'Doctor Strange' release date, spoilers news: Tilda Swinton speaks out on casting controversy

With "Doctor Strange" set to debut in a few months, there are still those who are determined to boycott the film because of the social issues surrounding the casting of actress Tilda Swinton.

The problem stemmed from the fact that Swinton was cast to play the role of the Ancient One, who, in the Marvel comics, was a male Tibetan character. Earlier this year, the film was heavily criticized for casting a white female in the role of an Asian male. Swinton was similarly criticized for accepting the role.

In April, "Doctor Strange" scriptwriter C. Robert Cargill commented on the controversy surrounding the Ancient One's casting during an appearance on the "Double Toasted" podcast. He said that the casting is a "cultural landmine" and that it is "absolutely unwinnable."

Cargill said that had Marvel portrayed the character as Tibetan, the Chinese government could take it as a political stand and ban the film. But had a Chinese actor been cast in what is supposedly a Tibetan character, political issues could be raised as well. Cargill also noted that casting an "Asian" actor would have been just another "losing proposition."

Around the same time, Swinton also spoke about the controversy, saying that she was not asked to play an Asian character.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Swinton said that her role isn't a "whitewashing" of the Ancient One, saying, "Anybody calling for more accurate representation of the diverse world we live in has got me standing right beside them."

"I think when people see this film, they're going to see that it comes from a very diverse place, in all sorts of ways," the actress added. "Maybe this misunderstanding around this film has been an opportunity for that voice to be heard, and I'm not against that at all. But I do think that when people see the film, they'll see that it's not necessarily a target for that voice."

"Doctor Strange" hits theaters Nov. 4.