The Accent

[Marvel Spider]

I've seen some discussion about this, so I decided to make a thread about it. Should Benedict keep his British accent for the role, or should he speak with an American accent like Strange does in the comics?

Here's a clip with Cumberbatch using an American accent, for reference:

[YT]NINGY71J-SM[/YT]

And one where he retains his British one for Star Trek Into Darkness:

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[KRYPTON INC.]

This is a case where I wholeheartedly don't care if they stray from "canon". Frankly, I've never thought of Strange's national background to carry over much into his characterization, and New York City is a town with people from all over, so if you want to have Strange be an ex-pat from the U.K. living and working in NYC, it's really not that much of a stretch to me. It's no skin off my nose either way, but gun to my head? British accent.

 

[kedrell]

I'd prefer he used an American accent. It's both comics accurate and will help differentiate his acting in this role from his work in Sherlock where I assume he retains his natural British accent(just a guess, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong as I've never seen the show).

 

[Mike Murdock]

I think Cumberbatch with a British accent adds more gravitas. As a surgeon, it'll help sell his pompousness (no offense, but British accents can seem pompous. Plus, there's the idea that he's so brilliant a neurosurgeon that he traveled all the way around the world to go to the best hospital there is). Finally, it'll help distinguish him from Tony Stark (pre-Sorcerer Supreme days).

 

[SlamAdams]

i don't really care which is usually a cop out answer, but its true!

 

[R_Hythlodeus]

Stephen Strange needs to sound sophisticated, so go with his natural accent

 

[Keyser Soze]

I'd say he should use his own English accent. Cumberbatch can do an American accent fine, but he loses a lot of the bass and gravitas his English accent has.

 

[Typhoon22]

Please Marvel please let him keep his British accent. Like most members mentioned, his voice is something else, maybe the most unique acting voice ever, so why not maintain it. It'll add gravitas and sophistication like others mentioned. Plus it'll help differentiate between other Marvel heroes and will make it stand out even more. Obviously Benedict has amazing ability in controlling and adding layers to his voice making it different every single time so he can tweak his British accent but please keep it British Marvel.

 

[Chance Jackson]

I'd prefer he used an American accent. It's both comics accurate and will help differentiate his acting in this role from his work in Sherlock where I assume he retains his natural British accent(just a guess, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong as I've never seen the show).

This, also keeping the American accent will help to differentiate Strange from Constantine, but I'm not exactly opposed to his natural accent either

 

[kaijunexus]

I don't think there's any reason to force Benedict to use an American accent. Dr. Strange can still be a New Yorker with a British accent. Simply say he grew up in Britain, came to New York to go to medical school, and simply never left.

Plus, Strange's dialogue has always had a sort of regal quality to it. I think a British accent would fit his mannerisms fairly well.

 

[Ghostcrow13]

I'd prefer he used an American accent. It's both comics accurate and will help differentiate his acting in this role from his work in Sherlock where I assume he retains his natural British accent(just a guess, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong as I've never seen the show).

They totally make a British actor on a British TV show playing a British character living in London do an American accent.

Also yeah let him do his own accent, his voice his way better that way and Dr Strange is not some sort of unmoveable American idol.

 

[UltraSuperGuy]

Normally I don't like it when they change stuff up from comics but I would be fine if this version of Strange was British, Cumberbatch sounds better with his native accent.

 

[jonathancrane]

An English accent would be fine with me. Now, if they want him to use an Amurican one instead, go ahead. It's Cumberbatch, so, he'll knock it out of the park either way.

 

[kedrell]

I'll defer to their judgement if they choose to go with the British accent. It's not a make or break aspect to the character, IMO. But I do think they'll want to take every opportunity to differentiate Strange not only from other heroes in film but also from other roles that Cumberbatch has played. If they went with an American accent I'd expect at least for it to be an upper crust, blue blood, North Eastern accent as it fits the character and frankly is as close as an American accent gets to a British one.

 

[marcvader]

I prefer him speaking in his natural British accent. I'm not really fond of his American accent.

 

[Silvermoth]

He has to be british. I can't really picture an American doctor strange even in the comics.

It would be like dormammu flies towards him and strange is like "hey buddy I'm walkin' ere" and then throws a bald eagle at him.

I know heaps about Americans

 

[Flint Marko]

He has to be british. I can't really picture an American doctor strange even in the comics.

It would be like dormammu flies towards him and strange is like "hey buddy I'm walkin' ere" and then throws a bald eagle at him.

I know heaps about Americans

That cracked me up.
I'd prefer he be American but I don't really care either way.

 

[JAK®]

I prefer it when actors fit themselves into a role rather than moulding the role to fit the actor, so Benedict should use an American accent like Dr. Strange is supposed to have.

 

[Curmudgeon]

He should stick with his British accent. His American accent isn't good enough to not be distracting.

 

[Loki882]

PLEASE keep the British accent. It's just so damn cool. Plus it really sells the "brilliant yet arrogant" aspect of the character. And we've got plenty of heroes speaking with American accents in the MCU already.

 

[MbJ]

Making Strange British also fits with the habit of the Marvel movies trying to avoid the "Everyone just happens to live in New York City" trope from the comics.

 

[Joeyjojo72]

Well, like a lot of British actors, he struggles with a Southern accent. But he can pull off a generic non-regional American accent just fine.

But if they go with his natural accent that's fine too.

 

[Iceman]

Strange's particular accent doesn't bother me as it doesn't tie in with anything important. He's a citizen of the world rather than a particular country. I just want him to sound unique and slightly other worldly which I think Benedict can achieve more easily with his native accent.

 

[chamber-music]

I wonder if Doctor Strange will even be set in New York. Doctor Strange will primarily be filmed in the UK and Marvel Studios seems interested in spreading the superheroes out more in the film universe than they were in the comics.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I think he will be. As far as world class hospitals go, I was thinking Baltimore or Philly would be a bit different. But those seem unlikely. London was just in The Dark World. Given all that, New York seems to work pretty well.