Why Groundhog Day Is An Important Holiday In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Happy Groundhog Day! To many, the day has multiple meanings. We find out how many more weeks of winter we're going to get. We remember the many lives lived by Bill Murray in that classic comedy with the same name. And if you are a devout follower of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, today is the day you remember Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) plunging off of a twisty road and landing in the water, ruining his hands and starting himself on a journey that would turn him INTO Doctor Strange.
That's some eagle-eyed observations of Twitter user MidnyteMercury, who noticed that the arms on Stephen Strange's symbolic watch froze on February 2 during the fateful accident that led to the ruin of his precious hands. As the fan points out, Strange "begins" his journey on Groundhog Day. And while that might be pointed out as something cool and fun, the fact that it's shared by Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson lends it yet another level of credence.
For this reason, too. Think back to the conclusion of Doctor Strange, to how the Sorcerer Supreme figures out how to defeat the pending threat of Dormammu. His idea isn't that different from the concept behind Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, where one man must relive the same event over and over, for an eternity, until he's able to solve a problem and come out the other side. Or, as Twitter users are now joking:
Now, this has reached a new level of awesomeness. Is it possible that Doctor Strange worked in a subtle nod to Bill Murray's Groundhog Day, and we had to wait until Groundhog Day for someone to figure it out? Even if this isn't officially the case, this is what I'm going to believe, and every February 2, I'll think now of Stephen Strange using a time loop (as suggested by Bill Murray) to flummox his mortal enemy, Dormammu, by returning to bargain, day after day, until the demon finally relented and admitted defeat. Then Marvel Studios shared this:
You soon will be able to catch back up with Doctor Strange, as the movie hits Blu-ray and DVD on February 28. Also, for a full listing of Upcoming Marvel Movies, click that link.
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Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. He's frequently found on Twitter at @Sean_OConnell. ReelBlend cohost. A movie junkie who's Infatuated with comic-book films. Helped get the Snyder Cut released, then wrote a book about it.
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