How Doctor Strange Writer C. Robert Cargill Really Feels About The Reception To The MCU's Version Of Wong
With something as incredibly vast and hugely popular as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is no shortage of memorable characters. Simply provide a base of a highly trained combatant or superhuman that will defend the Earth till their last breath, then add a dash of loveable goofiness for levity and you have the MCU's winning recipe for a crowd-pleasing character.
Though Wong(ers), played by Benedict Wong, began life in the MCU as a bit of a curmudgeon who militantly guarded the ancient tomes in the library of Kamar-Taj in 2016's "Doctor Strange," he has since transformed into a three-dimensional leader who's both silly and practical when needed. He also skillfully acts as the unwitting straight man to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and various others. We've seen him pop up in various MCU releases unrelated to the Masters of the Mystic Arts, slowly cultivating a more loveable persona by making us laugh harder and harder with each subsequent project.
Recently, Wong unexpectedly appeared in Marvel's latest offering, "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law." In his hitherto two-episode stint on the show, we get a quick peek into his mundane home life (What exactly does a Sorcerer Supreme do in his off-time?) and an unlikely friendship with an airheaded party girl named Madisynn (Patty Guggenheim), and it seems that was enough to steal all of our hearts now and forever. All this without ever leading his own MCU project. But how does "Doctor Strange" co-writer C. Robert Cargill feel about the Wong we currently know and love?
C. Robert Cargill names creation of Wong as a Top 5 career moment
While fans proclaim their love for the "Odd Couple"-esque friendship between Wongers and Madisynn, pop culture commentators have also started to offer their examinations of the character's development. Nerdist penned a loving analysis of the Sorcerer Supreme, in which the outlet extolled his character as he slowly developed a more lighthearted personality while still retaining the important parts of him that make him special.
The post eventually hit Twitter where it received nearly 300 likes and funny quips from fans. Twitter user @NeoDorito likened Wong to Agent Coulson from Phase One of the MCU, another character beloved by fans. Another commenter, @abhajaiprakash, coined a new superhero group that we're all a part of now: The Awongers.
However, likely the best response comes from a retweet by C. Robert Cargill, who co-wrote "Doctor Strange" with director Scott Derrickson and Jon Spaihts. In the tweet, he expressed his love for the character and the joy it brings him to see Wong's continued appearances, saying, "Creating this version of Wong with [Benedict Wong] and Scott is a top 5 career high for me. It makes me smile wide every time Benny walks in frame in any corner of the MCU. Love to see people consistently talking about a character I love that hasn't had a lead in a movie or show (yet!)"
Perhaps with the explosion of popularity for Wong and Madisynn, he can finally lead his own MCU series with shorts centered around the two hanging out. We can only dream.