Where was Dr Strange filmed? From Kathmandu’s sacred stupas to NYC’s winding cliffs – the real spots where the Sorcerer Supreme bent reality.
Imagine wrecking your $200,000 Lamborghini because you were texting while driving on a cursed cliff road. That’s how arrogant surgeon Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) loses his hands – and gains a cape in Dr Strange (2016).
He crawls to Kathmandu, bullies a wizard (Tilda Swinton’s Ancient One), and somehow becomes Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme. Then he breaks the multiverse helping a teen in Spiderman: No Way Home, unleashes a reality-warping Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and grows a third eye.
Chaos, capes, and really bad decisions follow. Also starring Chiwetel Ejiofor (Mordo), Benedict Wong (Wong), Xochitl Gomez (America Chavez), and Mads Mikkelsen (Kaecilius).
Table of Contents
🧙🏽 Dr Strange Filming Locations
Grab your sling ring and a snack – here’s where the Sorcerer Supreme was hiding (or crashing).
🛕 Kathmandu, Nepal
Stephen Strange’s spiritual awakening in Doctor Strange (2016) didn’t happen on a green screen – it unfolded in Kathmandu’s chaos-choked alleys. The filmmakers dodged real rickshaws and holy cows to capture the gritty mysticism of Kamar-Taj.
The crew loved the authentic chaos of Kathmandu so much that they kept filming extra unscripted shots – including real holy men, passing rickshaws, and stray dogs wandering into frame – every time they paused for a quick chai break.
But watching Cumberbatch get mugged near a momo stand? Pure authenticity. Explore even more of Nepal‘s temples and towns in my FAM tour of Nepal.
What was filmed here:
- Patan Durbar Square: Strange’s desperate arrival in Nepal.
- Pashupatinath Temple: Passing holy men near river.
- Swayambhunath Stupa: Panoramic establishing shots with monkeys.
- Thamel District: Wandering streets and mugging scene.
🗽 New York City, USA
The Sanctum‘s facade isn’t on Bleecker Street – it’s hiding at 11th Street & West 4th in the West Village, where tourists now pose dramatically with sling ring hands (locals just sigh and step over them).
Upstate’s Hawk’s Nest highway (Route 97, Deerpark) is where Strange‘s Lamborghini met fate – and a cliff. The crash scene used zero CGI for the car flip.
A stunt driver actually rolled a specially rigged Lamborghini Huracán off a ramp while Cumberbatch screamed in a safety harness 20 feet away. Locals still say the road’s haunted by broken ego, airborne glass shards, and one very confused airbag.
Book a tour:
Where was it filmed:
- West 11th Street & West 4th Street: Exterior Sanctum Sanctorum street shots.
- Hawk’s Nest, Route 97, Deerpark: Practical car crash with rigged Lamborghini.
🌉 London, UK
The Brits know magic. Hogwarts vibes with a Marvel budget. Exeter College Chapel stood in for Kaecilius‘s dark ritual – the production paid £2k/day, covered the Gothic pews in fake blood, and gave a few praying students the shock of their lives.
Great Scotland Yard‘s cobblestones warped under the Ancient One‘s fist (thanks to Inception-style VFX and wirework), while the British Museum – where Wanda went full terrifying – denied interior filming to protect artifacts, so Marvel built a replica.
Security guards still begged for selfies between takes, including one who asked Olsen to “spaghetti-fy” his ex.
Book a tour:
What was filmed here:
- Exeter College Chapel: Kaecilius‘s dark ritual in Doctor Strange (2016).
- British Museum: No interior access forcing a replica build for Multiverse of Madness.
- Freemasons’ Hall, London: Exterior of the New York Sanctum in Multiverse of Madness.
- The Great Scotland Yard: Mixed practical wire stunts with Framestore’s VFX magic.
🍎 Somerset, England
Wanda didn’t just dream about the multiverse – she scouted it from a cider farm.
Burrow Hill Farm in Somerset stood in for the peaceful orchard where Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) hunts America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) through a dream-like forest in Multiverse of Madness.
Because a real frost killed all the apple blossoms before filming, the crew hand-tied thousands of fake flowers to every single tree. Cumberbatch joked he spent weeks “hacking up” fake ash.
After wrap? He was spotted drinking the farm’s award-winning cider in a mustard corduroy jacket. Local residents said security was tighter than Kamar-Taj‘s front door.
What was filmed here:
- Burrow Hill Cider Farm: Wanda‘s forest hunt for America Chavez.
🌌 Mapping the Multiverse
Not every reality-bending vista in Multiverse of Madness came from a soundstage.
While Elizabeth Olsen was terrorizing sets in Surrey, a separate “splinter unit” flew across the globe to capture epic plate shots – sweeping, CGI-enhanced backgrounds of mountains, forests, and crumbling castles that became the film’s multiverses.
Marvel kept Iceland‘s exact volcano secret to prevent tourist mobs. They filmed Norway’s Nordmarka forests to stand in for… Norway’s neighbor. Italy’s Dolomites became Mount Wundagore‘s demonic temple – a volcano given a castellated makeover.
And Vancouver‘s shiny skyline? Turned into the Earth-838’s skyline and the sterile Illuminati headquarters. That’s a serious travel expense report for a coffee table shot.
Book a tour:
What was filmed here:
- Iceland: Volcanic plate shots for alien worlds.
- Nordmarka, Oslo, Norway: Ancient Dark Elf forest backgrounds.
- Dolomites, Italy: Mount Wundagore‘s demonic temple ruins.
- Vancouver, British Columbia: Illuminati headquarters & Earth-838’s skyline.
🎬 Studio Locations
Most reality-bending happens indoors. Longcross Studios (Surrey) hosted Multiverse of Madness‘s pizza balls and decaying universes. Shepperton Studios built Kamar-Taj‘s interiors for the 2016 film. Because even sorcerers need craft services.
🍺 That Thor: Ragnarok mid-credits scene where Strange offers Thor beer and Loki an endless falling loop? Filmed entirely at Longcross on the existing Doctor Strange set. Taika Waititi snuck in early while the Sanctum interior was still standing. Thor never touched a single NYC cobblestone.
What was filmed here:
- Longcross Studios: Multiverse portals & Scarlet Witch fights.
- Shepperton Studios: Kamar-Taj training montages.
❓ Dr Strange & Multiverse FAQs
Everything you never knew you needed to ask about the Sorcerer Supreme.
Who plays Dr Strange?
Benedict Cumberbatch. Also voiced a dark variant in What If…?
Where was Dr Strange born?
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (comics and MCU). But he’s all New York swagger now.
What’s the Dr Strange third eye?
He grows it in Multiverse of Madness after using the Darkhold. It sees everything – including bad reviews.
Where was Dr Strange going when he crashed?
A neurosurgeon conference. The movie implies he was consulting on a “28-year-old Air Force colonel” (hint: Rhodey’s injury).
Where was Dr Strange banned?
The film was banned in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar for a same-sex reference (2022’s Multiverse of Madness). Dormammu wasn’t happy either.
Where was Dr Strange filmed in New York?
West Village (Sanctum exterior) and Hawk’s Nest highway for the crash.
Where was Dr Strange during Avengers: Civil War?
Still a cocky surgeon. His car crash happens in early 2016 – Captain America: Civil War is mid-2016. He was learning to stop dropping coffee cups in Nepal.
Where was Dr Strange during WandaVision?
Officially? No cameo in WandaVision. But fans obsess over why he didn’t step in. The real answer: Marvel saved him for the movie. Also, Wanda scared him.
Where was Dr Strange during Thunderbolts?
Not in it. Thunderbolts (2025) focuses on anti-heroes. Strange is busy with incursions. Maybe next time.
Where was Dr Strange in Shang-Chi?
In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Dr Strange appeared in a post-credits scene only (via hologram). He helped analyze the Ten Rings. Wong did the heavy lifting.
Where was Dr Strange in Far From Home?
Nowhere. Peter relied on Mysterio‘s fake Elementals in Far From Home. Strange was probably tidying the Sanctum after Thor messed it up.
What are the Dr Strange movies in order (chronological) including cameos?
- Doctor Strange (2016)
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
Is there a Dr Strange 3?
Yes – actively developing, expected 2027. Teased in Multiverse of Madness post-credits where Clea (Charlize Theron) drags Strange into the Dark Dimension to fix an incursion.
Will Dr Strange be in Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Secret Wars (2027)?
Confirmed. Cumberbatch says he’s “quite central.” Comic fans think he becomes Doctor Doom’s “Sheriff.”
📺 Where to Watch the Doctor Strange Movies
Ready to rewatch the time loops and multiverse jumps? Here’s where to stream or buy.
- Amazon Prime: Stream both Doctor Strange movies.
- Blu-Ray: Own the box sets with deleted scenes.
- Other platforms: Disney+, Apple TV, Vudu/Fandango.
Now grab your sling ring, book a flight to Kathmandu (avoid the cliff roads), and may all your multiverse hops land on a pizza ball universe. 🍕🌀
Disclaimer: This fan-created article is provided for entertainment purposes only. We don’t guarantee the accuracy of any of these facts and don’t recommend making important life decisions based on them. All referenced titles, names, and related intellectual property are the property of their respective owners, and no copyright infringement is intended.
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