Rachel McAdams’ Role in ‘Doctor Strange’ Was Underwhelmingly Pointless, Fans Say
Rachel McAdams is one of the movie industry’s most sought-after actors today. She’s starred in movies like The Notebook, Mean Girls, and About Time, and the wide range of roles she’s played really makes her serious acting skills obvious to anyone watching her.
McAdams is clearly here to stay and has the awards to prove it. She’s recently snagged a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Christine in Doctor Strange. From high school bully to romantic heroine to a superhero’s love interest, McAdams shines in any role given to her.
However, some fans are saying that the role that was given to her on Doctor Strange was disappointing and a waste of her talent.
Who does McAdams play in ‘Doctor Strange’?
McAdams was cast as superhero Dr. Stephen Strange’s ex-girlfriend, Dr. Christine Palmer, in Marvel’s film adaptation of their comic book, Doctor Strange. Strange works in the medical field in New York City, which is where he meets Palmer, a badass surgeon who works alongside Strange and even needs to operate on him when he is wounded in battle.
Palmer and Strange used to date, but she ended their relationship and subsequently made a rule for herself ever to date another colleague again. Even after their break-up, she continues to support him and see the good in him, even when he can’t see it in himself.
When his hands get destroyed in an accident, she stays by him loyally and supports him through his recovery, only leaving his side when he says some really hurtful things.
Fans think that McAdams’ talent was wasted on the role of Christine
Although Christine is a sweet enough woman, she is one of the more underwhelming female characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Especially when compared with more fierce female characters like Black Widow or Peggy Carter, she seems to pale in comparison.
She is, at the end of the day, simply a superhero’s love interest who loyally supports him, and doesn’t get much of her own character arc.
Fans loved McAdams in this movie, so the criticisms about the character have nothing to do with her acting skills. “Rachel was wasted in that role to be honest,” one fan commented on Reddit.
Another replied: “100% wasted and I hope they don’t hesitate to recast her if a better role comes along.”
Someone compared McAdams’ situation with another actress who left the Marvel movies: “Honestly, I could picture it playing out like the whole Natalie Portman situation, they’re in kinda the same boat, both characters starts out just bland and boring then marvel could show up again and offer Rachel something more interesting to work with. I would want Rachel back, but if she were to realistically return it would have to be for something worth her time,” they wrote.
McAdams won’t be returning for the ‘Doctor Strange’ sequel
For better or for worse, McAdams has decided that she would not be reprising her role as Christine. In fact, Christine’s character may not even be part of the sequel at all, as Doctor Strange is sure to move into the Marvel Universe and stop having so much contact with humans.
“Strange is living full time at the sanctum now (at least I think so), and I don’t think that he would even have a need to see her. Don’t get me wrong, I would like for her to return and I don’t want this to happen, but it’s just a suspicion,” one Reddit fan speculated.
Some fans predict that McAdams’ character might get replaced by another: “Wasn’t it confirmed yet that Feige is planning on having Clea in DS2? If indeed that happens, then Clea basically takes Christine’s place in the narrative, and I hate to break it to you, but in terms of story purposes I think Clea has alot more potential,” someone said.
Fans would love for McAdams to return to the MCU, but it’s been confirmed that that won’t be happening, at least not in this franchise.
