The Marvel Cineverse just found who its latest member is - Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Sherlock / Imitation Game star is set to play the lead role of Doctor Strange in the upcoming Marvel movie, scheduled for release on November 4th, 2016.

Cumberbatch's casting comes on foot of the proposed Phase Three of Marvel's slate, which will see lesser-known Marvel characters come to the fore.

Sinister director Scott Derrickson is to helm the film, with a script written by Prometheus' Jon Spaiths.

Initial thoughts? When we think of the other actors who were allegedly in the running for this - Jaoquin Phoenix, Jared Leto, Edgar Ramirez - it's hard not think of the road not travelled.

Don't get us wrong, Cumberbatch is a fantastic actor and we're sure he'll do his damnedest to make it a great film.

Nevertheless, the idea of Jaoquin Phoenix as the Master of the Mystic Arts could have been very cool.

It's likely (although not confirmed) that Cumberbatch's character will crop up in Age of Ultron - either as an after-credits stinger or as a little cameo during the film.

Doctor Strange is out in cinemas in 2016.

 

via Marvel.com