WRITER GREG JOHNSON SUMMONS THE MYSTIC ARTS FOR 'DOCTOR STRANGE'

Adapting the written word to the screen either as live action or animation is a pretty thankless job, and never more scrutinized as in the field of comic book adaptations. Comic fans are a group that dissect and devour every detail of a movie project separating out the things that were done correctly (in their opinion) and the things that were completely off the mark.
That’s why iF MAGAZINE was so eager to talk to Greg Johnson, the writer who adapted comic books for the excellent new DOCTOR STRANGE Marvel Comics animated movie THE SORCERER SUPREME. Take a walk on the mystic side with Johnson as he explains updating and re-tooling Strange’s origins and why it’s not cool in the year 2007 to have Wong be a simple manservant. Read Full Story

CRAIG KYLE PREPARES FOR 'THE NEXT AVENGERS' - PART 2

Marvel’s direct-to-DVD animated films have certainly pushed the boundaries of how far you can take the comic book characters and expand their base in stand-alone films.
DOCTOR STRANGE – THE SORCERER SUPREME certainly raised the bar and Craig Kyle, Senior Vice President of Creative Development Animation for Marvel Studios, hopes to push the boundaries further with their next feature THE NEXT AVENGERS: HEROES OF TOMORROW due out next year.
iF MAGAZINE had the opportunity to speak with Kyle about the company’s slate in Part 2 of this exclusive three-part interview
iF: How long does it take to put one of these animated films together.
KYLE: The production time, picking the character and handing in the final master can be anywhere between 18 to 22 months. Eighteen is ideal if we have no hiccups along the way. It depends project to project. It extended on IRON MAN, which ended up being one of our longer projects. You work on these things a long time, you really do itch for it to be done, to see how the hard work paid off. Right now we’re working on three different films at the same time. One’s overseas already, one is in the script stage, and one is in pre-production. We’re all over the map on the next few.
iF: What are the three movies?
Read Full Interview

CRAIG KYLE EXPLORES THE MARVEL UNIVERSE WITH 'DOCTOR STRANGE' - PART 1

While it’s hard to get comic book fans to sit down and watch kid-friendly animated series based on their favorite heroes, Craig Kyle, Senior Vice President of Creative Development Animation for Marvel Studios, has been slowly changing that perception with Marvel's line of Direct-To-DVD animated features.
In the past couple of years, we’ve seen everything from ULTIMATE AVENGERS and IRON MAN and this month, a secondary player in the Marvel universe finally gets his due with DOCTOR STRANGE: SORCERER SUPREME.
These animated films have an epic scale and feel more adult (which certainly gives them a live action big budget flavor to them), and this new strategy is proving to be a game changer within Marvel. Not only does it expose lesser known characters to a wider audience, but it also tests the water to see if there is live-action life in them.
Recently, iF MAGAZINE had the opportunity to speak with Kyle about DOCTOR STRANGE and Marvel’s upcoming slate and got a sneak peak into the inner workings of promoting Marvel characters on a whole new platform in Part 1 of this three-part interview.

Video Interviews: Marvel’s Doctor Strange is Pure Magic!

Dr. Stephen Strange was one of the most gifted surgeons in medicine before his hands were left shattered and useless as a result of a car crash. Spending his fortune in pursuit of a way to fix his fractured body, the dejected doctor believed all was lost until the Ancient One offered him hope and healing in Tibet.
Training mind, body and soul with the Ancient One and his pupils, Doctor Strange’s scope, power and compassion grows as he steps closer to his mystical fate. But to fully embrace his destiny and protect the worlds of magic and reality, Strange must face betryal, death and the emergence of Dormammu.
Craig Kyle
Frank Paur (Director)
Greg Johnson (Screenwriter)

Live Action Doctor Strange Coming to a Theater Near You

With over 5000 different characters in their extensive library, this time magic is in the air! Marvel Studios is reportedly developing a live action Doctor Strange film!
The full length animated feature of Doctor Strange was officially released by Marvel today and the IESB is able to exclusively reveal that a live action Doctor Strange is currently in development.
Marvel has started taking the property around town and pitching it to potential directors. While we can’t confirm if a script has been completed or even commissioned, it’s rumored to be written by an unnamed writer.
This news shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering that Marvel is following a pretty simple template lately on deciding what live action movies to move forward on. The animated film is some what of a teaser or even a pilot of sorts to gauge interest in the property. Source