Marvel’s Doctor Strange is inching closer to being a cinematic reality. While details have been sparse over the last few months, a recent announcement has made me smile. British actor Benedict Wong has been cast to portray Doctor Strange’s mystical sherpa Wong. The character has evolved from his initial portrayal of humble manservant to the first line of defense between the Sorcerer Supreme and potential threats. The casting of Benedict Wong seems to indicate a push for the latter day portrayal of an amusing, yet focused devotee of the Master of the Mystic Arts.
For those that don’t know the history of Wong or are feeling the urge to slam Marvel on your Tumblr page, here’s a brief recap. Wong is descended from a family of magical devotees in the Kamar-Taj region of the Himalayas. While they serve the intentions of the Ancient One, Wong was seemingly assigned to safeguard Dr. Strange after he completed his initial magical training. Following the good doctor to Greenwich Village, the duo became a magical tag team against the dark forces attacking the Marvel Universe. Wong’s family is part of a long line of magical protectors of the Sorcerer Supreme. Wong’s father died while protecting the Ancient One from outside attack. That being said Wong and his family possess no magical abilities of their own, just a deep understanding and appreciation of what can be done.
If you’re wondering where you might’ve seen Benedict Wong before, Mr. Wong has starred in Prometheus and The Martian. Currently, you will find him portraying Kublai Khan in Netflix’s Marco Polo. Between Wong, McAdams and Mikkelsen, I’m loving the casting choices for this ambitious film. After the Entertainment Weekly photo shoot, I’m even starting to warm up to Cumberbatch playing Stephen Strange.
Doctor Strange joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe on November 4th, 2016.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter