Though in the comics Doctor Strange’s mystic mentor is male, Swinton would be a commanding, otherworldly fit for the role. The actress has portrayed such powerful geek film figures as the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the vampire Eve (opposite Tom “Loki” Hiddleston) in Only Lovers Left Alive, the stuffy administrator Mason in Snowpiercer, and the androgynous angel Gabriel in Constantine. She won an Oscar in 2007 for best supporting actress in Michael Clayton, and can be seen in the upcoming comedy Trainwreck.
Marvel’s first foray into the supernatural side of the MCU will see the Sorcerer Supreme played by Benedict Cumberbatch, with rumors that Chiwetel Ejiofor will also have a major role (see “Chiwetel Ejiofor Up for Leading Role in 'Doctor Strange'”). The film is scheduled to begin shooting this November in the U.K., with a release date of November 4, 2016 (see “Best in Shows--Q4 2016”).