Marvel's Doctor Strange To Get Early Release In The UK

Marvel fans in the United Kingdom can rejoice once again! The studio's latest film, Doctor Strange, is now being released in the UK earlier than originally thought.

Instead of the initial release date of October 28, 2016, Marvel has decided that the property will hit theaters a couple of days ahead of schedule.

Announced via the Marvel UK & Ireland Twitter account, Doctor Strange will open on October 24.

The move is a surprise to most fans, but the release date overseas was already scheduled ahead of the United States premiere.

The UK release for Marvel's #DoctorStrange moves forward. Catch it in UK cinemas from Tuesday 25th October! pic.twitter.com/ZYm3RfBpcv

— Marvel UK & Ireland (@MarvelUK) September 7, 2016

Doctor Strange will open stateside on November 4, so American fans will have to wait 10 days longer to see the film than their English counterparts.

The strategy of an international release before an American is one that Marvel Studios has used before, and will likely use again.

Captain America: Civil War was released in 61 countries on April 27 of this year. Two days later, it opened in the UK. A week after the UK release, Civil War finally graced American screens.

While the tactic seems unorthodox, it has worked well for the studio.

Many films will release in the US first, in order to gain buzz and popularity. Americans attend the theater more than those in other countries, so studios use this as type of global advertising. If the film tops the box office in America, movie-goers in other countries are more likely to shell out cash for a ticket.

Marvel goes about their business in the opposite way.

Fans across the world love Marvel properties, so the studio knows it will cash in. The American fans, however, have become increasingly snobby about their super hero films. If buzz is generated on a worldwide scale, audiences in the US are inclined to see the film.

The UK will get more than a week to decide if Doctor Strange is worth the money, and fans in the US will just have to wait to find out. Hopefully, ten days doesn't seem to long.