Marvel has officially announced that Benedict Cumberbatch will star in Doctor Strange.

After months of rumors and reports, we finally have an actor cast as Doctor Strange. Benedict Cumberbatch was rumored to star in Doctor Strange very early in the game, but those rumors died down as reports suggested Joaquin Phoenix was in talks for the role.

Producer Kevin Feige says, “Stephen Strange’s story requires an actor capable of great depth and sincerity. In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character.”

Marvel has confirmed that Cumberbatch will star in Doctor Strange, and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve always felt Cumberbatch was the best actor for the role, not just because of his massive fandom, but because he should easily be able to play a supreme being of sorts, with neurosurgeon intelligence and magical abilities.

Marvel’s negotiations with Joaquin Phoenix reportedly started to fall apart due to the number of films the actor was being asked to sign on for. As we’ve come to know, Marvel often requires their actors to sign extended contracts, and according to sources, Cumberbatch’s deal was “contingent upon his schedule,” which will reportedly allow him to continue work on his popular Sherlock series with the BBC.

Cumberbatch joining Marvel’s Doctor Strange also means he’ll be bringing a massive fanbase to what is essentially an unknown character. This is certainly something the studio was keen on, and it’s difficult to blame them for picking an actor who will undoubtedly bring some gravitas to the character as well.

Writers Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer are currently penning the script for Doctor Strange and we imagine Cumberbatch was very high on the list to play the film’s key role.

Benedict Cumberbatch can be seen next in The Imitation Game, where he plays British mathematician Alan Turing. Let us know what you think of the excellent Benedict Cumberbatch playing Doctor Strange in Marvel’s film adaptation, which is set to hit theaters November 4, 2016.