After the property jumped around to Columbia Pictures and Paramount, Marvel finally has the rights to Dr. Strange back, and it looks the film will be getting the movie treatment. According to Deadline Hollywood, Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Donnelly, writers of the upcoming film Conan, have been hired by the studio to write a script for a film based on the character Dr. Strange. Although not confirmed, it is very possible that this will be the first Marvel-based film that is produced under Disney.
Artist Steve Ditko and Stan Lee originated Dr. Strange in 1963. The Marvel comic centered on a selfish New York doctor who after a car accident lost the ability to touch things. After a visit to the Himalayas, a healer helped him to access psychic powers, using his mind as opposed to physical force.
When Disney purchased Marvel, it was a shock to everyone. Nobody saw it coming. So far, however, all that Disney has really used them for is merchandising. Actually having a film under their banner would mean the potential to market the film more and potentially make even more at the box office. As far as the film itself, there’s probably nothing to worry about. Disney is a very intelligent company: the people there know when to interfere and when to stay out of things. In other words, Disney will probably have more to do with the releasing/distribution of the film than the film itself.
Marvel also has four films to be released through Paramount: The First Avenger: Captain America, Iron Man 3, Thor, and The Avengers. However, they are also working on Ant-Man and Runaways films, which look to be suitable films for the Disney banner.
