How Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Venom 3 Casting Could Impact Baron Mordo and the MCU

Theoretically, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the films in Sony’s Marvel universe are connected, thanks to the recent opening of the multiverse. Both Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home saw crossover between the universes, but a recent casting announcement makes you wonder just how cohesive the two superhero franchises actually are. We’re about to have an actor playing a major character in the MCU and one of Sony’s Marvel films.

On Tuesday, news broke that Oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor was cast opposite Tom Hardy in the upcoming Venom 3. That’s awesome news for Venom 3, because Ejiofor is an awesome actor and he brings a great presence to any film or show he’s in. The only odd thing about that casting is knowing that Ejiofor already has a substantial role in the MCU.

Ejiofor joined the MCU in 2016’s Doctor Strange, playing Strange’s ally-turned-rival Baron Mordo. He played an alternate-universe version of the character in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Theres been no indication as to how important he might be in the MCU’s future, or how Doctor Strange’s story will factor into the upcoming phases. That said, he’s a well-known character that is still alive in the MCU, meaning he could be a part of the story at any point going forward.

Different actors have played the same character across the multiverse, like the trio of Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire all appearing in the same film as Peter Parker. What we haven’t seen before, however, is the same actor playing different characters in adjoining universes. How’s that going to work?

The easiest and likeliest answer is that it really doesn’t matter all that much. Yes, the multiverse counts in both franchises, but they only have to crossover when it’s convenient for a specific film. Ejiofor’s casting probably has nothing to do with is MCU role, and it likely means he doesn’t have any Mordo projects coming up in the near future. It’s not that big of a deal.

That said, this is Marvel we’re talking about, so it’s worth thinking a little too much about. If there’s a theory to focus on here, it’s the idea that Ejiofor is playing Mordo — or at least a version of Mordo — in Venom 3. The details about his character are being kept under wraps, so anything is possible. Is there a chance that the MCU is done with Mordo altogether? That could also be a possibility. 

There’s not really a precedent for this type of situation when you look back at the Sony Marvel films that have been made since the start of the MCU. The only real comparison to be made is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is set to star as the titular anti-hero in the upcoming Kraven the Hunter film. He previously starred as Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The key difference there, though, is that Taylor-Johnson’s MCU character died, so no one is expecting him to be part of the franchise going forward. It also helps that we know which Sony character he’s playing, whereas Ejiofor’s is a mystery.

So what does this casting actually mean for Mordo and the MCU as a whole? Probably nothing at all. We won’t know until Venom 3 arrives in theaters and we see what Ejiofor does in the film. The more important thought here is whether or not this will impact casting for Sony and Marvel going forward. As long as an actor isn’t one of the biggest faces of the franchise, are they fair game to appear elsewhere? Ejiofor joining Venom 3 may start that trend.