Doctor Strange director teases major villain behind Mads Mikkelsen’s Kaecilius

Mads Mikkelsen’s ‘Doctor Strange’ antagonist Kaecilius is under the control of another mysterious character in the upcoming film, according to director Scott Derrickson.

His comments tease the presence of a fan-favourite villain Dormammu, who is one of the good doctor’s most powerful foes.

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Speaking to IGN, Derrickson said: “What we wanted [from Kaecilius] was a character that was rooted in the real. This is certainly what I was pitching from the beginning was an antagonist who was rooted in the real world… so that there could be an intimate relatability between Strange and his adversary.

"But who was empowered by something else. By something otherworldly. And connected to something else otherworldly, which comes straight from the comics. Another and I’ll say this, another character straight from the comics, you know. And that was, that became interesting to me.”

There aren’t many characters that could be, and Dormammu is certainly the most likely. In the comic book source material Kaecilius - a rogue pupil of the powerful Ancient One - is controlled by Baron Mordo who in turn is controlled by Dormammu.

Mordo is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor in the upcoming film, but he won’t be the villain we know him to be. He’ll be portrayed as an ally of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, at least initially.

Dormammu is the ruler of an alternate dimension, and he could be the kind of major villain who could clash with many more superheroes than just Strange.

Citing a famous example of how the relationship between Kaecilius and the “otherworldly” presence controlling him could work on screen, Derrickson said: “I always loved, I mean, the Sauron-Saruman idea in 'Lord of the Rings’, even though you never see Sauron except I think in the prologue. I think that’s the only time you ever see him in that trilogy, but what a presence and what a power.”

'Doctor Strange’ will introduce Stephen Strange to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After a car crash, Strange, a skilled but arrogant surgeon, severely injures his hands. In the hope of finding a cure he instead finds The Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) who teaches him the mystic arts.

To coincide with the set visit reports this quote came from, Marvel also released a trio of new character posters (below) focusing on Strange, Benedict Wong’s Wong and Rachel McAdam’s Christine Palmer.

'Doctor Strange is set for release on 25 October.

Picture Credits: Marvel