'Doctor Strange' Movie News: Marvel Speaks Up About White-Washing
Marvel has been receiving criticism for their choice in casting a Caucasian actor for an Asian superhero.
It was previously announced that Tilda Swinton will be joining Benedict Cumberbatch for the upcoming Marvel film "Doctor Strange." She is expected to take on the role of Doctor Strange's mentor, The Ancient One.
Avid comic book fans are aware that The Ancient One is a Tibetan man, which is why there were concerns when it was revealed that Swinton was going to be the one portraying the role. Some reports accused Marvel of "white-washing."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
It was said that this has been a common problem in Hollywood, as Asians are given limited opportunities for roles in the industry. However, Marvel recently released a statement through Mashable that defended their decision to cast Swinton for the role.
The statement explained that Marvel has been constantly trying to expand through diversity, as well as steering away from stereotypes when bringing the comics to the big screen. It also read, "The Ancient One is a title that is not exclusively held by any one character, but rather a moniker passed down through time, and in this particular film the embodiment is Celtic. We are very proud to have the enormously talented Tilda Swinton portray this unique and complex character alongside our richly diverse cast."
In addition, the co-writer of the film C. Robert Cargill spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the role. He said, "He originates from Tibet, so if you acknowledge that Tibet is a place and that he's Tibetan, you risk alienating one billion people who think that that's bulls*** and risk the Chinese government going, 'Hey, you know one of the biggest film-watching countries in the world? We're not going to show your movie because you decided to get political.'"
"Doctor Strange" is expected to hit theaters this Nov. 4.
