.” The actor stressed it wasn’t even his own character who messed up the spell, as he pointed to Peter’s impact. He explained: “I think the spell, on its own, might have been all right. Everyone forgets that Peter interrupts the spell so many times, and that’s what corrupted it. That’s what lets it in. Peter, through the ability he has with his powers, affects the spell with his words. It’s not really Strange’s mistake.” — IANS

Says Shah rukh khan is the best bet to be part of the MCU

Benedict Cumberbatch says Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is the best choice to feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While promoting his film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which releases on May 6, Cumberbatch revealed his intense love for India and his admiration for Shah Rukh Khan. When asked about which Indian actor he believed could be a part of the MCU, he asked for options and when suggested the names of Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, he said, “Khan is great.”

The actor also fondly remembered his six-month-long stay in India. “I love your country, I love your culture and cultures. It felt like I was there almost a lifetime ago, in my late teens, for six months of teaching, exploring and traveling as well. I’d love to have an excuse to come back and if that is to interact with the first Indian superhero, bring it on,” Cumberbatch said.

He also spoke about the huge popularity Marvel films enjoy in India and hoped to deliver another entertainer with the much-awaited sequel. He added, “It’s very exciting to know the level of anticipation there is with pre-sales. I’m hugely grateful to my fans in India for supporting me throughout my career. I hope this film also does well, but I’m not taking anything for granted.”