While we now know that Mads Mikkelsen will be Doctor Strange's big bad (even if we don't know who exactly he's playing), where does that leave Karl Mordo? The Baron is trained by The Ancient One in the comic books, but when Stephen Strange discovers his plan to kill his mentor, a lifelong rivalry is created as a result. Will things play out on the big screen in a similar manner though? "In terms of his life with the Ancient One, it’s this long and intense relationship they have that’s just very deep and very connected," Chiwetel Ejiofor explained when asked by Entertainment Weekly about Mordo's ties to The Ancient One. "I think they both recognize in Strange this certain quality that they feel is going to be very useful in a situation they’re in — just by the nature of who he is, and the way that he operates, and the way his mind works, and the certain skill set and personality that he has. So, when they all meet, they realize that he’s somebody that can be plugged into this very surreal, interesting, sort of fascinating circumstance that they’re all in, and the dangers that they face. It becomes a process of assimilating him into their ways of life."
He sounds more like an ally than an enemy in that case, and it could be that Marvel will take a slow burn approach to turning Mordo into one of Strange's most fearsome foes. We likely won't find that out until next November, but when the actor was asked specifically if he's a hero or villain, Ejiofor responded: "Oh, he’s a very complex character that, really, I don’t think can be nailed down either way, you know. I guess it’s something to experience, is what I’d say..." Thoughts?