History YMMV / DoctorStrange2016

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[[folder:Pre-release]]

** Before Wong was cast (thus confirming his presence in the film) there were debates over whether he should appear due to concerns over the racist nature of his initial portrayals in the source material. While the original was a case of EthnicMenialLabor, some have pointed out that Wong could have been [[PragmaticAdaptation made another magic user who is allies with Strange]] or a BadassNormal DeadpanSnarker like his current comic incarnation without too much effort. His absence was only more noticed since part of the film is set in Nepal, yet no actors with any Asian ancestry had been announced. Some believed that regardless of the changes made, the character's historical baggage weighs too heavily for him to be made palatable to modern audiences, while others preferred that the character be [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed and made cool]] (like he has in the comics) instead of being ignored completely, since there have been, as stated above, very few heroic Asian characters in the films yet. It is also worth noting that in the original comics Wong entered Strange's service after he became Sorcerer Supreme and thus was not present during Strange's origin story, which could have justified his absence from the film. Wong finally being cast seems to have put the matter to rest for now.

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** Due to Stephen Strange being mentioned in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', many believed that the ''Doctor Strange'' film would not be an origin story. Kevin Feige has denied this, which disappointed fans who thought that Marvel's numerous origin stories are getting too formulaic. Others are relieved by the news, believing that Dr. Strange's origin is too interesting to skip or that such exposition is necessary as the first explicitly mystical character in the MCU.

** Before Wong was cast (thus confirming his presence in the film) there were debates over whether he should appear due to concerns over the racist nature of his initial portrayals in the source material. While the original was a case of EthnicMenialLabor, some have pointed out that Wong could have been [[PragmaticAdaptation made another magic user who is allies with Strange]] or a BadassNormal DeadpanSnarker like his current comic incarnation without too much effort. His absence was only more noticed since part of the film is set in Nepal, yet no actors with any Asian ancestry have been announced for the film. Some believed that regardless of the changes made, the character's historical baggage weighs too heavily for him to be made palatable to modern audiences, while others preferred that the character be [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed and made cool]] (like he has in the comics) instead of being ignored completely, since there have been, as stated above, very few heroic Asian characters in the films yet. It is also worth noting that in the original comics Wong entered Strange's service after he became Sorcerer Supreme and thus was not present during Strange's origin story, which could have justified his absence from the film. Wong finally being cast seems to have put the matter to rest for now.

** The casting of Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange was itself met with some online backlash from many MCU fans, for two reasons. One is HypeBacklash over Benedict Cumberbatch as an actor (although Kevin Feige has said that they were eyeing him up for the role before he became popular), and the other is ironically the [[TypeCasting opposite]] of this trope: when nearly every previous MCU lead was a case of this trope (and received enormous critical acclaim in spite of it), Cumberbatch is viewed as a an overly safe, boring choice who offers nothing interesting to the role.

** The same can be applied to Wong apparently not appearing in the film. While the original was a case of EthnicMenialLabor, some have pointed out that Wong could have been [[PragmaticAdaptation made another magic user who is allies with Strange]] or a DeadpanSnarker BadassNormal like his current comic incarnation without too much effort. His absence is only more noticed since part of the film is set in Nepal, yet no actors with any Asian ancestry have been announced for the film. Some believe that regardless of the changes made, the character's historical baggage weighs too heavily for him to be made palatable to modern audiences. Others would prefer that the character be [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed and made cool]] (like he has in the comics) instead of being ignored completely, since there have been, as stated above, no heroic Asian characters in the films yet. It is also worth noting that in the original comics Wong entered Strange's service after he became Sorcerer Supreme and thus was not present during Strange's origin story, which could justify his absence from the film.

* HilariousInHindsight: A familial one. Creator/MadsMikkelsen has been confirmed as the film's BigBad, and his real life brother, Lars Mikkelsen, played the BigBad in Series/{{Sherlock}}'s third season, only for his character to be [[spoiler:shot in the head by Cumberbatch's Sherlock]].

* HilariousInHindsight: A familial one. Creator/MadsMikkelsen has been confirmed as the film's BigBad, and his real life brother, Lars Mikkelsen, played the BigBad in Series/{{Sherlock}}'s third season, only for his character to be shot in the head by Cumberbatch's Sherlock.

* HilariousInHindsight: A familial one. Creator/MadsMikkelsen has been confirmed as the film's BigBad, and his real life brother, Creator/LarsMikkelsen, played the BigBad in [[Series/{{Sherlock}}]]'s third season, only for his character to be shot in the head by Cumberbatch's Sherlock.

** Due to Stephen Strange being mentioned in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', many believed that the ''Doctor Strange'' film would not be an origin story. Kevin Feige has denied this, which disappointed fans who thought that Marvel's numerous origin stories are getting too formulaic.

** The same can be applied to Wong apparently not appearing in the film. While the original was a case of EthnicMenialLabor, some have pointed out that Wong could have been [[PragmaticAdaptation made another magic user who is allies with Strange]] or a DeadpanSnarker BadassNormal like his current comic incarnation without too much effort. His absence is only more noticed since part of the film is set in Nepal, yet no actors with any Asian ancestry have been announced for the film. Some believe that regardless of the changes made, the character's historical baggage weighs too heavily for him to be made palatable to modern audiences. Others would prefer that the character be [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed and made cool]] instead of being ignored completely, since there have been, as stated above, no heroic Asian characters in the films yet.

** The casting of Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange was itself met with some online backlash from many MCU fans, for two reasons. One is HypeBacklash over Benedict Cumberbatch as an actor, and the other is ironically the [[TypeCasting opposite]] of this trope: when nearly every previous MCU lead was a case of this trope (and received enormous critical acclaim in spite of it), Cumberbatch is viewed as a an overly safe, boring choice who offers nothing interesting to the role.

** The same can be applied to Wong apparently not appearing in the film. While the original was a case of EthnicMenialLabor, some have pointed out that Wong could have been [[PragmaticAdaptation made another magic user who is allies with Strange]] without too much effort. His absence is only more noticed since part of the film is set in Nepal, yet no actors with any Asian ancestry have been announced for the film. Some believe that regardless of the changes made, the character's historical baggage weighs too heavily for him to be made palatable to modern audiences. Others would prefer that the character be [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed and made cool]] instead of being ignored completely, since there have been, as stated above, no heroic Asian characters in the films yet.

** The casting of Creator/TildaSwinton as the Ancient One has been divisive. While many are glad to have a powerful character be portrayed by a female actor, especially one as accomplished as Swinton, others are upset that the original Tibetan version isn't being used, mostly because the MCU has yet to feature a heroic Asian person in the films.

** The same can be applied to Wong. While the original was a case of EthnicMenialLabor, some have pointed out that Wong could have been [[PragmaticAdaptation made another magic user who is allies with Strange]] without too much effort. His absence is only more noticed since part of the film is set in Nepal, yet no actors with any Asian ancestry have been announced for the film. Some believe that regardless of the changes made, the character's historical baggage weighs too heavily for him to be made palatable to modern audiences. Others would prefer that the character be [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed and made cool]] instead of being ignored completely, since there have been, as stated above, no heroic Asian characters in the films yet.

** The same can be applied to Wong. While the original was a case of EthnicMenialLabor, some have pointed out that Wong could have been [[Revamped made another magic user who is allies with Strange]] without too much effort. His absence is only more noticed since part of the film is set in Nepal, yet no actors with any Asian ancestry have been announced for the film. Some would prefer that the character be [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap redeemed and made cool]] instead of being ignored completely, since there have been, as stated above, no heroic Asian characters in the films yet.

* Broken Base:

** The casting of Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange was itself met with some online backlash from many MCU fans, due to HypeBacklash over Benedict Cumberbatch as an actor.

** The casting of Creator/TildaSwinton as the Ancient One, who is Tibetan in the comics, is hugely divisive. Some people like it for being an interesting new take on the character while others hate it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks for the same reason]]. Then you've got people applauding it for using AbilityOverAppearance[=/=]GenderFlip to increase female representation in the MCU, or a good way to avoid certain unseemly implications of [[MagicalAsian the original character]], while others hate it for having problems of its own for being a gratuitous RaceLift that whitewashes a member of a heavily underrepresented minority group.

* WTHCastingAgency: The casting of Creator/TildaSwinton as the Ancient One, who is Tibetan in the comics, is hugely divisive. Some people like it for being an interesting new take on the character while others hate it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks for the same reason]]. Then you've got people applauding it for using AbilityOverAppearance[=/=]GenderFlip to increase female representation in the MCU, or a good way to avoid certain unseemly implications of [[MagicalAsian the original character]], while others hate it for having problems of its own for being a gratuitous RaceLift that whitewashes a member of a heavily underrepresented minority group.

** The casting of Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Strange was itself met with some backlash from many MCU fans, due to HypeBacklash over Benedict Cumberbatch as an actor.

* WordOfGod: Producer Kevin Feige denied rumors that the MCU was done with origin stories, [[http://comicbook.com/2015/10/01/doctor-strange-movie-will-include-origin-story-according-to-kevi/ confirming that Strange's origin would be covered by the film.]]

* AuthorsSavingThrow: After the controversial casting of the Ancient One as a white woman, Kevin Feige noted that "Ancient One" is a title that others have held, implying that a more traditional interpretation of the character existed in the MCU's past.

* WTHCastingAgency: The casting of Creator/TildaSwinton as the Ancient One, who is Tibetan in the comics, is hugely divisive. Some people like it for being an interesting new take on the character while others hate it [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks for the same reason]]. Then you've got people applauding it for using AbilityOverAppearance[=/=]GenderFlip to increase female representation in the MCU, or a good way to avoid certain unseemly implications of [[MagicalAsian the original character]], while others hate it for having problems of its own for being a gratuitous RaceLift that whitewashes a member of a heavily underrepresented minority group.