The movie's director drops a hint on Twitter

Nov 4, 2014 14:50 GMT  ·  By
The “Doctor Strange” movie might follow the “Into Shamballa” story line
   The “Doctor Strange” movie might follow the “Into Shamballa” story line

If you can remember all the reports following the making of “Doctor Strange,” you'll know that Marvel has announced that it won't be an origin story, as they plan to save that for a later film. As always, Marvel is keen to walk off the beaten path and make unusual comic book story movies.

That means that the first “Doctor Strange” movie won't be about how the main character becomes the Sorcerer Supreme, how he gets his powers and how he goes on to battle evil. The movie then is going to present Doctor Strange as the fully developed superhero he is today and focus on him dealing with a baddie.

The movie's director posts enigmatic Doctor Strange art taken from very specific graphic novel

Scott Derrickson, who has been announced to be the director of the movie that comes out in 2016, likes to tweet a lot, and he might have just dropped a massive hint as to the storyline in “Doctor Strange,” the movie. On his feed, he posted an artistic photo of the good Doctor that has no caption or explanation.

However, fans felt that the photo could be a clue as to the movie's storyline, so they began digging around, hoping to pick up on the hint given by the director who, no doubt, likes to play games.

Fans decide that it constitutes proof the movie is going to follow “Shamballa” storyline

They have established that the photo is actually a piece of Doctor Strange art that comes from a graphic novel called “Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa,” which was made by J.M. DeMatteis and Dan Green and was originally published in 1986.

That's all fine and dandy, but what you really want to know is what the story in the graphic novel actually is. Well, it's interesting to say the least. It starts off with Doc Strange visiting the home of his master, the Ancient One, two decades after his initiation in the ways of magic.

Upon his visit, Doc finds a mysterious artifact left as a gift the for him, he takes it back to his home, and there he finds that it is actually a means of communicating with beings in a higher reality which are known as the Lords of Shamballa.

Some origin story elements might still find their way into the movie

It turns out that this is one of the best-loved Dr. Strange stories, according to fans, and one that allows the producers and Marvel to paint Dr. Strange as a very powerful individual. However, this particular return to the master's home after decades might open the door to some flashbacks to explain Dr. Strange's origins, without having to make a separate movie for this.

Others have pointed out that this is not the first time that Derrickson has tweeted Doctor Strange art, and as such, the tweet should not be taken to mean that the movie adaptation will follow the Shamballa storyline (as much as fans hope that it does happen).

As for us, we're still hoping that the main part goes out to Benedict Cumberbatch, as the latest reports hinted last week. So far, no official word from Marvel.