Just about every Marvel film thus far has focused on science, from the alien technology in "Guardians of the Galaxy" to the advanced science in "Thor." Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige explained during a press junket for "Ant-Man" via BirthMoviesDeath that "Doctor Strange" will introduce magic and the supernatural to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The first thing Feige addressed is that Doctor Strange's home, the Sanctum Sanctorum, still resides in Greenwich and is in the same Bleeker neighborhood. He then noted that Doctor Strange and his home are the strangest things in the streets. After all, the neighborhood was once a "hip, bohemian enclave" in the '60s but is now an upscale community for the rich and famous.
Feige also explained why the Ancient One in the movie is being played by actress Tilda Swinton and why Chiwetel Ejiofor is playing Baron Mordo. The main reason for the changes is that the original source material, made back in the '60s, exhibit racial stereotyping and needed to be updated. The Ancient One in the comics is a stereotypical Tibetan monk while Baron Mordo is a Transylvanian noble.
With regard to changing the Ancient One's origin and gender, Feige said, "As we were developing this film we looked at The Ancient One as a mantle more than a specific person. There have been multiple Ancient Ones, even if this one has been around for five hundred years, there were others. This is a mantle, and therefore felt we had leeway to cast in interesting ways."
Feige also confirmed that the Ancient One will not be from Tibet but still from a city in the East. In the comics, he is from the ancient city of Kama-Taj, a mystical city where magic runs rampant.
"Doctor Strange" stars Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role and is scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 4, 2016.
