Marvel Studios has built a trend for more than a decade of getting the best names in the business to play the MCU's heroes and villains, whether they're already established superstars or grow to that status with Marvel. This includes stars like Benedict Cumberbatch, who has excelled in the role of Doctor Stephen Strange for the past five years and shows no signs of stopping.
Cumberbatch signed with Marvel Studios to play the Sorcerer Supreme back in 2014, which came after hundreds of fan casts predicted him in the role when Doctor Strange had only seen a quick mention in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Since then, he's become one of Marvel Studios' most enthusiastic supporters while taking on an important role as a potential leader of the Avengers in Phase 4 and beyond.
The Doctor Strange star has cultivated an impressive number of relationships with the MCU's best and brightest stars, and those bonds will only continue to grow as he makes more appearances in the coming years. Recently, one of Cumberbatch's long-standing friends took the chance to heap praise upon the actor - and an MCU co-star at that.
Hiddleston Loves Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange
MCU star Tom Hiddleston spoke with Esquire about his relationship with Doctor Strange star Benedict Cumberbatch, with whom Hiddleston has been friends with for close to a decade.
Upon entering the MCU, Hiddleston revealed that Cumberbatch didn't ask his friend for any advice on the endeavor, although Hiddleston admitted Cumberbatch "didn't need it."
After becoming such a big star from projects like Sherlock, Hiddleston noted that Cumberbatch has a "limitless curiosity" that pushes him forward. Hiddleston finished his praise for Cumberbatch by admitting that he "(loves) his Doctor Strange" and looks forward to seeing him continue in the role:
“He didn’t ask for advice. And he didn’t need it! He had already worked on a huge scale on Star Trek: Into Darkness and Sherlock was a global phenomenon. Over the ten or so years I’ve known him what stands out is his limitless curiosity. He’s keenly aware that life is short and precious, and his range comes from the depth of his internal world – we contain multitudes – and his energy. I love his Doctor Strange, I think it’s terrific.”
A Strong Friendship for Hiddleston and Cumberbatch
Tom Hiddleston has been one of the MCU's biggest stars for more than a decade, embodying the God of Mischief Loki in six MCU movies before leading the way in his own Disney+ show. He's also regarded as one of the best actors to work with for Marvel Studios' endeavors, and he regularly offers praise and excitement for his co-stars that help push the franchise forward.
This appears to be amplified even further with Benedict Cumberbatch because of their longstanding friendship, as Hiddleston holds nothing back in propping up Cumberbatch's performance and work ethic. Cumberbatch built quite a successful career for himself long before he came into the MCU, and it seems that he took the role of Doctor Strange and ran with it when he first came on the scene seven years ago.
Now, Hiddleston and Cumberbatch will likely have the opportunity for their first true experience working together in the MCU as they come together for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With the Multiverse having begun to go into chaos by the end of Loki, the Sorcerer Supreme will certainly have words for the God of Mischief as their next challenge confronts them.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will release in theaters on May 7, 2022. All six episodes of Loki are available to stream on Disney+.
