Marvel’s ‘Doctor Strange:’ Scott Derrickson Tapped To Direct Film And Jared Leto Is Rumored To Star As Stephen Strange

Filmmaker Scott Derrickson confirmed Tuesday that he will be directing Marvel Studios’ superhero film “Doctor Strange,” following which reports surfaced that actor Jared Leto could be playing the title role in the movie.

Derrickson made the announcement on Twitter by posting a photo of him holding a copy of the superhero comic, but the studio is yet to confirm the news. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, will reportedly produce the film, while Louis D'Esposito and Stan Lee, former president and chairman of Marvel Comics, will be executive producers, among others.

"I very much love Doctor Strange," Feige told New York Daily News in April, adding: "The way that 'Thor', 'Avengers' and now certainly 'Guardians of the Galaxy' tap into that cosmic side, it will be great to go into the world of Doctor Strange and the supernatural realm."

According to reports, Oscar-winning actor Leto could possibly play the role of Doctor Strange, the superhero who receives his powers mysteriously. Johnny Depp was previously rumored to portray the former surgeon in the film adaptation of the comic book, but the "Transcendence" actor denied the speculation.

Leto reportedly told Associated Press in April that he had been reading a lot of scripts after the success of his film, "Dallas Buyers Club."

“Yeah, I'm looking at scripts and reading scripts. Which is interesting because I didn't read scripts for years before Dallas Buyers Club,” Leto reportedly said. "But now ... you have opportunities to work with people that you really respect or admire, people whose work has been inspiring and influential."

Derrickson is best known for his 2012 film “Sinister,” and has also directed "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," and the upcoming "Deliver Us from Evil.”