It may seem a world away, but it hasn’t been that long since Marvel proved they could make any property a hit as Doctor Strange won over critics and audiences alike. In fact, the movie just bowed out of theaters last week, ending its theatrical run with a global box office total of $675 million. That places the film in the top 100 earners of all time, and ensures Doctor Strange will be getting a sequel (which Scott Derrickson may return to direct). Next up for the good doctor, is a confrontation with Loki in this year’s Thor: Ragnarok.

In the months since the film’s release, we’ve been given a lot of behind-the-scenes looks and information. We watched how the time reversal scene worked, one of the most visually-stunning scenes in the Marvel catalogue. Derrickson also confirmed that Ant-Man’s Quantum Realm appears in the movie, as Stephen Strange traversed the multiverse. We’ve also seen a lot of concept art for the film, including alternate designs for Dormammu and alternate versions of Kaecilius. Now, we’ve got similar alternate designs for Strange’s own appearance in his solo film.

Thanks to Marvel, we’ve got a look at a whole new batch of concept art that reveals alternate designs for not only Strange’s costume, but some of the other dimensions he could have visited in the movie. Check them out in the gallery below:

[vn_gallery name=“Doctor Strange – Alternate Designs (Concept Art)” id=“912907”]

The most notable difference here is Strange’s cape being reduced to more of a jacket. Another slight variation pares down his collar and makes his robes more detailed, rather than the raggedy layers of the final film. We also get a look at an Escher-like alternate dimension that’s strikingly different from the saturated, mandala-filled worlds visited in the movie.

Marvel also put two of the behind-the-scenes features from the Doctor Strange Blu-ray online. The first of these videos discusses the now infamous story of how Cumberbatch almost didn’t take the role. In the other, you can see the cast and crew talk about the extensive training that went into the fight scenes of the movie.

Both videos highlight just how much work Cumberbatch had to put in to manage Doctor Strange. It’s not hard to imagine Marvel moving on with their casting or even Cumberbatch not wanting to take on the grueling schedule of starring in a play and a blockbuster film at the same time. Luckily, both parties were committed to the project, as it’s hard to imagine anyone else in the lead role. It’s also neat to see the different light-up weapons the actors trained with, in order to add a bit of magic to the behind-the-scenes work.

While Marvel’s Phase 3 is currently packed, it’s clear the studio wants Doctor Strange to play a big part in the MCU’s future. Not only will he have a role in Thor: Ragnarok, but he’s likely playing a sizable part in Avengers: Infinity War next year. Once 2020 rolls around, however, we can expect to hear about Doctor Strange 2 almost immediately. Until then, we’ll bring you all the mystical Marvel news there is, so stay tuned.

Doctor Strange is now available on Blu-ray.

Source: Marvel Studios

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