Despite the fact that actors like Bill Nighy and Morgan Freeman were rumoured for the role last year, Marvel has made the surprising decision to search for a woman to play the normally male Ancient One in Doctor Strange opposite Benedict Cumberbatch. That will be none other than the amazingly talented Tilda Swinton!

She’s in talks to join the Marvel movie according to The Hollywood Reporter, and there’s no doubting the fact that The Grand Budapest Hotel and Snowpiercer star would make for a great addition to the MCU.

Does it matter that the character was a man in the comics? Not even a little bit, and this is more interesting if anything. Rumour has it that Doctor Strange will have a big role in the MCU moving forwards (possibly as the leader of The Avengers as we enter Phase 3 of Marvel’s grand plan), so they need to get this movie right.

In the comic books, Stephen Strange (a skilled and arrogant surgeon left unable to operate after an accident) seeks out The Ancient One for his help deep, but Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme refuses to help Strange because of his selfishness. When Strange discovers that the Ancient One’s apprentice is plotting to kill his master, he selflessly decides to accept the Ancient One’s offer to learn magic in order to help the old man.

This sets Doctor Strange on a far more heroic, path, and while his new master eventually dies in battle, his heroism leads to Stephen inheriting the Ancient One’s title as Sorcerer Supreme and returning to New York.

Want to learn more about Doctor Strange? Be sure to click here for our in-depth and easy to follow guide!