EXCLUSIVE:

Hey all,

Those of you that follow me on Twitter (@LatinoReviewMFR) know that I’ve been teasing all night about a scoop regarding Marvel. Well, it’s now time to open up the bag and show you all my first big kill:

A well-connected source informed me tonight that Johnny Depp has taken a meeting with Marvel to discuss taking on the role of Dr. Strange.

The 50-year-old actor is a comic book fan, and is said to be very interested in jumping onto the Marvel machine. Johnny Depp also happens to have a very fruitful relationship with Marvel’s owner, Disney. It was the mouse house, after all, that took a gamble when it gave the eccentric actor his first leading role in a summer tentpole, Pirates of The Caribbean, and that franchise went on to earn billions (yes, with a “b”) for the studio. He also made them a mint with their live-action Alice in Wonderland film.

While they have Depp on the hook for another Pirates film, it is believed they would shift that production around if he does agree to sign on the dotted line for Marvel.

As you can tell, Marvel is in the megastar business and, despite Lone Ranger, Depp is still one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. He’s a household name that’s known by kids, teens, and their parents. On Monday, it was announced that Hollywood royalty Michael Douglas was cast as Hank Pym in Ant-Man, and- assuming they can work out the details- an announcement about Depp could be forthcoming.

Of note, if Johnny Depp does decide to don the cape, it would involve a bit of a script overhaul. I spoke to El Mayimbe, and he was quick to note that the original script had a 30-year-old Dr. Strange. He has an intimate knowledge of the script (you can check out his in-depth analysis HERE and HERE), but he agrees with me that Marvel wouldn’t hesitate to alter things if it meant signing a star on the level of Johnny Depp.

To be clear, this would have no bearing on Marvel’s Phase 2 plans, or The Avengers: Age of Ultron. This is strictly Phase 3 stuff, with Marvel initially eyeing 2016 as the year to unleash Dr. Strange on mainstream audiences. So if it happens, the soonest we’d likely see Depp is in a post-credits sequence in Ultron.

Also thought I’d mention that my source, when it was mentioned how Depp has been a fanboy casting favorite for Strange for quite some time, implied that that may be one of the elements that brought the two sides together.

As always, though, let me remind you that this is Hollywood. Plans change. Offers expire. Negotiations stall. So while Depp has met with Marvel, and both sides want this to work, it doesn’t mean it will.

Keep an eye on this space as I get my hands on more details, and let’s see if these two giants of the industry actually come to terms and make a deal, or if it falls apart in a back room somewhere.

Thanks for your time,

MFR