Stop the presses people this latest race swap which will no doubt enrage fanboys and spur online debates is the casting of Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo, longtime Nemesis to Dr. Strange in the upcoming Dr. Strange movie from Marvel Studios. Now earlier this year he was rumored to be in talks with Marvel and many of us speculated that it was for something “Black Panther” related but now we have confirmation via Deadline that isn’t so. The article notes however that:
this version of Baron Mordo will be “an amalgamation of characters culled from Doctor Strange‘s mythology.” This mash-up methodology was previously used in “Iron Man 2” for Mickey Rourke’s villain Whiplash; the character’s civilian identity — Anton Vanko — was paired with Whiplash, a separate Iron Man villain.
So will aspects of Dr. Voodoo be folded into the mix as well? Since that would be a seemingly better casting of the award winning actor? Only time will tell! Addition notes include Tilda Swinton’s role as the gender and race swapped Ancient One.
“Doctor Strange” opens on November 4, 2016
What do you think of the race swap casting of Chiwetel as Baron Mordo?
What do you think of Tilda Swinton’s role as the gender and race swapped Ancient One?
Sound off Below
More as it Breaks!
Chiwetel will be great as Mordo. I’m less certain about the Ancient One though – the Ancient One is intended to be an Oriental mystic. Prominent South East Asian actors are rare enough in Hollywood it seems like a missed opportunity.
Erm wasn’t Baron Mordo white Of course this seems to be a trend nowadays- the late michael Clarke Duncan being cast the Kingpin( in spite of the character being white in the comics),Idris Elba as a black Heimdall in Thor. What’s next? Tom Cruise as the Black Panther
John Wayne as Genghis Khan, Mongolian (1956). Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, an Egyptian (1963). David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine (1972), chosen for the role instead of Bruce Lee. What’s next? Johnny Depp as Tonto? Oh, wait…..
Touche!
Yeah we know that white actors have been playing POC as long as there have been film. I would have rather they had done a Brother/Doctor Voodoo movie. People didn’t know the legendary Star Lord so the fact that Voodoo was a relatively unknown shouldn’t make a difference. I don’t agree with the casting for the same reason that I don’t agree with Tilda Swinton as the The Ancient One. Doesn’t feel organic to me. Oddly, I am looking forward to The Fantastic Four because that does seem organic and fresh and not forced. Diversity through supporting roles – not feeling it.
Although Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra was Greek.
I’m still not convinced Tilda Swinton is of *any* known gender or race. ;^) That said, I just discovered (and subscribed to) World of Black Heroes! Awesome website!
Tilda Swinton is most definitely FEMALE!!!
You personally know Tilda Swinton? Cool! I’d *love* to just meet- uh- her, right? LOL! She is quite otherworldly-looking though, wouldn’t you say?
No I don’t KNOW her personally but I’ve followed her on Twitter. She has two children- can’t get any more female than that!
You’re obviously taking my comments too seriously. *headshake* That said, you should have said “she’s given birth to two children” rather than “she has two children”. Big difference. ;^) Anyhoo…
Race swap is beginning to get on my last nerve! Just make a dam movie, put the right ethnic person for the right role, and make a freakin great movie!!! For diversity sakes is so ran into the ground already!
Updated! 🙂