Talks are said to be in the early stages, and Marvel had no comment.

Character and plot details are being kept hidden from the all-seeing Eye of Agamotto.

Several sources have intoned that Ejiofor is wanted for a villainous role, but some insiders have pooh-poohed that. The villain is likely to be classic bad guy Baron Mordo, a sorcerer’s pupil whose next-in-line status is usurped by Strange, thus making him the physician’s mortal enemy.

If Marvel feels like mixing up ethnicities, a possible role could be that of Wong, the monk servant to Strange who is adept in martial arts. Another possibility is the role of the Ancient One, a semi-immortal mystic who mentors Strange and is the sorcerer supreme of this dimension.

Read more Is Benedict Cumberbatch Too Obvious a Choice for 'Doctor Strange'?

Scott Derrickson is directing the movie, which is in the early stages of casting and will shoot after Captain America: Civil War, according to sources. Strange has a release date of Nov. 4, 2016.

Ejiofor was reportedly due to play a villain in the new James Bond movie, Spectre, but talks never reached the dealmaking phase.

Ejiofor, who was nominated for a best actor Oscar for his performance in 12 Years a Slave, already has notched a number of villainous roles on this thespian sash, notably in Joss Whedon’s Serenity and Children of Men. He is currently shooting The Martian for Ridley Scott and stars in Z for Zachariah, which will premiere later this month at the Sundance Film Festival.

He is repped by CAA and Hirsch Wallerstein.

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