A 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes is nothing to sneeze at. Critical praise likely bolstered audience confidence in their decision to throw down dollars for tickets. The movie won raves for its lighthearted approach, its dazzling visuals and a top-notch cast, including Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mads Mikkelsen.
As ComScore’s Paul Dergarabedian put it, the film had “perfect casting,” telling TheWrap on Sunday that Cumberbatch proved to have star power as he “so perfectly inhabited this character.” Moviegoers are likely in agreement with the critics, Vulture’s David Edelstein writing, “Dr. Stephen Strange is not the most famous or distinctive of the Marvel characters, but thanks to Benedict Cumberbatch, he might be the most entertaining.”
Between the strong cast lead by Brit Benny C., the engrossing story and the film’s many visual fireworks, moviegoers couldn’t get enough of the most psychedelic movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It got an A CinemaScore from those surveyed on opening night, reflecting how positively audiences are reacting to it.
4. They Paid Higher Ticket Prices
While audience attendance was likely in line with a $70 million 2D movie, a much higher percentage of them shelled out extra dollars for a specialized experience. IMAX, Premium Large Format, and 3D movie tickets accounted for a whopping 51 percent of its $85 million opening. And yes, this title plays particularly well in 3D, Dergarabedian noting its “immersive visual style.” “See it in 3-D IMAX, people, and you’re in for the hallucinatory headtrip of the year,” wrote Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers.
It’s no accident “Doctor Strange” did well in specialized and 3D theaters — Disney marketed it that way, also targeting comic book fans and technology nerds. Among the studio’s numerous trailers, TV spots, print ads and brand partnerships was IMAX’s “Expand Your Mind,” which showed 15 exclusive minutes of the movie in more than 100 theaters. Perhaps something of a good luck charm: IMAX did almost the same thing for “Guardians of the Galaxy,” which also overperformed on its huge $94.3 million debut in 2014.
6. Moviegoers Trust in Marvel
There can be no doubt about it at this point, the MCU brand is strong. “What’s most important is a decade of goodwill and audience loyalty built by a consistent record of quality movie making from Marvel and their creative team,” added Dergarabedian.
32 Marvel Movie Heroes Ranked, From Dr. Strange to Iron Man to Rocket Raccoon (Photos)
This week, "Dr. Strange" grows an ever-growing universe of onscreen Marvel heroes. Here's how we rank all the major heroes, from interstellar warriors like Thor and Rocket Raccoon to streetfighters like Daredevil and Luke Cage.
Marvel Studios
32.) Quicksilver -- Say what you will about the inconsistency of the "X-Men" films, but at least they're doing something interesting with Evan Peters' version of Quicksilver. The Marvel Cinematic Universe version was just annoying... and now he's dead.
Marvel Studios
29-31.) The Warriors Three -- One of Thor's buddies from Asgard is a Gimli rip-off. The other two are faceless.
Marvel Studios
28.) Heimdall -- Now that Idris Elba is an internationally beloved star, can we give Heimdall something fun to do in "Ragnarok"?
Marvel Studios
27.) Lady Sif -- Character-wise, she's barely better sketched out than the Warriors Three, but she did get some time in the spotlight on "Agents of SHIELD."
Marvel Studios
26.) Gamora -- While Gamora had great action scenes and the best-tuned moral compass of all the Guardians of the Galaxy, she wasn't nearly as fleshed out as the others. Hopefully this will change as "Vol. 2" examines her relationship with her sister, Nebula.
Marvel Studios
25.) The Winter Soldier -- Is Bucky even really a hero? An anti-hero, maybe? Hopefully at some point Steve's buddy will use that arm of his to do more than create problems.
Marvel Studios
24.) Daredevil -- His battle with The Kingpin was cool, but his endless speeches to The Punisher (and everyone else) got old really fast.
Marvel Studios
23.) Hulk -- The famous "Loki Smash" scene doesn't change the fact that Hulk had the dullest of the Phase One Marvel films and is the least developed of the core Avengers. Maybe some one-on-one time with Thor in "Ragnarok" will change things.
Marvel Studios
22.) Vision -- Yes, he's charming, enjoyable to watch, and completely unique in the MCU. But there's nothing else to him yet. That said, he's bound to play a major role in "Infinity War," considering he's got the Mind Stone lodged in his head.
Marvel Studios
21.) Nick Fury -- The MCU has now largely moved on from him, but that doesn't diminish his importance to the series. His debut in the post-credits scene in "Iron Man" is what started this leviathan of a franchise.
Marvel Studios
20.) Falcon -- Sam Wilson has an awesome suit and great chemistry with Steve Rogers. He hasn't had enough to do yet, but he becomes the new Captain American in the comics, so there's room to soar.
Marvel Studios
19.) Hawkeye -- Matt Fraction's spectacular run in the "Hawkeye" comics proves there's drama and laughter to be had in a story about a guy whose only power is great aim. But Marvel movies haven't figured out how to make the most of Hawkeye yet.
Marvel Studios
18.) Ant-Man -- Ant-Man's story arc about trying to live up to his daughter's view of him as a hero is fantastic. But he needs better integration into the wider universe. In "Civil War" he provided comic relief -- and of course a giant twist.
Marvel Studios
17.) Scarlet Witch -- Scarlet Witch's "Civil War" arc added dimension to the thorny issues surrounding the Sokovia Accords.
Marvel Studios
16.) Black Panther -- T'Challa entered the MCU in "Civil War" nearly fully formed. He had the suit, the powers, and the wisdom to use them. It will be interesting to see what direction he takes in Ryan Coogler's solo film.
Marvel Studios
15.) War Machine -- Rhodey's main purpose in the MCU is to be a foil and motivator for Iron Man. But after "Civil War," he has a long way to go before he can even walk unassisted, let along get back in the War Machine armor. Maybe it's time for him to have a story of his own.
Marvel Studios
14.) Phil Coulson -- Everyone has a different opinion of "Agents of SHIELD," but we we can all agree Coulson is great. Dealing with superhero egos, cosmic threats and meddling bureaucrats, the Son of Coul does it all.
Marvel Studios
13.) Doctor Strange -- After experiencing the same ego-shrinking previously experienced by Iron Man and Thor, Strange mastered his magic to become the link between Earth and other worlds. He's taken a Hippocratic oath to do no harm to the MCU.
11.) Star-Lord -- His wisecracking and womanizing could have gotten obnoxious, but thanks to James Gunn's deft storytelling, we see that Peter Quill is hiding the pain he still feels over losing his mother.
Marvel Studios
10.) Thor -- His solo movies haven't been particularly strong, but Thor's culture clashes with mortals provide some of Marvel's funniest moments -- like the ones with the coffee cup and Asgardian liquor.
Marvel Studios
9.) Agent Carter -- When Marvel finally makes a movie about a female hero, it should follow the "Agent Carter" model. On the tragically cancelled ABC show, Peggy quickly dropped the title "Cap's girlfriend" and replaced it with "co-founder of SHIELD."
Marvel Studios
8.) Black Widow -- Black Widow is by far the most interesting Avenger with no superpowers. She's had meaningful moments with more members of the team than anyone else, and her friendship with Hawkeye has enhanced both characters. Natasha badly needs a solo film after "Infinity War."
Marvel Studios
7.) Drax -- Dave Bautista has been the biggest surprise of any actor ever signed by Marvel. Not just a big bruiser, Drax is a blend of anger, grief, eloquence, and comedic social blunders all rolled into one. Judging by his "hug it out" scene in the "Vol. 2" trailer, Drax is only getting more wonderfully complex.
Marvel Studios
6.) Luke Cage -- Though his spin-off series has been uneven so far, Luke is a hero unlike any other in the Marvel world. He's bulletproof but emotionally vulnerable, and a brawler who wants peace. Luke Cage is as down-to-earth as heroes get.
Marvel Studios
5.) Spider-Man -- This might be a little premature considering how little we saw him in "Civil War," but Tom Holland made a great first impression. Here's hoping "Spider-Man Homecoming" will give him the chance to recreate the emotional depth that Tobey Maguire reached over a decade ago. Our only regret is that we won't see Holland duke it out with J.K. Simmons.
Marvel Studios
4.) Rocket Raccoon -- You know Marvel is firing on all cylinders when it takes a goofy Silver Age character and turns him into a riveting CGI star with a character arc about overcoming trauma and rejection and finding a new home.
Marvel Studios
3.) Jessica Jones -- The MCU has never had a hero with a story as sobering as Jessica's. She survived the car crash that killed her family and gave her powers, only to become a puppet of the mind-controlling Kilgrave.
Marvel Studios
2.) Iron Man -- The hero that started this whole deal. It's hard to imagine anyone but Robert Downey, Jr. giving life to the sarcastic inventor tortured by questions about whether he's doing the right thing.
Marvel Studios
1.) Captain America -- It was a toss-up picking between Tony and Steve, but we went with Cap simply because of how the Marvel films have transformed a dated character into a hero for our time. He's a super soldier, but superhuman in his basic decency and desperation to do right. Oh, and his theme song doesn't get nearly as much praise as it should.
Marvel Studios
1 of 31
It’s a Civil War for who makes the top of our list
This week, "Dr. Strange" grows an ever-growing universe of onscreen Marvel heroes. Here's how we rank all the major heroes, from interstellar warriors like Thor and Rocket Raccoon to streetfighters like Daredevil and Luke Cage.