Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme
Encyclopedia
Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme is a direct-to-DVD & BD
animated movie based on the Marvel Comics
character Doctor Strange
. The film was released August 14, 2007 and had its American broadcast premiere on Cartoon Network
November 1, 2008.
This is the fourth animated film produced by Lionsgate
based on Marvel Comics characters, following Ultimate Avengers
, Ultimate Avengers 2
and The Invincible Iron Man.
and his allies slaying a monster - notable because they are hidden from view by one of Wong's
spells. An unbelieving Strange dismisses it as stress-related hallucination. The next day, he is visited by the hospital's administrator Oliver who states that Dr. Gina Atwater has problems with him. He then speaks with Dr. Atwater and discusses her case of a child — one of many — who is suffering from dangerous nightmares. Seeing the children causes Stephen to flashback to when his sister April had a headache similar to the ones the children have been having. The conversation also reveals that the two doctors have had a romantic relationship in the past. When touching one child, he sees an image of a demonic skull-face laughing while engulfed in flames and promptly leaves, telling Gina that there is nothing he can do for the children.
While driving home, Stephen again sees the vision of flames with a burning face in them and swerves his car to avoid ghostly children in the road, careening off the cliffside. As a result of the crash, his hands are left shattered and useless. Spending all of his fortune and life savings in pursuit of a way to fix his fractured hands, the dejected doctor believes all is lost until his suicide attempt is thwarted by Wong who recommends the Ancient One
to offer him hope and healing in Tibet.
After begging Gina to help him get to Tibet and then undertaking a grueling hike up into the Himalayas, Stephen begins his training at a hidden monastery under the tutelage of the Ancient One — a dimunitive old man. Soon after Strange arrives, the other students leave to combat a pack of wolf-like creatures in Central Park
. Not long after, the Ancient One is told by Wong and Baron Mordo that some of the students died during the conflict. The conversation indicates that the number of assaults by mystical creatures has been growing recently. After several days of scrubbing floors and performing manual labor, Stephen is considering giving up and departs the monastery. As he walks through the snow, however, he flashbacks to a previous failure — becoming his sister's doctor and attempting to remove the brain tumor causing her headaches (in reality, doctors are not permitted to treat family members, as they are too emotionally attached). During the procedure, April died and Strange has always blamed himself. The Ancient One appears in Stephen's mind and convinces him to let go of this past guilt and return to his training.
The next day the Ancient One detects two Chinous (reptilian monsters the size of a small house) approaching the Sanctuary and orders Baron Mordo to kill them one at a time. However, the arrogant Mordo disobeys and leads two separate teams to take them on. As a result, several of the weaker students are killed before the beasts are defeated. Later as the Ancient One mourns the loss of his disciples, he scolds Baron Mordo for his disobedience and tells him that he will never inherit the title of Sorcerer Supreme from the old master, but instead must train Doctor Strange — the true heir to the position. An angered Mordo later spars with Stephen, escalating the mock-fight into a deadly contest of skills. During the fight Stephen instinctually absorbs Mordo's spell and deflects the energy back towards him. An enraged Mordo lunges to kill him, but Wong intervenes and tells Stephen that he will be taking over the training. A dejected Mordo leaves, now with true hatred in his eyes for Strange.
Later Stephen follows the Ancient One, Wong, Baron Mordo, and the few other remaining students to the Sanctum Sanctorum - a nexus between realities and dimensions that appears from the outside as a townhouse in New York City
. The Ancient One then tells them about Dormammu
, an ancient being that wishes to rule all worlds — especially Earth. Thousands of years ago after his previous bid at conquest, the Ancient One trapped him in a dimension of limbo. Upon seeing the visage of Dormammu, Stephen recognizes it as the burning face and realizes that the demon is using children's dreams to enter Earth. Doctor Strange returns to the hospital and puts Gina to sleep. He then searches her computer to find out how widespread the children's comas are and to attempt to wake them. He awakens patient after patient to prevent Dormammu from entering Earth. Mordo also enters a child's dream and makes a deal with Dormammu, pledging to serve him in exchange for dominion as the Sorcerer Supreme. Dormammu takes over the minds of the remaining children as Mordo attacks Doctor Strange in the physical realm. Wong appears, however, and manages to save him.
As this is going on at the hospital, the Ancient One and his three remaining students attempt to ward off a swarm of Wing Marks — vicious flying mouths capable of stripping a person to the bone in seconds. All of the followers are killed and the Ancient One is left greatly weakened due to both exertion and age. The traitorous Mordo then arrives to attack the Ancient One. Doctor Strange and Wong arrive at the Sanctum to find the Ancient One dead. Wong gives Doctor Strange the Eye of Agamotto — a powerful symbol of the office of Sorcerer Supreme — and states that it is Doctor Strange's destiny. Strange and Wong then confront Baron Mordo. As Wong fights Mordo, he is wounded in battle, but Mordo is repelled by Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange then fights him as Dormammu begins his emergence.
Dormammu immediately devours Mordo and steals the Eye of Agamotto as he makes his way to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Doctor Strange confronts Dormammu who begins to overwhelm the new sorcerer as he unleashes his monsters around the world. The wounded Wong, watching from nearby, reminds Stephen of his experience sparing with Mordo and the Doctor then absorbs the pure magic the demon is blasting him with. Since the demon himself is made of pure magic, he soon vanishes into nothing after pouring his power into Strange. An astonished Wong states that he didn't expect the Doctor to actually absorb Dormammu but it will work.
Later, as they return to the Sanctum, Wong tells Doctor Strange that Stephen's primary purpose as the Sorcerer Supreme is to protect the realm of Earth from mystical attacks such as the one they just experienced. Stephen later appears in Gina's dream, surprising her with his humbling change in attitude and reassures her that all will be well with the children. Now dressed in the robes of his office, Doctor Strange visits his sister's grave to say goodbye and is told by Wong that they have new potential students for Strange to train. One of those who shows real potential is a girl named "Clea
" as they close the door while entering the Sanctum.
Additional Voices by Josh Keaton
, Phil LaMarr
, Masasa Moyo
, Tara Strong
, and Fred Tatasciore
said the film "plays out as expected" and has "[a] middle section [that] sags," but features "action sequences [that are] beautifully choreographed and emotionally resonant," and concluded that "strong animation, good acting, and resonant character work bring the icon to life."
Adam Arseneau of DVD Verdict said the film "fails to live up to its narrative potential" and criticized the "rushed ending," but praised its "sharp animation" and described the DVD as a "solid rental." Blake Matthews of Blog Critics criticized the film for "[taking] 45 minutes or so to set up Strange's story [while not putting] much time into explaining his nemesis," but concluded that "this film really was fun" and "fans of the previous Marvel films, animation based on comics, or the supernatural will enjoy this film."
Nick Lyons of DVD Talk said that "the visuals are engaging," but criticized the film for "dramatically alter[ing]" the character, saying: "Instead of characterizing Stephen Strange as a cocky, personably, confident jackass like in the comic books he has been reduced to an emo
wimp with a useless tacked-on backstory about the death of his sister. The lifeless voice work by Bryce Johnson doesn't help the character, either." Lyons concluded, "Comic book fans looking for a faithful adaptation of Dr. Strange will sadly be disappointed by this animated feature. For a superior Marvel animated movie, I'd advise checking out the first Ultimate Avengers
. "
This movie received a nomination for Best Home Entertainment Production of 2007 for the 35th Annual Annie Awards.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
animated movie based on the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
. The film was released August 14, 2007 and had its American broadcast premiere on Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
November 1, 2008.
This is the fourth animated film produced by Lionsgate
Lions Gate Entertainment
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a North American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1997, and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California...
based on Marvel Comics characters, following Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers is a direct-to-DVD animated film based on the Marvel comic book The Ultimates, and released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The DVD was released on February 21, 2006 in America, and in Europe on October 2, 2006...
, Ultimate Avengers 2
Ultimate Avengers 2
Ultimate Avengers 2 is the sequel to Ultimate Avengers. The film was released on August 8, 2006...
and The Invincible Iron Man.
Plot
Dr. Stephen Strange is one of the most gifted surgeons in medicine, however, he is also highly arrogant and dismissive of his colleagues. While driving home from the hospital one night, he notices Baron MordoBaron Mordo
Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by Marvel Comics and appearing as an enemy of Doctor Strange...
and his allies slaying a monster - notable because they are hidden from view by one of Wong's
Wong (comics)
Wong is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the sidekick and manservant of Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. Wong was first mentioned in the comic Strange Tales #110 and first appeared in Strange Tales #147. In the 2006 miniseries Dr. Strange: the Oath, it was revealed...
spells. An unbelieving Strange dismisses it as stress-related hallucination. The next day, he is visited by the hospital's administrator Oliver who states that Dr. Gina Atwater has problems with him. He then speaks with Dr. Atwater and discusses her case of a child — one of many — who is suffering from dangerous nightmares. Seeing the children causes Stephen to flashback to when his sister April had a headache similar to the ones the children have been having. The conversation also reveals that the two doctors have had a romantic relationship in the past. When touching one child, he sees an image of a demonic skull-face laughing while engulfed in flames and promptly leaves, telling Gina that there is nothing he can do for the children.
While driving home, Stephen again sees the vision of flames with a burning face in them and swerves his car to avoid ghostly children in the road, careening off the cliffside. As a result of the crash, his hands are left shattered and useless. Spending all of his fortune and life savings in pursuit of a way to fix his fractured hands, the dejected doctor believes all is lost until his suicide attempt is thwarted by Wong who recommends the Ancient One
Ancient One
The Ancient One is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He was the mentor of Doctor Strange and preceded him as Sorcerer Supreme.-Fictional character biography:...
to offer him hope and healing in Tibet.
After begging Gina to help him get to Tibet and then undertaking a grueling hike up into the Himalayas, Stephen begins his training at a hidden monastery under the tutelage of the Ancient One — a dimunitive old man. Soon after Strange arrives, the other students leave to combat a pack of wolf-like creatures in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. Not long after, the Ancient One is told by Wong and Baron Mordo that some of the students died during the conflict. The conversation indicates that the number of assaults by mystical creatures has been growing recently. After several days of scrubbing floors and performing manual labor, Stephen is considering giving up and departs the monastery. As he walks through the snow, however, he flashbacks to a previous failure — becoming his sister's doctor and attempting to remove the brain tumor causing her headaches (in reality, doctors are not permitted to treat family members, as they are too emotionally attached). During the procedure, April died and Strange has always blamed himself. The Ancient One appears in Stephen's mind and convinces him to let go of this past guilt and return to his training.
The next day the Ancient One detects two Chinous (reptilian monsters the size of a small house) approaching the Sanctuary and orders Baron Mordo to kill them one at a time. However, the arrogant Mordo disobeys and leads two separate teams to take them on. As a result, several of the weaker students are killed before the beasts are defeated. Later as the Ancient One mourns the loss of his disciples, he scolds Baron Mordo for his disobedience and tells him that he will never inherit the title of Sorcerer Supreme from the old master, but instead must train Doctor Strange — the true heir to the position. An angered Mordo later spars with Stephen, escalating the mock-fight into a deadly contest of skills. During the fight Stephen instinctually absorbs Mordo's spell and deflects the energy back towards him. An enraged Mordo lunges to kill him, but Wong intervenes and tells Stephen that he will be taking over the training. A dejected Mordo leaves, now with true hatred in his eyes for Strange.
Later Stephen follows the Ancient One, Wong, Baron Mordo, and the few other remaining students to the Sanctum Sanctorum - a nexus between realities and dimensions that appears from the outside as a townhouse in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The Ancient One then tells them about Dormammu
Dormammu
Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
, an ancient being that wishes to rule all worlds — especially Earth. Thousands of years ago after his previous bid at conquest, the Ancient One trapped him in a dimension of limbo. Upon seeing the visage of Dormammu, Stephen recognizes it as the burning face and realizes that the demon is using children's dreams to enter Earth. Doctor Strange returns to the hospital and puts Gina to sleep. He then searches her computer to find out how widespread the children's comas are and to attempt to wake them. He awakens patient after patient to prevent Dormammu from entering Earth. Mordo also enters a child's dream and makes a deal with Dormammu, pledging to serve him in exchange for dominion as the Sorcerer Supreme. Dormammu takes over the minds of the remaining children as Mordo attacks Doctor Strange in the physical realm. Wong appears, however, and manages to save him.
As this is going on at the hospital, the Ancient One and his three remaining students attempt to ward off a swarm of Wing Marks — vicious flying mouths capable of stripping a person to the bone in seconds. All of the followers are killed and the Ancient One is left greatly weakened due to both exertion and age. The traitorous Mordo then arrives to attack the Ancient One. Doctor Strange and Wong arrive at the Sanctum to find the Ancient One dead. Wong gives Doctor Strange the Eye of Agamotto — a powerful symbol of the office of Sorcerer Supreme — and states that it is Doctor Strange's destiny. Strange and Wong then confront Baron Mordo. As Wong fights Mordo, he is wounded in battle, but Mordo is repelled by Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange then fights him as Dormammu begins his emergence.
Dormammu immediately devours Mordo and steals the Eye of Agamotto as he makes his way to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Doctor Strange confronts Dormammu who begins to overwhelm the new sorcerer as he unleashes his monsters around the world. The wounded Wong, watching from nearby, reminds Stephen of his experience sparing with Mordo and the Doctor then absorbs the pure magic the demon is blasting him with. Since the demon himself is made of pure magic, he soon vanishes into nothing after pouring his power into Strange. An astonished Wong states that he didn't expect the Doctor to actually absorb Dormammu but it will work.
Later, as they return to the Sanctum, Wong tells Doctor Strange that Stephen's primary purpose as the Sorcerer Supreme is to protect the realm of Earth from mystical attacks such as the one they just experienced. Stephen later appears in Gina's dream, surprising her with his humbling change in attitude and reassures her that all will be well with the children. Now dressed in the robes of his office, Doctor Strange visits his sister's grave to say goodbye and is told by Wong that they have new potential students for Strange to train. One of those who shows real potential is a girl named "Clea
Clea
Clea is a fictional character, a sorceress in the . She is the disciple and lover of Doctor Strange. Created by co-plotters Stan Lee and Steve Ditko , Clea first appeared in the Doctor Strange feature in Strange Tales #126 .Clea is a human-appearing being and maternally related to the...
" as they close the door while entering the Sanctum.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Bryce Johnson Bryce Johnson -Early life:Johnson was raised in Reno, Nevada before moving to Denver, Colorado at 5 with his newly divorced mother along with his two brothers where he graduated from high school in 1995... |
Doctor Strange Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 .... |
| Paul Nakauchi Paul Nakauchi Paul Nakauchi is an American actor. In the 1990s he guest starred in Knots Landing, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , Batman: The Animated Series and ER.... |
Wong Wong (comics) Wong is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the sidekick and manservant of Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. Wong was first mentioned in the comic Strange Tales #110 and first appeared in Strange Tales #147. In the 2006 miniseries Dr. Strange: the Oath, it was revealed... |
| Michael Yama | Ancient One Ancient One The Ancient One is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He was the mentor of Doctor Strange and preceded him as Sorcerer Supreme.-Fictional character biography:... |
| Kevin Michael Richardson Kevin Michael Richardson Kevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show... |
Baron Mordo Baron Mordo Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by Marvel Comics and appearing as an enemy of Doctor Strange... |
| Jonathan Adams Jonathan Adams (American actor) Jonathan Adams is an American actor, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Career:He has appeared in several roles in American television, most notably in American Dreams. On this, he played series regular Henry Walker, an employee in the radio and television store owned by the patriarch of the... |
Dormammu Dormammu Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a... |
| Fred Tatasciore Fred Tatasciore Frederick "Fred" Tatasciore is an American voice actor who portrays secondary characters as well as monstrous-looking types... |
Oliver |
| Susan Spano | Dr. Gina Atwater |
| Tara Strong Tara Strong Tara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:... |
April Strange |
Additional Voices by Josh Keaton
Josh Keaton
Joshua "Josh" Keaton is an American actor, voice actor, singer and music producer.-Early life:Keaton was born Joshua Luis Wiener in Hacienda Heights, California. He has three sisters: Danielle, Alitzah , and Sabrina...
, Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr
Phillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
, Masasa Moyo
Masasa Moyo
Masasa Moyo is a Canadian actress and voice actress mostly known for her voice over roles.-Biography:Masasa was born in Canada to a Zimbabwean Father and an American Irish/German Mother. Even though she aspired to become an actress since childhood, she only began acting in college doing local...
, Tara Strong
Tara Strong
Tara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
, and Fred Tatasciore
Fred Tatasciore
Frederick "Fred" Tatasciore is an American voice actor who portrays secondary characters as well as monstrous-looking types...
Reception
Critical reaction to Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme has been mixed. Christopher Monfette of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
said the film "plays out as expected" and has "[a] middle section [that] sags," but features "action sequences [that are] beautifully choreographed and emotionally resonant," and concluded that "strong animation, good acting, and resonant character work bring the icon to life."
Adam Arseneau of DVD Verdict said the film "fails to live up to its narrative potential" and criticized the "rushed ending," but praised its "sharp animation" and described the DVD as a "solid rental." Blake Matthews of Blog Critics criticized the film for "[taking] 45 minutes or so to set up Strange's story [while not putting] much time into explaining his nemesis," but concluded that "this film really was fun" and "fans of the previous Marvel films, animation based on comics, or the supernatural will enjoy this film."
Nick Lyons of DVD Talk said that "the visuals are engaging," but criticized the film for "dramatically alter[ing]" the character, saying: "Instead of characterizing Stephen Strange as a cocky, personably, confident jackass like in the comic books he has been reduced to an emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
wimp with a useless tacked-on backstory about the death of his sister. The lifeless voice work by Bryce Johnson doesn't help the character, either." Lyons concluded, "Comic book fans looking for a faithful adaptation of Dr. Strange will sadly be disappointed by this animated feature. For a superior Marvel animated movie, I'd advise checking out the first Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers
Ultimate Avengers is a direct-to-DVD animated film based on the Marvel comic book The Ultimates, and released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. The DVD was released on February 21, 2006 in America, and in Europe on October 2, 2006...
. "
This movie received a nomination for Best Home Entertainment Production of 2007 for the 35th Annual Annie Awards.