Unless you’re a fan of the direct-to-video action circuit, you probably don’t know Scott Adkins by name. His most famous role was as Jean Claude Van Damme’s right-hand-man as the villainous duo in The Expendables 2, he played one of the super spies in The Bourne Ultimatum, as well as a few other supporting roles for major films. But if you’re an action junkie, Adkins has been delivering a steady stream of ass-kicking on the DTV circuit for a long time. Now, he’s set to up his profile in a big way with a turn in Doctor Strange.

The Wrap reports that Adkins is in talks to join the Scott Derrickson-directed venture into the world of magic in a mystery role, though a source close to the films says he will have “several major action scenes featuring hand-to-hand combat.” Obviously. Production on Doctor Strange is already underway in Nepal, but Adkins joins other recent cast additions Michael Stuhlbarg and Amy Landecker along the excellent primary cast of Benadict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton.


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Image via Millenium Films

While action scenes are certainly to be expected in any superhero film, those set-pieces can range from fist fights, to mid-air battles, to sword-and-sandals epic warfare. Adkins’ casting suggest a level of high-intensity hand-to-hand combat in the fight choreography. Adkins is a B-Action champ, whose movies see him kicking all the ass, stabbing all the faces, and generally displaying incredible martial arts skills. Much like when Frank Grillo was added to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, this has me really excited about the quality and technical execution of the set-pieces. Of course, we don't yet know if he'll be taking on a Grillo-level role, or just a bit part, but his casting assures at least one person will get kicked very hard in the face.

Catch up on our latest Doctor Strange coverage in the links below.

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