Many heroes could lead Skydance's new Marvel game and join Spider-Man and Wolverine in the spotlight, but Doctor Strange deserves it the most.
There are many different characters who could be the lead of Skydance's new Marvel game, but the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange, is the most deserving of the spotlight. The as-of-yet untitled Marvel video game is being headed up by former Uncharted director Amy Hennig, who previously attempted to make a licensed Star Wars game at EA, which was ultimately canceled. Hennig mentioned in the announcement for Skydance's game that she's always been drawn to Marvel because it "epitomizes all the action, mystery and thrills of the pulp adventure genre", elements that are all present in Doctor Strange's comics.
Hennig promised in the announcement that the game will have an original story and that it will feature the "humanity, complexity and humor" that she loves in Marvel's characters and stories. The game will reportedly be narrative-driven with action-adventure blockbuster traits, similar to the approach fans have seen in Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's GOTG. However, no other information about the project has been forthcoming since its announcement, leading fans to speculate further on who or what it may entail.
At the top of the list to appear in Skydance's Marvel project should be Doctor Strange, who is often snubbed in Marvel's video games. The Sorcerer Supreme doesn't have his own video game series like Spider-Man or Wolverine, and has instead appeared mostly in supporting roles, including the Marvel Ultimate Alliance series, an assortment of mobile Marvel titles and the upcoming Midnight Suns. Strange is an important character though, and could be considered a more likely hero to lead Skydance's Marvel game because of his growing onscreen popularity and the interactive possibilities that could arise from his sorcery.
Doctor Strange has become an increasingly prominent figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which makes the prospect of him leading his own video game more likely. Following on from his debut in 2016's Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch's Sorcerer Supreme has gone on to receive decent-sized roles in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, the Disney+ series What If...? and the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is shaping up to be one of the most important MCU films yet.
Strange's burgeoning onscreen importance stems from Avengers: Endgame, which saw Chris Evans' Captain America and Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man exit the franchise. With his roles in What If...?, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and his own sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Stephen is proving pivotal to the next phase of the MCU. This onscreen influence should be reflected in the gaming medium, with Skydance having the opportunity to make Doctor Strange an ancillary protagonist in its game, as opposed to just another supporting character.
Marvel's video games aren't connected like the MCU, but Strange could be the ideal character to fix this, with the character constantly dealing with different dimensions and realities in the comics, as well as on the big screen. Players would likely be excited to see him finally shine, and marketing his inclusion alongside his growing MCU role might work excellently from a business standpoint, too. Skydance wouldn't have to lean into the MCU, but the studio could use the character's prominent status to give him his first dedicated video game adventure.
Doctor Strange's abilities could open possibilities for time travel, magic, and other sorcery throughout Skydance's new Marvel project. It's unlikely that Skydance's Marvel game will emulate Spider-Man's open-world, but that would suit the Sorcerer Supreme just fine. He doesn't go out on patrol like Marvel's wall-crawler and is instead embroiled in the mystic arts, battling demons and cosmic forces across various dimensions, including the terrifying Dormammu, Ghost Rider's own mortal enemy, Mephisto; and his greatest human rival, Baron Mordo. Fans might be able to explore many of these avenues and forge their own destiny, which is something Stephen Strange stands for as a character, and as a superhero.
Sorcery could open endless possibilities for the game's story, too. Doctor Strange's adventures are usually high-concept and incredibly ambitious, which would provide rich potential for Skydance to exploit. Possible approaches could include players playing as Doctor Strange and helping other fan-favorite Marvel characters with their own problems, similar to the approaches taken in Thor: Ragnarok and Spider-Man: No Way Home. In any case, a Doctor Strange-fronted game couldn't be contained to just New York City, and would have to involve all sorts of cosmic imagery that pulled directly from the original Steve Ditko comics, as well as the character's other iconic comic book runs.
The new Marvel game could differentiate itself from the MCU by altering Strange's abilities. Perhaps one of the most exciting possibilities for a Doctor Strange-led video game is intense, diverse gameplay, but one might wonder whether the game would adopt his MCU powers or align more closely with the comics. Where some characters like Wolverine or Captain America are great at bashing things with their enhanced strength, Doctor Strange is different. He knows sorcery and draws on the Eye of Agamatto for power as well. Playing as Doctor Strange could then lead to more complicated, unique gameplay that non-magical beings can't offer. His powers would be strong, diverse, and adaptable to many circumstances, featuring flight via the use of Strange's cloak of levitation, unique spells and abilities (such as astral projection), and even magical artifacts from the Marvel Universe, including the Darkhold or other ancient texts.
There's ultimately no telling which iconic characters Skydance and Marvel's game will feature. The Marvel Universe is home to hundreds of heroes who could lead Skydance's own video game, including Daredevil and the Fantastic Four and X-Men, or even the more obscure figures fans may not be aware of. In any case, there are multiple new Marvel games releasing in the meantime, including Midnight Suns, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Marvel's Wolverine. Here's hoping that Doctor Strange will join his fellow Avengers next, and be given the AAA video game adventure he truly deserves.
