While fans still have three Marvel Phase Two movies coming in the next two years (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Age of Ultron), the studio is already prepping its Phase Three slate, which kicks off with Edgar Wright's Ant-Man in 2015. Marvel is currently seeking directors for their only other confirmed Phase Three movie, Doctor Strange, with Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies), Mark Andrews (Brave), Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) and Dean Israelite (Welcome to Yesterday) currently in contention.

The studio has either already met with these filmmakers, or are about to meet with them in the coming weeks. Marvel is also seeking screenwriters to work in tandem with a director to develop the story together, or a filmmaker who can both write and direct. Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (Kung Fu Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2, Kung Fu Panda 3) are in contention to write the script, which was previously worked on by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer.

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created Doctor Strange, who first appeared in Strange Tales #110 in 1963. Born Stephen Vincent Strange, the character was an arrogant neurosurgeon before a devastating car accident shattered the bones in his hands, causing them to tremble uncontrollably. He journeys to Tibet in search of a cure, when he saves The Ancient One from his disciple Baron Mordo in an act of selflessness, leading The Ancient One to teach the mystical arts to Doctor Strange.

One of Marvel's primary challenges with this project is finding a way to make the magical elements mesh with high-tech aspects seen in other Marvel movies such as Iron Man and Marvel's The Avengers, along with finding the right way to convey his colorful costume and his amulet known as the Eye of Agamotto.

We last reported on this project back in July, when Joseph Gordon-Levitt was rumored as the front runner to play the title character, although it's clear that Marvel isn't focused on casting at this time.

Do you have a favorite among these candidates to direct Doctor Strange? Or do you think another filmmaker is better suited to bring this character to life?