Doctor Strange: Rachel McAdams Role Revealed

When Rachel McAdams was first revealed as a cast member in the upcoming Doctor Strange film, many fans thought she would be a female lead in the movie.

As it turns out, sadly, she has a much smaller role.

McAdams will be playing a character named Christine Palmer, a nurse who worked with Stephen Strange before his accident.

This announcement came as a shock to many fans, as they had McAdams pegged for the role of Clea -- the Princess of The Dark Dimension -- and long-time love of Doctor Strange. The character is a staple of Strange's story, and McAdams has the acting talents to excel in the role.

At a Q&A on set of Doctor Strange, Marvel President Kevin Feige was asked why Clea wasn't included in the film, and why they chose to have Rachel McAdams play someone else. Kevin had this to say regarding the issue:

"We wanted a grounded character, we wanted a character that a connection to Strange's life in New York City and in the normal world. Somebody that could be his anchor to the real world. To his presence in the beginning of the film and by the time he encounters that wearing that, somebody who can comment on his transformation as a character. These cast as you all know is shockingly amazing. Rachael, who's finished her role, 99% of it, perfect timing so she can spend time in the Academy Awards now. We've planned it like that. Is great and can bring again, a grounded reality to the character Strange in the beginning of the film and then also she encounters some odd and strange and other worldly things when he encounters her later in the movie, you believe it. You believe that her reactions to what she's seeing. Like say, an astral form of somebody you used to know is an arrogant surgeon. Her reaction is funny but you also you buy it, you believe it."

Her role may be small, but Rachel McAdams will be much more important to Stephen Strange than her screen-time indicates.

In the comics, Christine Palmer took on the mantle of the Night Nurse, a role that fans will recognize from Claire Temple in the Daredevil series on Netflix.

Doctor Strange will release in US theaters on November 4, 2016.