Benedict Wong recently hinted at his character’s much-anticipated return in future Marvel projects. Speaking at the premiere of Netflix’s The Three-Body Problem, Wong teased “something looming” on the horizon for his MCU character, though specific details remained under wraps.
Discussing the character’s origins and the decision to modernize him for contemporary audiences, the British actor recounted his initial discussions with Marvel’s creative team. “When I first embarked on the role, we looked at the old source material and it needed an update,” Wong told Variety.
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He was adamant about diverging from the original comics’ portrayal, a sentiment that was shared by Marvel’s Kevin Feige and producer Stephen Broussard. This collaborative mindset led to the reimagining of Wong as a “no-nonsense, midfield general librarian,” with the character drawing inspiration from the leadership qualities of Roy Keane, the renowned former Manchester United player.
Wong’s character evolution didn’t stop there. Under the direction of Sam Raimi for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Wong was elevated to the Sorcerer Supreme, a development that thrilled the actor. “Here was this legend. He said, ‘Of course, you’re going to be the Sorcerer Supreme,’ and as this geek, it’s so great what they’ve done with the character and how he stands toe-to-toe with Doctor Strange,” Wong shared, expressing his enthusiasm for the character’s growth and significance within the MCU.
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Amidst speculation about future projects, including a potential Strange Academy series where Wong would mentor young America Chavez (played by Xochitl Gomez), Marvel Studios’ Brad Winderbaum has hinted at a wide array of developments within the MCU. However, with an increasing number of projects in the pipeline, not all are guaranteed to proceed. This new approach, as described by Winderbaum, mirrors a traditional studio model, prioritizing development over production to refine the slate of upcoming Marvel stories.
In addition to his MCU work, Wong is set to appear in the English-language remake of Bad Genius and Netflix’s adaptation of The Three-Body Problem.
