The character she would play is Cumberbatch’s mentor, a mysterious sorcerer in the Himalayas known as the Ancient One, and in actual fact a bearded old man in the original comics.
However, Marvel put a halt to their search for a male actor to fill the role, gender flipping the Ancient One to female once Swinton expressed her interest. Yeah. That’s Swinton’s Hollywood pulling power.
FYI this is what the Ancient One looks like in the comics:
But Swinton. She got this.
‘Doctor Strange’ is Marvel’s supernatural/superhero tale of a brilliant yet arrogant surgeon (played by the Cumbersnatch himself) who loses use of his hands and spirals down a shady path that leads him to magic, sorcery, and saving the world.
The movie is directed by Scott Derrickson (who’s resume you’ve probably seen in the Netflix horror suggestions) and has a release date of November 4, 2016.
Image: Cindy Ord via Getty Images
