--- ---  # Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Dr. Strange’s Incredible Transformation in New Featurette  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Sep 15, 2016 8:38 PM UTC  LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 11: Benedict Cumberbatch attends the Virgin Atlantic gala screening of "Black Mass" during the BFI London Film Festival at Odeon Leicester Square on October 11, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage) LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 11: Benedict Cumberbatch attends the Virgin Atlantic gala screening of "Black Mass" during the BFI London Film Festival at Odeon Leicester Square on October 11, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)David M. Benett—Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Sep 15, 2016 8:38 PM UTC When [_Doctor Strange_](http://time.com/4420799/benedict-cumberbatch-doctor-strange-trailer/)hits theaters Nov. 4, audiences will get to see [Benedict Cumberbatch](http://time.com/4401732/andy-murray-benedict-cumberbatch-wimbledon/) transform from neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange into Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange, his superhero alter ego. In a new featurette released by [Marvel](http://time.com/4394478/iron-man-riri-williams-tony-stark/) Entertainment Thursday, the _Sherlock_ star speaks about the metamorphosis his character undergoes when he begins to train in the mystic arts with the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). “Strange is incredibly arrogant, brilliant, sort of extraordinary. And his need to control fates, to control destiny and, in particular death, has brought him to the height of his profession as a neurosurgeon,” he says. “\[His training\] brings out this spiritual dimension which he never knew was possible and he soon realizes he’s potentially someone who can help on a grander scale than he’d ever imagined actually existed.” Watch the full clip below. Doctor Strange: Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Transformation ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4496007/doctor-strange-benedict-cumberbatch-transformation/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4496007/doctor-strange-benedict-cumberbatch-transformation/"},"headline":"Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Dr. Strange’s Incredible Transformation in New Featurette","datePublished":"2016-09-15T20:38:12.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:36:37.870Z","description":"\"Strange is incredibly arrogant, brilliant, sort of extraordinary\"","url":"https://time.com/4496007/doctor-strange-benedict-cumberbatch-transformation/","keywords":["Newsfeed","movies","Benedict Cumberbatch","doctor strange"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt547f0bb5d27ba70f/69889b74f887dc048fe9695c/benedict-cumberbatch-headshot.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt547f0bb5d27ba70f/69889b74f887dc048fe9695c/benedict-cumberbatch-headshot.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"\"Black Mass\" - Virgin Atlantic Gala - BFI London Film Festival - VIP Arrivals","caption":"\"Black Mass\" - Virgin Atlantic Gala - BFI London Film Festival - VIP Arrivals","creditText":"David M. Benett—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4496007/doctor-strange-benedict-cumberbatch-transformation/","name":"Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Dr. Strange’s Incredible Transformation in New Featurette"}}]}] ```