Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Doctor Strange Role Has Been Revealed, Sort Of

Universal Pictures

When we learned back in January that Chiwetel Ejiofor was joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe with an unknown role in Doctor Strange, many assumed he was in the running to play the Ancient One. But Tilda Swinton has since been named for that part, so maybe fans would get their wish and 12 Years a Slave actor would play Brother Voodoo. One thing was for sure, according to The Hollywood Reporter’s sources at the time: he wasn’t playing a villain.

Now Deadline is reporting that Ejiofor is indeed on board the supernatural superhero movie as Baron Mordo. You know, the Doctor Strange nemesis who technically classifies as a villain. Well, Deadline continues the assurance that he won’t be a bad guy in this particular movie. Apparently Mordo will not just be Mordo in the MCU but an “amalgamation of characters culled from Doctor Strange‘s mythology.” It’s unclear which other characters he’ll be. Maybe Brother Voodoo is one?

That might upset fans of the comics, and Swinton was already an unfaithful choice seeing as she’s a white woman rather than a Tibetan man. But maybe Mordo could become a villain later? I have no idea. For now, as far as I’ve been led to believe the villain in Doctor Strange will be Daniel Bruhl’s Baron Zemo, who makes his debut in Captain America: Civil War. At this point in the game, with all these interesting casting choices and altered characters, it’s anyone’s guess what the movie will be like.

All we know is the performances ought to be amazing, with Oscar nominee Ejiofor and Oscar winner Swinton joining Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular Sorcerer Supreme. And we definitely like the director, Scott Derrickson, who should bring a touch of horror to the franchise.

Doctor Strange is set to open on November 4, 2016.

Christopher Campbell: Christopher Campbell began writing film criticism and covering film festivals for a zine called Read, back when a zine could actually get you Sundance press credentials. He's now a Senior Editor at FSR and the founding editor of our sister site Nonfics. He also regularly contributes to Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes and is the President of the Critics Choice Association's Documentary Branch.
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