When Benedict Cumberbatch found out he was going to be in the next Spider-Man movie, he went out of his way not to see any potential spoilers. In fact, it turns out the actor who portrays Doctor Strange in the MCU went to rather interesting lengths to make sure he didn't find out anything about Spider-Man: No Way Home until he absolutely had to know what was going to happen.
It's been no secret that the people behind Spider-Man: No Way Home worked hard to keep as much under wraps as they could during production. That didn't stop rumors from slipping out of the set, such as just how many versions of Peter Parker might eventually appear in the film. However, while efforts were made to keep outsiders from seeing or hearing about important story beats, Cumberbatch was going out of his way to not know any spoilers before he shot one scene or another.
Speaking to USA Today about his two latest projects, the Doctor Strange actor made it clear that he wanted to enjoy the surprises of Spider-Man: No Way Home. He said he did that by not reading ahead until he absolutely had to. He also said that he didn't read the whole script, avoiding scenes he wasn't in so that he could learn about some of the story along with the rest of the audience.
"I did that on purpose because I just want the ride," he explained. It turns out that this approach really did give him cover when he was pressed by interviewers for spoilers about what they might see later this month when Spider-Man: No Way Home hits theaters. When he was asked in the most recent interview, he said that he was a "Dead End" when it came to spilling any of the beans.
That approach might serve him rather well in the coming years. Cumberbatch said that he's ready to play Doctor Strange for a long time to come. While he's appearing in No Way Home to help Spider-Man fight off an array of classic enemies, the next installment of his own series is due to hit theaters relatively soon as well.
It might make some sense for the actor to take the same kind of approach, considering he's already admitted he's nervous about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Cumberbatch said he was most nervous about the expectations of the MCU fans who are wanting to see a truly great follow-up to the original Doctor Strange. Not reading too far ahead might help him deal with any case of nerves that strike.
Spider-Man: No Way Home premieres in theaters on December 17, 2021.
Source: USA Today