After giving an absolutely incredible performance as Solomon Northup in 12 Years A Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor may be reuniting with Benedict Cumberbatch in Doctor Strange.

The Wrap is reporting that Ejiofor has already turned down other roles in anticipation for this very mysterious role. While Marvel has yet to confirm the casting, director Scott Derrickson is expected to begin filming this fall.

Rumors circling this report say that the role Ejiofor may be up for is the Ancient One, not the villain Baron Mordo. The former is a bit strange (no pun intended), because the Ancient One is a much older character. But Marvel may have something else in mind if they are going that route.

THR says that he may be playing Wong, Doctor Strange’s assistant/sidesick. Though the character is traditionally Chinese in the comics, Marvel has a reputation of mixing ethnicities for some of their characters.

Ejiofor was in talks to play the villain in the new James Bond movie, Spectre, but that deal fell through.

Jon Spaihts (Prometheus) wrote the script for Doctor Strange, which we still don’t know much about either. But it is rumored that the film will forgo the traditional origins story and introduce Doctor Strange as an already established character.

Ejiofor’s next film, Z For Zachariah, is making its premiere at Sundance this week. After that comes John Hillcoat’s crime drama Triple Nine. The actor is currently filming Ridley Scott”˜s The Martian, which will be followed up by Billy Ray”˜s The Secret in Their Eyes.

In addition to his Oscar-nominated performance in 12 Years A Slave, his previous credits include American Gangster, Children of Men, Love Actually, and the Firefly movie Serenity.

Doctor Strange is scheduled to open on November 4.

[Source: The Wrap | THR]