Benedict Cumberbatch defends Spider-Man spell: ‘It’s not really Strange’s mistake’

‘Everyone forgets that Peter interrupts the spell so many times’

Benedict Cumberbatch has defended the actions of his character Doctor Strange.

Cumberbatch starred in last year’s hit film Spider-Man: No Way Home, the third in the MCU’s Homecoming trilogy, which also featured Tom Holland as Spider-Man.

Spoilers for No Way Home below...

While the movie was a huge success, Cumberbatch’s character caught a lot of flak for helping Peter Parker cast a spell that would make people forget that he was Spider-Man.

Those who have seen the film, however, know that the spell goes wrong, allowing various villains and heroes from previous Spider-Man films to enter through the multiverse.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cumberbatch defended Strange’s decision to help Parker cast the spell in direct defiance of Wong (Benedict Wong).

“He’s a human being, and I think it was a very human error,” the actor said of his character.

“He saw Peter as a fellow foot soldier and then as a teenager going through a very formative experience of not being able to be his true self because of being exposed, and having lost a mentor, [Strange] decided to step in with a gesture of pretty good intention. But people seemed to think, ‘Well, it’s a very cavalier thing to do.’”

Cumberbatch added that he believes the “spell, on its own, might have been all right”.

Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' (Marvel Studios)

“Everyone forgets that Peter interrupts the spell so many times, and that’s what corrupted it,” he said. “That’s what lets it in. Peter, through the ability he has with his powers, affects the spell with his words. It’s not really Strange’s mistake.”

The actor added that Strange is “right to want to help Peter”, stating: “What kind of superhero would he be if he didn’t want to help another superhero? That’s kind of questionable.”

“I think somebody who cares about somebody can be forgiven for doing something that has consequences,” said Cumberbatch.

He concluded: “So, I empathise very much with the idea that a superhero can make a mistake because of their humanity, and I’m glad that I’m playing one that does.”

To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, Marvel will release a 30-minute special featuring cast and crew interviews alongside never-before-seen footage.

Find out how to watch Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home here.