History YMMV / DoctorStrange2016

** Doctor Strange was first shouted out in ''Film/SpiderMan2'' when Jameson and Hoffman were discussing what to call Doc Ock. Not only is Sam Raimi now set to direct this film's sequel, but said sequel is also confirmed to connect to the currently-untitled third Marvel ''Spider-Man'' movie...which is also reported to feature Ben Affleck's incarnation of Doc Ock!

* 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 the UnfortunateImplications of [[MagicalAsian the original character]], while others hate it for considering it a gratuitous RaceLift that whitewashes a member of a heavily underrepresented minority group. The first trailer, which indicated that the MagicalAsian traits would remain after all, led to an increase in the latter group.

** Doctor Strange was first shouted out in ''Film/SpiderMan2'' when Jameson and Hoffman were discussing what to call Doc Ock. On February 5, 2020, Creator/SamRaimi [[https://variety.com/2020/film/news/doctor-strange-2-sam-raimi-1203475309/ entered talks with Marvel Studios to direct Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.]]

* CrossesTheLineTwice: [[spoiler: Strange's first death at the hands of Dormammu is horrifying. Before his second death, you realize [[StableTimeLoop what he's doing.]] Then you laugh at Dormammu's plight and the various over-the-top deaths afterwards.]]

** Mordo stops being able to claim the moral high ground in the second [[TheStinger stinger]], as soon as he [[spoiler: takes Pangborn's magic away.]] Bear in mind, [[spoiler: Pangborn]] was an innocent person who wasn't doing any harm, simply [[spoiler: using his magic and the teachings of the Ancient One to live a normal life despite crippling injuries.]] And Mordo [[spoiler: took all of that away because he feels there are "too many sorcerers."]] He [[spoiler: ruined a man's life]] because of his personal views on magic.

* AwardSnub: The film's amazing special effects weren't nominated for an Academy Award.

** In a franchise-wide example, the reason for Mordo's AdaptationalHeroism. Kevin Feige said that Mordo is kind of a FlatCharacter and CardCarryingVillain in the comics, and since one of the most frequent criticisms of the MCU is that the bad guys tend to be shallow and bland, they felt it'd be better to introduce Mordo as a hero and then have him become an antagonist in future installments, which everyone felt would make for a more interesting and sympathetic villain.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Some have argued Kaecilius is a decent antagonist due to an understandable/well-defined motivation and a menacing performance by Mikkelsen, while many others have contested that he and his backstory simply aren't given enough screen-time for him to fully make an impact, and that [[spoiler: he's further marginalized when it turns out he's merely a pawn of Dormammu]].

** The casting of Creator/TildaSwinton as the Ancient One has been divisive since it was first announced. 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.[[note]]The first Asian-descended performer to get BilledAboveTheTitle as an MCU protagonist, half-Filipino [[Wrestling/{{Batista}} Dave Bautista]], did so for playing an alien, ComicBook/DraxTheDestroyer, in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy''.[[/note]] It hurts that at the same time, the delay in a casting announcement for ''Series/{{Iron Fist|2017}}'' prompted a discussion of whether he should be Asian in contrast to the white comics character, accused by some to be a MightyWhitey (only getting worse when Finn Jones was confirmed to play the titular Iron Fist). Then the teaser came out and revealed Swinton was still dressed in a distinctly Asian style, prompting yet more questions of why they didn't just cast an Asian actor. Co-writer C. Robert Cargill's comments on it being done to prevent the movie from being BannedInChina due to a potential positive portrayal of a Tibetan character (which the studio itself later denied) added more controversy. He also didn't help things by accusing all the people upset over it of being "Social Justice Warriors", though he later backpedaled on it and said everyone absolutely has the right to have issues with it.

** A common fan-theory is that the man with intense spinal damage that Strange was told about early in the film is the [[Film/IronMan2 very unlucky Hammer Industries pilot]] who had [[BodyHorror his spine twisted 180 degrees]] due to a malfunction while testing out [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct a knockoff of the Iron Man suit]]. Adding further credence to it is that the accident is explicitly mentioned to have been caused while testing a power suit, but its not entirely clear if it was that specific test or another similar case (multiple attempts have been made to rip off the Iron Man suit, after all). This fan theory was [[https://www.reddit.com/r/marvelstudios/comments/56w0q6/hey_everyone_reading_through_everything_will/d8mxv6y/ eventually shot down]] by Creator/ScottDerrickson. Other fanon assumed that it was referring to [[spoiler:Colonel Rhodes]] injury in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', but Creator/KevinFeige likewise jossed the latter theory, as the film is chronologically set before the events of ''Civil War''.

** Doctor Strange was first shouted out in [[Film/SpiderMan2 Spider-Man 2]] when Jameson and Hoffman were discussing what to call Doc Ock. On February 5, 2020, [[Creator/SamRaimi Sam Raimi]] [[https://variety.com/2020/film/news/doctor-strange-2-sam-raimi-1203475309/ entered talks with Marvel Studios to direct Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.]]

** Pre-release (a case could be made for post-release as well) the people who wanted to watch the film only did so to see their favorite actor, be it Benedict Cumberbatch, Creator/TildaSwinton, Creator/ChiwetelEjiofor, or Creator/MadsMikkelsen.
** Early trailers also made it clear the movie held the promise of mind-blowing visual effects on the level of Film/{{Inception}}.

** Ever since Cumberbatch was cast, the joke that he and Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark should have a conversation that results in one saying "No shit, Sherlock." has become rather popular.

* SpiritualAdaptation: As pointed out [[https://youtu.be/y2AEXOlfYnM?t=5m35s here]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sMUVCVbU7s here]] by Creator/JeremyJahns and Couch Tomato respectively, this movie makes a better adaptation of ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' than [[Film/GreenLantern the 2011 movie]].
* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Michael Giacchino's main theme bears quite a similarity to his work on ''Film/StarTrek2009''.

* UnfortunateImplications: The dispute over Tilda Swinton's casting as the Ancient One drew a lot of [[http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-racial-erasure-essay-20160418-story.html criticism]] after the trailer showed that the character, originally thought to be {{Race Lift}}ed in order to remove the MagicalAsian traits, would still retain them, in effect being similar to {{Yellowface}}. It got to the point that co-writer C. Robert Cargill [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEpbUf8dGq0 weighed in]] on this with his personal opinion, saying the Ancient One's casting was "unwinnable" from the beginning, admitting that keeping him Tibetan was never an option since ongoing political conflict between Tibet and China could have seen the movie BannedInChina, and that casting an actor or actress from any other Asian ethnic group (specifically citing Creator/MichelleYeoh) opens up a whole other [[InterchangeableAsianCultures minefield]] of Unfortunate Implications. Unfortunately this just made things ''worse'' in the eyes of many fans including Creator/GeorgeTakei, who [[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/03/george-takei-whitewashing-doctor-strange-marvel-superhero-movie now accuse Marvel of poorly deflecting the criticism]] rather than owning up and [[MoneyDearBoy sacrificing values for profits]] by bowing to such potential pressure from China. As an additional crinkle, the director [[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/11/02/doctor-strange-director-owns-up-to-whitewashing-controversy.html considered a middle ground]] changing the character to an Asian woman, but was concerned that would play into another [[DragonLady unfortunate trope.]]

** A common fan-theory is that the man with intense spinal damage that Strange was told about early in the film is the [[Film/IronMan2 very unlucky Hammer Industries pilot]] who had [[BodyHorror his spine twisted 180 degrees]] due to a malfunction while testing out [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct a knockoff of the Iron Man suit]]. Adding further credence to it is that the accident is explicitly mentioned to have been caused while testing a power suit, but its not entirely clear if it was that specific test or another similar case (multiple attempts have been made to rip off the Iron Man suit, after all). Other fanon assumed that it was referring to [[spoiler:Colonel Rhodes]] injury in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', but Kevin Feige jossed the latter theory.

** A common fan-theory is that the paralyzed man who Strange was told about early in the film is the [[Film/IronMan2 very unlucky Hammer Industries pilot]] who had [[BodyHorror his spine twisted 180 degrees]] due to a malfunction while testing out [[ShoddyKnockoffProduct a knockoff of the Iron Man suit]].

* {{Fanon}}: Thanks to [[https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2014-06/9/21/enhanced/webdr08/anigif_enhanced-buzz-22827-1402365307-4.gif this gif]] of Creator/ChiwetelEjiofor petting a [[EverythingsCuterWithKittens cat]], fandom (or at least the Strordo shippers) depicts Mordo as a KindHeartedCatLover with a fondness for rescuing street cats[[note]]Frequently accompanied by jokes that Stephen is Karl's latest stray he rescued from a back alley, complete with him asking Mom!TAO if he can keep him[[/note]].

* ToughActToFollow: As the second movie of Phase Three of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, ''Doctor Strange'' has to follow the critically-acclaimed ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''. Consensus seems to indicate it's a great film, but not quite the best the MCU has to offer.

* {{Narm}}:
** Stephen's car accident starts off properly visceral and terrifying... But some moviegoers found that it went on for ''so long'' and that the car seems to fall from such an absurd height that it crossed over from [[NightmareFuel scary]] to unintentionally hilarious in a BlackComedy sort of way.
** The visuals during Strange's initial trip through the multiverse alternate between wondrous, horrifying... and resembling popular [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/droste-effect Internet]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR_8SDNQ0ks memes.]]

** In ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2'', [[spoiler:less than a year after Michelle Yeoh was widely held up as someone who could have played The Ancient One without whitewashing the role, she made her own entrance into the MCU.]]

** 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 an overly safe, boring choice who will do the role fine but offers nothing interesting to it. Fortunately, when the film was finally released, Cumberbatch's performance won strong praise from critics and audiences alike.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: [[spoiler: Strange's first death at the hands of Dormammu is horrifying. Before his second death, you realize [[StableTimeLoop what he's doing.]] Then you laugh at Dormammu's plight and the various over-the-top deaths afterwaards.]]

* SpiritualAdaptation: As pointed out [[https://youtu.be/y2AEXOlfYnM?t=5m35s here]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sMUVCVbU7s here]] by WebVideo/JeremyJahns and Couch Tomato respectively, this movie makes a better adaptation of ''Franchise/GreenLantern'' than [[Film/GreenLantern the 2011 movie]].

* ItsShortSoItSucks: A common criticism is that Stephen Strange's training sessions could have been greatly expanded upon.

** A familial one. Creator/MadsMikkelsen plays the film's BigBad, Kaecilius, and his real life brother, Creator/LarsMikkelsen, played Charles Augustus Magnussen in ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'''s third season. Creator/BenedictCumberbatch has had to fight both of them.
** Another Holmes-related one: Cumberbatch was ''Series/{{Sherlock}}''; now he's playing a Marvel character. As a way of inversion, Creator/RobertDowneyJr's career has gone a [[Film/IronMan1 rather]] [[Film/SherlockHolmes2009 similar]] [[Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows path]].
** Even more hilarity here: Creator/RachelMcAdams played Irene Adler, the love interest for Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes. Here she plays the love interest of ''Sherlock'''s Sherlock Holmes. To triple the hilarity, she was the front runner to play Pepper Potts, love interest of Downey's Tony Stark. This isn't the first time that [=McAdams=] has played the love interest of [[Literature/TheTimeTravelersWife someone who can travel through time]], either.
** Yet another Sherlock Holmes one. Creator/MartinFreeman, who plays Watson in ''Sherlock'' played a minor character in ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar''. Even better -- both Freeman and Cumberbatch were in ''Film/TheHobbit'' [[ThoseTwoActors together]], and [[spoiler: Cumberbatch ends up doing motion-capture here as well]].
** Two Benedicts who have played "Khans" meet in the film. Benedict Cumberbatch played Khan Noonien Singh in ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' and Benedict Wong played Kubilai Khan in ''Series/MarcoPolo''.
** This isn't the first time that [[spoiler:Benedict Cumberbatch [[Film/TheHobbit portrayed a character that is usually associated with fire in his native media in motion-capture]], though ironically the Dread Dormammu's head isn't on fire...or at the very least, not in [[EldritchAbomination an earthly sense.]]]]
** Scott Adkins plays the zealot Lucian, and in ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' he portrayed Weapon XI, leading to the hilarious realization that Doctor Strange fights and defeats SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}}.
** Creator/ChiwetelEjiofor's character goes through the reverse CharacterArc of his character in ''Film/{{Serenity}}''.
** Creator/MadsMikkelsen playing a BigBad with a distintive feature in his eyes for most of a film before being revealed that [[spoiler:he works for a GreaterScopeVillain who takes the role of main antagonist away from him in the climax]] had already happened in ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}''.
** Similarly, about a month after the film's release, Creator/HideoKojima released a trailer for his upcoming game ''VideoGame/DeathStranding'', which featured Mikkelsen [[http://www.push-start.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/death-stranding-tga-585x390.jpg with oil in his eyes]] that resembled Kaecilius's scars.

** Turns out that the Ancient One and [[Film/{{Thor}} Loki]] were once [[Film/OnlyLoversLeftAlive lovers with vampirism.]]
** Creator/TildaSwinton played the [[BigBad White Witch]] in ''Film/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe''. Jump forward 12 years later, she would be the [[BigGood Ancient One]], who is practically a reverse White Witch while the White Witch herself not be out of place among Doctor Strange's RoguesGallery.

** Like [[Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar its predecessor]], the film features text indicating location changes for Kamar-Taj and Hong Kong. Given how much mockery ''Civil War'''s location titles got, one gets the assumption that they've learned from their mistakes, as the text here is smaller and less intrusive in comparison.

** Another Holmes-related one: Cumberbatch was ''Series/{{Sherlock}}''; now he's playing a Marvel character. As a way of inversion, Creator/RobertDowneyJr's career has gone a [[Film/IronMan rather]] [[Film/SherlockHolmes2009 similar]] [[Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows path]].

** At first sight, the movie retreads a lot of ground we've already seen in the first ''Film/IronMan'', with the traumatic injury and BreakTheHaughty theme -- then you realise that Marvel has already been establishing its own special connection between their ultimate ScienceHero and the Sorceror Supreme... the [[MemeticMutation Awesome Facial Hair Bros.]]

** The casting of Creator/TildaSwinton as the Ancient One has been divisive since it was first announced. 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.[[note]]The first Asian performer to get BilledAboveTheTitle for an MCU movie, [[Wrestling/{{Batista}} Dave Bautista]], did so for playing [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy a "maniac" alien]].[[/note]] It hurts that at the same time, the delay in a casting announcement for ''Series/{{Iron Fist|2017}}'' prompted a discussion of whether he should be Asian in contrast to the white comics character, accused by some to be a MightyWhitey (only getting worse when Finn Jones was confirmed to play the titular Iron Fist). Then the teaser came out and revealed Swinton was still dressed in a distinctly Asian style, prompting yet more questions of why they didn't just cast an Asian actor. Co-writer C. Robert Cargill's comments on it being done to prevent the movie from being BannedInChina due to a potential positive portrayal of a Tibetan character (which the studio itself later denied) added more controversy. He also didn't help things by accusing all the people upset over it of being "Social Justice Warriors", though he later backpedaled on it and said everyone absolutely has the right to have issues with it.

* InternetBackdraft: The Ancient One's origins being changed from Tibetan to Celtic has caused no small amount of anger on the Internet, with commenters saying that Marvel, in the pursuit of maximum profits, is trying too hard not to offend the Chinese government and cinema censors. Though once the film came out, the reveal that casting the role as Asian would have meant [[spoiler:the film killing off its only Asian character (considering Wong was only put in after this decision was made) in favor of a white guy]] led some to grudgingly accept it as the least bad option.

* BetterThanCanon:
** The movie's characterization of Baron Mordo as a loyal disciple to the Ancient One whose disillusionment turns him into a WellIntentionedExtremist is commonly considered much more interesting and nuanced than his comic-book counterpart's generic EvilOverlord personality.
** Wong's retooling as a DrillSergeantNasty and TheComicallySerious was likewise well received.

* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** Christine Palmer, partially because she's not given a lot to do. Is Christine a Pepper Potts type of love interest? Or is she the DesignatedLoveInterest or SatelliteLoveInterest of a TokenRomance? Also, since she and Strange [[spoiler: do not end up together:]] Why write the character into the film at all if she's [[spoiler: likely to be replaced by Strange's most iconic love interest, Clea, in future films?]]
** Some have argued Kaecilius is a decent antagonist due to an understandable/well-defined motivation and a menacing performance by Mikkelsen, while many others have contested that he and his backstory simply aren't given enough screen-time for him to fully make an impact, and that [[spoiler: he's further marginalized when it turns out he's merely a pawn of Dormammu]].

* ItsTheSameSoItSucks: