Speculations have been circulating on the Internet as to who will take on the role of Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange in the upcoming Marvel superhero movie "Doctor Strange."  According to a report, Marvel has offered the role to Ethan Hawke and, the buzz is, the "The Purge" actor has accepted over the weekend.  Other websites, however, vehemently contradict this.

It was earlier speculated that "The Gladiator" and "Her" actor Joaquin Phoenix was being tapped for the titular role. However, negotiations between the two parties was allegedly aborted as Marvel got tired of pursuing the reluctant actor for the part. 

A seasoned actor like Hawke would reportedly add depth to the story and bring life to Doctor Strange.  Hawke has already starred in several movies including his debut film "Explorers" and critically-acclaimed drama "Dead Poets Society," where his acting prowess was discovered.  Furthermore, he has played various roles in movies like "White Fang," "Alive," "Reality Bites," "Before Sunrise," and "Training Day" for which he was nominated Best Supporting Actor by the Screen Actors Guild and Academy.

Marvel is known for casting talented actors with excellent movie appeal, including Andrew Garfield (Spider-Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), and Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), as well as Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man) and Chris Hemsworth (Thor), among others.

Nonetheless, whether it's Ethan Hawke or not, the actor who will get the part will have to play the egotistic Doctor Strange, a neurosurgeon-turned-Sorcerer Supreme who is dedicated to protecting the Earth from magical and mystical villains like Baron Mordo, Shuma-Gorath, Dormammu, and Nightmare. The character is the brainchild of former chairman and president of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee, along with artist Steve Ditko during the1960s. 

The movie, which will be directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Jon Spaiths, is set to start filming in May 2015, at the Pinewood-Shepperton Studios in United Kingdom.  "Doctor Strange" is scheduled to premiere on July 8, 2016.