Scott Derrickson: Doctor Strange is a breath of fresh air
Doctor Strange - the latest project in the MCU Marvel - tells the story of a successful and talented neurosurgeon Stephen Strange , who lost his most valuable asset after a terrible car accident - the activity of their hands. In search of healing, the hero went on a journey to the east and, unexpectedly for himself, found himself in the center of the fight against dark magical forces.At a recent press conference, actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Mads Mikkelsen, director Scott Derrickson and Marvel studio president Kevin Feige talked about why it was time to Doctor Strange , what tricks they used to refresh and shake up the cinematic universe, and what impressions the team left after working on such an unusual superhero blockbuster. Doctor Strange first appeared in comics in July 1963. Kevin and Scott, why is it just now for a character who has lived in the Marvel Universe to hit the screens? Feige :Believe me, we have been discussing this for many, many years. Sometimes it just works out well. We often succeeded in timing. Doctor Strange is our fourteenth film, and we always repeat that we must break boundaries and continue to amaze viewers by creating unique pictures and characters of the same kind. With each ribbon we penetrate deeper into other dimensions, so, in our opinion, the choice of this particular time for Strange is ideal.  Derrickson : Kevin is one of the greenlitters for films, so his answer is official. As a fan of comics, I can say that Doctor Strange was a bright product of his time, the turbulent 60s, and at the same time a breath of fresh air in the world of comics. And as a movie fan, I felt ready for a new challenge. When I started on Strange , my approach was something like, “Let's do something as out of character as Marvel as this comic was out of the spirit of graphic novels 60 -x years ". To get Benedict into the lead role, you had to reschedule the filming date for the project. Why was this important to you? Derrickson :When Kevin and I were discussing who we would like to play The Doctor , we almost immediately settled on Benedict b>: just realized it was the right choice. I went to London with a few sketches, met with Ben and told him about our project. He agreed to participate, but at that time was busy in the production of Hamlet at the London Theater. We were planning a release for the summer and our work schedules were not the same. Then I met other good actors, but I constantly felt that this role was made for Benedict . Then Kevin trusted my instincts and agreed to postpone the shooting. Cumberbatch :I'm glad it worked out in the end. Firstly, it flatters me very much, and secondly, it is a great responsibility and at the same time motivation to do my job at the level and keep this promise. It was a good start for my debut in the universe.  We've been touring the MCU Marvel for eight years now, which launched in 2008 with the first Iron Man. What difficulties did you face when creating a new film? Derrickson :The main goal was to try to make a film that would look progressively on a visual level, as Steve Ditko's comics did in the 60s. Our main sources of inspiration were the early novels by Stan Lee and Ditko - their work is still very special. I want to shoot event films that use visual effects in a special sequence, and not only to depict massive destruction, I want to find new creative ways to translate ideas and enrich myself internally from such projects. Films of this kind are engraved in memory for a long time and can change the attitude towards cinema in general. I don't know if we have reached the desired level, but, of course, we tried to find a fresh format that could pleasantly surprise the audience. Mads, over the past ten years you have filmed James Bond, Star Wars, and Doctor Strange. Do you want to pinch yourself in surprise? Mikkelsen :Actually, I have been into comics for about half of my life, and the other half with Bruce Lee movies. So when Scott told me this story in about ten minutes, adding that it would have a lot of kung fu and flying, I said, “Wow, rewind to kung fu. I'm in!". My childhood dream has come true. It's amazing that at the age of 108 I was able to fly a little.  Benedict, what were you thinking when you first saw yourself in a mirror in a suit with a bright raincoat? Cumberbatch: Oh my head is spinning, you know, like a kid on Halloween. When I saw my outfit for the first time, our amazing costume designer Alexandra Byrne asked, "Are you experiencing your superhero moment now?" Yes, perhaps it was he, the moment of awareness. The film has many compelling qualities, and I starred in it for various reasons, but what Scott and Kevin lured me into in the first place was the original story of the hero and his role in the MCU Marvel . There are dramatic moments in his life, and a place for subtle humor and weirdness. The second time, I was very impressed by the end of the shoot. We were in New York, on Fifth Avenue. There were about as many paparazzi around as there were people from the film crew. Everything was perceived somehow surreal. We were running down the street, jumping to shoot scenes with flights, and suddenly there was real magic: I thought of all those men and women who once created graphic novels on the floor of one of the buildings in this wonderful city. And here I am - playing this role.  Derrickson: I still have a video on my phone that I sent only to Benedict . It all started with his spontaneous offer to go to a comic book store that he came across. Ben was in full heroic attire, and visitors were certainly surprised to see the real Doctor Strange buying comics about himself. Cumberbatch: I didn't have any money with me, but I promised a favor - if the movie fails, I'll come and set up shelves for them. True, it would break my heart. But the moment itself became special and magical. It was the last place we filmed, and there was a comic store nearby. Just awesome!  Mads, you played a villain in a Bond movie, embodied the image of Hannibal, in general, created enough cult negative characters to relish their depravity. In "Doctor" you played an antagonist of a different plan - who believes in his heroic essence, supposedly saving the world. How did you handle the role? Mikkelsen: All my characters have what you call a heroic nature. I think it should be clarified that they are not at all one-sided. The key to unraveling any villain is understanding their motives. Even Doctor Strange realizes that Kecilius has his own reasons for what he is doing. The actor must show an image with which the viewer can compare himself - that's the whole secret. You don't have to go ahead and say, "I'm going to take over the whole world, just because I can do it and I want to have fun!" There must be a reason for everything. Of course, it’s good when it’s written in the script and the director doesn’t miss anything, as happened here.  Benedict, at the beginning of the film, Stephen Strange is arrogant and overconfident. Did he remind you of Sherlock Holmes? Cumberbatch: No, I would say Strange is a little different. Yes, they are with Sherlock like intelligence, arrogance and love for their work. Stephen is materialistic and self-centered, but he is charming and witty. His colleagues love him, and he contacts them normally, even starts a relationship. Strange is not a sociopath or asexual outsider like Holmes . My new hero lives in New York, eats bagels and all. Unlike Sherlock , he is a man of this world. The Doctor goes to the Elder in Nepal, regains the meaning of life there and adopts a special experience. Who is the person whose opinion was especially important for you? Cumberbatch: I wish there was just one such person - that would simplify my answer. But the truth is, when I work, I focus on the entire crew. And the work on Strange was very unusual: everyone helped me on every, even insignificant, occasion. Tilda, for example, showed how to walk the line between antiquity and youth, wisdom and modernity, how to move with dignity and grace. However, this is how she goes through life. I have already worked with Chiwetel, but in “ Doctor ” I happened to observe how difficult it is for an actor to implement what the authors have planned. And Mads ... Complains that he feels for a hundred years, but in fact moves like a 20-year-old boy. He is an athlete and at the same time a real gentleman who will always support and assure which in the next scene does not accidentally hit in the face, which often happens on the set of action films. Also, when working under the guidance of a director and producer who know their business from all sides, I felt completely safe. I can enumerate for a long time, because I was very lucky to act in the company of such truly inspiring people.  There are some really daring shots and sequences in the film. How were they created? Derrickson: Due to the shifts in the launch of the project, we had less time for post-production, but thanks to Kevin and Luis D'Esposito we were able to hire more people. One of the most rewarding moments in the entire creative process was related to the fact that we conceived images that were supposedly impossible to create. The final episode of the film is just the result of our reflections. It was necessary to draw every single frame, and something seemed impossible, some ideas were submitted by the visual effects masters, while others simply did not work. Every morning, waking up and getting ready for work, I waited for a knock on my door and a verdict: “You are fired. Everything has gotten too strange. " But I was lucky - Marvel fully supported my idea of breaking the previous guidelines.  The comics have a story arc about the Illuminati secret community. Is it planned to appear in one of the future films? Feige: I can't say anything specific about bringing this storyline to screens, but of course you'll see some of the group members working together in the next Avengers. Where will you go with Doctor Strange next? Feige: Very soon he will be wearing his cloak again in Infinity War . Benedict, how long have you seen yourself as Doctor Strange? Cumberbatch: Let's get the movie out first. I just want to enjoy today. We are introducing my hero to the world for the first time, and I am overwhelmed with emotions. The Topic of Article: Scott Derrickson: Doctor Strange is a breath of fresh air. |
