Joaquin Phoenix Drops Out of ‘Doctor Strange’ Negotiations

Actor Joaquin Phoenix has dropped out of negotiations to play the title role in Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange.

The Her star became the frontrunner to play the Sorcerer Supreme in July, but he has since exited talks.

Studio bosses are now looking to replace Phoenix, and insiders reveal Tom Hardy and Jared Leto, who were previously in the mix of actors executives were looking at, are at the top of the wish list again, according to Deadline.com.

Also according to the site, “Marvel’s belief that Phoenix would have been great for that role, Joaquin Phoenix Doctor Strange Marvelin keeping with putting solid actors in those hero roles. But Phoenix, whose latest, the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed Inherent Vice, opens this weekend at the New York Film Festival.”

Ethan Hawke, Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch are some of the other names that have emerged as a potential actor to take on the role.

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