Did Benedict Cumberbatch Improvise The Savage Exchange Between Doctor Strange & Iron Man In Infinity War? (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Benedict Cumberbatch proved he was a real-life sorcerer of sass during Avengers: Infinity War. That now-iconic line where Doctor Strange called Tony Stark a “d*uchebag”? Totally improvised. It was not in the script, but there was no going back once it happened.
Avengers: Infinity War mashed together Marvel’s mightiest heroes, including Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, for the first time. As expected, personalities clashed. Especially when Doctor Strange crosses paths with Tony Stark. Sharp minds, sharper tongues, and zero patience.
Right from the get-go, Strange and Stark bickered like two grumpy professors at a conference. Stark could not stop calling Strange “the wizard.” Strange, in return, had some magical shade of his own. When our very own Iron Man snarked, “What exactly is your job, besides making balloon animals?” Strange fired back, “Protecting your reality, d*uchebag.” And that burn? Straight from Cumberbatch’s brain, not the script.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cumberbatch recalled, “I remember on the set when I called him a d*uchebag, there was this sort of ripple effect. ‘Oh my God. Did you just call Iron Man a d*uchebag?'” He added, “They kept it, good for them. And then, it got the same kind of response at the cinema. I was just … I got bored of being compared to Liberace or whatever other retorts the guy with the same camp goatee had opposite me, so I tried to knock him down. It’s great fun to play with that stuff. You find your feet. The more times you do it, the more familiar it becomes.”
That one savage word summed up the Strange-Stark dynamic perfectly. And thanks to Benedict Cumberbatch’s quick wit, it became one of Infinity War’s funniest and most memorable moments. That was not the only time Cumberbatch went off-script as Strange. Over in Avengers: Endgame, he did it again — this time during one of the MCU’s most heart-wrenching scenes.
As Tony prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, Strange subtly lifted one finger, silently telling him there was only one shot at victory. According to Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson, that emotional beat was also Cumberbatch’s own touch. “Benedict told me this moment was an improv,” Derrickson shared in a 2020 tweet.
Between the brutal takedowns and soul-crushing silences, Cumberbatch’s improvisations helped define Doctor Strange’s cinematic journey. Whether trading jabs with Tony Stark or silently guiding him to destiny, Cumberbatch made it personal and unforgettable.
Looking back, it was clear: Marvel’s scripts were packed with magic, but sometimes, the real spellcasting happened on set. And Benedict Cumberbatch, with his quick thinking and sly delivery, proved he did not need a Time Stone to make Marvel history. Fans already loved Doctor Strange. Thanks to those improvised gems after Infinity War and Endgame, they knew they were witnessing a master at work.
