It was previously reported that the reason why The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) in "Doctor Strange" has been cast as a white woman instead of Asian was to avoid controversy between Tibet and the People's Republic of China. Marvel has since issued an offiical follow-up regarding The Ancient One's racial background.
A spokesperson has issued Marvel's statement to Mashable concerning the casting of Tilda Swinton in the role and why this was done despite the expected amount of backlash they would receive from audiences due to "whitewashing" the role instead of just casting an Asian actor.
It is also pointed out how important China is to the international box office of Hollywood films. Causing controversy by casting a Chinese as a Tibetan character or vice versa may lead to China boycotting "Doctor Strange" in the country and this may significantly affect the film's financial performance.
"The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic," reads the statement. "We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast."
It is pointed out in a report from Screen Rant that the film will not reveal who the previous holder of the title of Ancient One was and what racial background he or she may have had. Fans may continue to speculate if the former Ancient One was the one seen in the comics or someone else entirely.
"Doctor Strange" is already being touted as one of the most multicultural films in years. The report from Screen Rant points out that the character of Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is American. Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Baron Mordo, is of Nigerian descent, Benedict Wong's parents migrated from Hong Kong and the Mads Mikkelsen is of Danish descent.
"Doctor Strange" releases in theaters this Nov. 4.
