doctor strange

Ant-Man may be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe soon, but we've got another classic Marvel hero on deck eyeballing his own spot on The Avengers. Doctor Strange, The Sorcerer Supreme (Benedict Cumberbatch), is getting his own movie late in 2016, and Tilda Swinton is coming along for the ride.

We've known for a while that she was in talks to play The Ancient One, mystical mentor to Strange and his nemesis, Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor). Now, in an interview with ScreenCrush, she's confirmed the casting.

"I’m a Marvel fan and I think this particular world that Doctor Strange goes into is really, really, really exciting. I’m really interested as both an actor and a fan to see what’s done in this particular world. It’s all about creativity. It’s not about everything exploding at the end. It’s about something very different. The idea of playing The Ancient One is really just too tickling. I can’t say no to that!"

Casting Tilda Swinton for The Ancient One is a pretty radical choice. Traditionally, the mystic has been portrayed as an older, Asian man which Swinton is not.

As if we needed another reason to get excited for Doctor Strange! During his interview with Empire, Benedict said “Some bits made me think, 'Wow. God. That’s what I’m part of.'"

He continued saying, “You have conceptual art that they show you, but you only really realise what you’re part of at the end of the process,” he said. “That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the effects while we were shooting, because a lot of them were real elements, whether it was sets that make a room miniscule, or the costume designs.”

...With a pretty strong exception. The Song of Ice and Fire author has always been a Marvel nerd, and recently told MTV Geek that he would love to write Doctor Strange comics -- but it can't be rebooted or retconned.

I would have to have my lawyers to meet with Marvel's lawyers and work out an absolutely iron-clad contract that would say whatever I did in the story would continue to be canon forever, and would never be retconned, rebooted or reimagined out of the universe when some later writer decided to mess around with it. Because I hate that, I hate — I've always hated reboots and retcons and the fact that a writer comes in and undoes what a previous writer did and, y'know, brings dead characters back to life, kills new characters that weren't intended to die. That's the one thing I don't like about comics. That drives me crazy.

So what do you think? Is it worth it?

There are reports saying that Joaquin Phoenix of The Gladiator, and going crazy on David Letterman fame "has had discussions" with Marvel and director, Scott Derrickson about playing Doctor Strange in The Marvel MCU. Hopefully we'll find out more at Comic-Con during Marvel's panel tomorrow.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) will take on Benedict Cumberbatch in a sorcerer's duel next November in Marvel's next comic to movie property, Doctor Strange. Stephen Strange (Cumberbatch) is a former surgeon, who after a serious injury to his hands, discovers a secret world of arcane arts and demons. Ejiofor will play Baron Mordo, his rival and former student of The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) who seeks power over all else.

Much like last year's Guardians of the Galaxy, Strange will open up Marvel's movie universe to a new realm. While Guardians showed audiences the galactic side to Marvel, Strange will introduce the magical/supernatural aspects. Hopefully, there's room for Blade or Ghost Rider in the near future.

Not sure if Derrickson's going with the classic Into Shamballa storyline from J.M. DeMatteis and Dan Green, or if he's just interested in the visual ambience of the piece, but either way it's a good sign.

Rhetorical question.