We news Tilda Swinton was being courted to play the Ancient One, limiting the options for Ejiofor, but today we got our answer.
Reported by Deadline, we now know he will be portraying the villain Baron Mordo opposite Benedict Cumberbatch‘s title character, and as with the Swinton’s character, Ejiofor’s version of Baron Mordo will be receiving a bit of tweaking.
Deadline says Baron Mordo will be the amalgamation of a few different characters. Who those characters are and what changes exactly will be made aren’t known at this time. In the comics, Baron Mordo is a former student of the Ancient One, like Strange. After plotting to kill the Ancient One, Mordo is stopped by Strange, thus becoming mortal enemies.
Are they building Ejiofor into a sort of anti-hero with the rumored changes to the character? With Loki seemingly out of the picture in the future Marvel movies outside of the next Thor, maybe they are looking at Mordo as a character that might appear in multiple franchises. Ejiofor is definitely capable of more than just the standard villain role.
As it stands now, Doctor Strange is shaping up to have quite a few accomplished actors. Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, and Chiwetel Ejiofor have all been nominated for Academy Awards, with Swinton winning Best Supporting Actress in 2008 (Michael Clayton). It’s apparent Marvel is betting big on Doctor Strange and for that I can only be appreciative and hopeful it ends up as good as this cast.
Filming for Doctor Strange is set to commence in the Fall, with the release date set for November 4, 2016.
