Marvel’s supernatural guru Doctor Strange may have found his mentor, as THR reports that Tilda Swinton has entered talks to secure the part of The Ancient One. At this point Swinton is in the earliest stages of negotiation, but should she be successful she’ll be playing opposite Benedict Cumberbatch who was cast last year in the titular role.
In the comic canon, the Ancient One is a Tibetan mystic who provides counsel for potential sorcerers. When a car accident causes Dr. Stephen Strange to lose the use of his hands - an albeit vital element of being a neurosurgeon - he turns to magic to assist in his healing, which is how he comes to meet the mystic. On the page, the character is male but Marvel is keen on switching things up by considering Swinton for the part.
Swinton’s previous comic book movie dalliance was for DC’s 2005 Constantine film in which she delivered a small but scene-stealing turn as the angel Gabriel. Her recent genre highlights include the part of Snowpiercer’s totalitarian villain and one half of an amorous vampire duo in Only Lovers Left Alive, both of which have marked her as an acting powerhouse. And now we can’t wait to see how she handles the Ancient One...
Directed by Scott Derrickson, Doctor Strange opens in the UK on October 28, 2016 and the US on November 4, 2016.
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