SNEAK PEEK : "Doctor Strange" Destined For The 'Marvel Cinematic Universe'

During a recent interview, Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, said there are currently 5 more films in the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe' pipeline.

Marvel Studios, a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, owned by The Walt Disney Company, is the film production/distribution company that currently owns rights to all characters based on Marvel Comics except the "X-Men", "Spider-Man", "Ghost Rider", "Fantastic Four", "Man-Thing", "Daredevil' and "Kick-Ass".

"We want to do two films a year," said Feige.
"'Avengers' is our only film this year, but in a week and a half we begin filming 'Iron Man 3'. By the end of the summer we'll be working on the next 'Thor' film. Early next year the next 'Captain America' film. Those are the three we've announced so far. We've got two beyond that that we haven't announced yet, but we're working on."

Feige talked about a big screen "Doctor Strange" motion picture during a past New York Comic Con, and about how "The Avengers" feature will pave the way for 'phase two' of the 'Marvel Cinematic Universe'.

"I think I can probably say sooner rather than later in some announcements on 'Doc Strange'," said Feige. "I would love to see him part of 'phase two'..."

A big screen adaptation of Marvel Comics' 'Sorcerer Supreme', "Doctor Strange" has always interested parent company Disney, looking to be part of a potential billion dollar earning, "Harry Potter"-type 'sorcery' movie franchise, with several spin-off possibilities including Strange tutoring a young novice (s) .

Following their Marvel Comics' success with "The Amazing Spider-Man", writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko debuted 'Doctor Strange' in Marvel Comics' "Strange Tales" #110 (July 1963), fashioning the physical look of the character after creator Lee Falk's popular, 1930's comic strip character "Mandrake The Magician".

'Dr. Stephen Strange' was an arrogant, womanizing world-renowned neurosurgeon, until a Chappaquiddick-like car accident damaged his hands, preventing him from conducting surgery.

In desperation, a bitter Strange seeks out a legendary Tibetan hermit living in a 'Lost Horizon' of the Himalayas who may have a cure for his debilitating condition. Strange finds 'The Ancient One', possessed of the knowledge of sorcerous spells and incantations, invoking names and aspects of extra-dimensional objects and beings of power.

Some of these phenomena include the 'Flames of the Faltine', the 'Shades of the Seraphim' and the 'Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth'.

When Strange selflessly thwarts the evil ambitions of the Ancient One's disciple 'Baron Mordo', the 500-year old wizard tutors Strange in the 'mystic arts', teaching him how to use magical artifacts to augment his power, including the 'Cloak of Levitation', the all-seeing 'Eye of Agamotto' and the 'Book of the Vishanti'.

Strange uses his magic to achieve a number of effects, including energy projection, teleportation, telepathy and astral projection.

Strange was also schooled in the use of addictive and corruptive 'dark magic' by one-time foe 'Kaluu', using it to destroy the entity known as 'Shuma-Gorath'.

Doctor Strange has also been featured in several self-titled Marvel Comics series and Marvel-endorsed products including arcade/video games, animated TV series, a direct-to-DVD film and merchandise including trading cards.