British actor Benedict Wong has joined ‘Doctor Strange’ as Wong. In the comics, Wong is Strange’s “manservant” basically a butler, nurse and kung fu expert, who aids the title hero when he is in need. He is tasked with looking after Doctor Strange’s human body when the hero’s astral form exits his body to enter the spiritual realm.
Benedict Wong most recently appeared as Kublai Khan in the Netflix miniseries ‘Marco Polo’. He may be most recognizable to U.S. audiences as Bruce Ng, a scientist in the Academy Award nominated ‘The Martian’. He has also appeared in ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Kick-Ass 2’.
‘Doctor Strange’ is currently filming and is slated to appear in theaters on November 4, 2016. Another Benedict, Cumberbatch stars as the title hero, while the film also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Baron Mordo, Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One, Rachel McAdams as Christine Palmer (maybe), Michael Stühlbarg as Nicodemus West, and Mads Mikkelsen as the major bad guy whose identity is unknown, but is apparently not Dormammu.
Doctor Strange isn’t traditionally an Avenger, although he did serve as a member after the ‘Civil War’ storyline. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige:
“All these movies are connected, so they inhabit — as the comics did — the same universe. Like Ant-Man, Doctor Strange lives in a world where aliens came out over Grand Central Station. Again, he also is a brain surgeon. When he’s in the operating room, he’s not thinking about those other things. He’s working on what he’s working on.”
The movie will essentially follow Strange’s journey from arrogant surgeon to Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe. At what point he acquires an Asian manservant remains to be seen.
What do you think? Will Benedict Wong bring something interesting to this movie?
‘Doctor Strange’ will be directed by Scott Derrickson and will be released on November 4, 2016.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
