Doctor Strange Ripoff From 1992 Was Originally A Marvel Movie

The 1992 film Doctor Mordrid – a clear ripoff of Doctor Strange – was originally a Marvel movie. Modern Marvel films are blockbusters, expected to dominate the box office for weeks and even months. They command immense budgets that would leave the studio execs of yesteryear feeling faint – Avengers: Endgame reportedly cost between $350-$400 million – but they easily make it back.

Rewind 30 years, though, and Hollywood insiders were convinced relatively few superheroes had the potential to shine on the big screen. Superman and Batman were the exceptions, but was anyone really interested in Captain America, a kooky patriot known for tossing his shield like a Frisbee? As for Ant-Man, he just sounded like a superhero version of Honey I Shrunk The Kids. As a result, for decades Stan Lee had labored to get studios to take his heroes seriously. Marvel entered the 1990s hopeful, and they struck several deals with screenwriters and studios in an attempt to produce a Doctor Strange movie.

And then, in 1992, Full Moon Entertainment – a little-known horror/fantasy-sci-fi company that tended to make direct-to-video movies – released Doctor Mordrid. Played by Jeffrey Combs, Doctor Mordrid was an ancient sorcerer sent to Earth to protect the planet from an invasion from the fourth dimension (sometimes referred to as the Dark Dimension). He was visibly reminiscent of Doctor Strange, right down to wearing a circular amulet on a necklace, and he lived at a brownstone in New York City that was markedly similar to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Doctor Mordrid’s nemesis was a monstrous power called Kabal who sought to escape the fourth dimension and conquer the Earth; he was clearly modeled on the Dread Dormammu. Even the spells were familiar, complete with astral projection. Anyone familiar with the comics would have been unable to avoid a raised eyebrow if they happened to stumble upon Full Moon Entertainment’s Doctor Mordrid.

It wasn’t a coincidence. Full Moon Entertainment had actually struck a deal with Marvel for the film rights to Doctor Strange. Unfortunately, the relationship fell through agonizingly close to their beginning production. Rather than just drop the product, they’d conducted what they considered to be enough of a rewrite to avoid claims of copyright infringement, and so Doctor Strange was reinvented as Doctor Mordrid. The runtime is just 74 minutes, and the budget was kept under control by setting a chunk of the second act in a police station. The final battle is hilariously absurd, as Kabal and Mordrid animate dinosaur skeletons to go to war with one another.

Marvel Studios finally brought Doctor Strange to the big screen themselves 24 years later. The true Sorcerer Supreme didn’t star in a direct-to-video film, but instead reigned in the box office, making $677.7 million, with a sequel on the way. Doctor Mordrid may have gotten a movie first, and it may even be on Amazon Prime nowadays, but he’s generally been forgotten.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4896 Articles Published)

See also  Spider-Gwen's Fight Moves Are Inspired By Real-Life Ballet And Dance Poses

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

More From Thomas Bacon