Joaquin Phoenix Won't Be 'Doctor Strange,' Marvel Looking for a New Star

After months of speculation that Joaquin Phoenix was on the verge of being announced as the star of Doctor Strange, the actor won't join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Deadline reported on Thursday that talks between Marvel Studios and Phoenix are dead.

In both July and August, we heard that Phoenix was on the verge of signing a deal, supposedly joining director Scott Derrickson on what will possibly be the biggest franchise in the post-Iron Man world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The idea of Phoenix playing Doctor Strange and joining the Marvel megafranchise was always a suspect one. Phoenix would be the biggest star to sign with Marvel (remember, Robert Downey Jr. is only a huge star now thanks to his Iron Man redemption), but Phoenix has never been the kind of actor to sign multi-picture deals or get on board with worldwide premiere tours.

With Phoenix out, Marvel has quickly moved on with its Doctor Strange search. Despite reports that the studio had a deal with Derrickson's Sinister star Ethan Hawke, Deadline says that those reports are "speculation run wild."

Doctor Strange is set to hit theaters on July 8, 2016.