Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson responds to a fan theory regarding the film’s infamous car accident scene, explaining what actually causes Strange’s car accident and what it means about the character. Doctor Strange is as a 2016 superhero movie released as a part of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character, with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams and Tilda Swinton rounding out the cast.

Dr. Stephen Strange is a talented but arrogant neurosurgeon who loses his ability to operate after an accident. He travels to Nepal in search of treatment that will fix his hands and finds the Ancient One, who reluctantly agrees to teach him magic and sorcery. Along with gaining his newfound abilities, Strange also goes on a journey of self-discovery and embraces his role as a hero when faced with a looming threat.

Director Scott Derrickson took to Twitter to explain his creative choices with the scene leading up to Dr. Strange’s accident. Twitter user Brian K. Anderson theorized that Strange was originally supposed to be inebriated before violently crashing his car, noting a deleted scene where the doctor had been drinking beforehand. Derrickson responded, stating that he cut the scene because he wanted it to be clear that the accident was Strange’s fault, as he was willfully distracting himself while driving. You can see the full Twitter interaction below.

The main part of Strange’s journey was learning humility and selflessness, so it makes sense that Derrickson wanted to make it clear to the audience that the accident that ruined his medical career (the main source of his arrogance) was solely his doing. Some fans even theorized that the scene was probably cut to avoid too many similarities between Tony Stark/Iron Man and Dr. Strange. The two characters already have much in common; both are intelligent, dry, and take pride in their work. One of Tony Stark’s most famous storylines in the comics is his struggle with alcoholism, something that was briefly explored in the MCU in Iron Man 2. Suggesting that Strange’s crash was caused by him driving drunk might have made the characters too similar.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the Doctor Strange sequel, was announced this year at San Diego Comic-Con. The sequel, along with a slew of new movies and TV shows, are a part of the fourth phase of the MCU. Cumberbatch is confirmed to be returning as Dr. Strange, and Elizabeth Olsen will also be joining the cast as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlett Witch. It was also revealed that the Doctor Strange sequel will tie into two MCU Disney+ series, WandaVision and Loki. Scott Derrickson is also signed on to return as director. Derrickson’s pride for the first film and his characterization of Dr. Strange might give fans hope that he will deliver a solid sequel in 2021.

More: Why Doctor Strange Isn’t the MCU’s Sorcerer Supreme (Yet)

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