'Doctor Strange' release date and updates: Director teases a 'psychedelic' movie; talks about whitewashing

As the release date for Marvel Studios' "Doctor Strange" draws nearer and nearer, fans are getting more excited to see Benedict Cumberbatch don the cape and become the Sorcerer Supreme. Director Scott Derrickson takes time to talk about the visual inspiration for the movie and the controversy surrounding the decision to cast Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, Derrickson speaks about how the movie was inspired by the original comics made by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. He says, "If your love for the early Stan Lee-Steve Ditko comics was that visual, psychedelic ambition, I think you'll be pretty satisfied. The primary resource for the visual design of the whole movie came from those comics."

"Doctor Strange" is the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first step into the realm of the supernatural. It would take the role of "Guardians of the Galaxy," which introduced the audience to the Marvel Cosmic storylines. Even the fourth season of "Agents of SHIELD" is having a supernatural character surface in the form of Ghost Rider (Gabriel Luna). But then again, he could either be supernatural or Inhuman.

On another note, a lot of backlash has been going on about casting Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One. It has been tagged as Hollywood whitewashing because a Caucasian actress was casted to play an originally Asian character. Derrickson stands by his decision and says, "Tilda was a way of adding diversity in terms of not just an ethereal, enigmatic, otherworldly actress playing an ethereal, enigmatic, otherworldly character, but we're bringing a middle-aged woman who's not 28 years old in leather pants into the Marvel Universe in a major role."

He also goes on to say that casting Swinton for the role opens the door for Wong (Benedict Wong) as a character. Wong was originally an Asian manservant of Strange in the comics. This movie, however, goes against the stereotype prevalent in the comics and makes Wong to be more important.

"Doctor Strange" hits theaters on Friday, Nov. 4, 2016.