It's Official: DOCTOR STRANGE to Star Benedict Cumberbatch

After months of speculation, it's official: Benedict Cumberbatch will star in Marvel Studio's Doctor Strange. The studio announced Cumberbatch's casting on Thursday.

"Stephen Strange's story requires an actor capable of great depth and sincerity," Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige said in a statement. "In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character."

Cumberbatch's casting shouldn't shock anyone. His name has been connected to Doctor Strange for months (years?), with rumors especially heating up in October after Marvel's talks with Joaquin Phoenix fell apart. During the casting process, a ton of names — including Jared Leto, Ewan McGregor, Ryan Gosling and Colin Farrell — were also thrown around.

Over the past few years, Cumberbatch has been everywhere, garnering a loyal following with Sherlock, earning Oscar buzz for The Imitation Game, playing Khan in JJ Abrams' Star Trek Into Darkness and voicing that fancy dragon in The Hobbit movies.

Doctor Strange will open on Nov. 4, 2016, falling between May 2016's Captain America: Civil War and May 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Scott Derrickson is on board to direct.