Will Benedict Cumberbatch wield a lightsaber, laugh it up with a Wookie or plot against the Rebellion with the Sith?
According to rampant online reports (with Film Chronicles first breaking the casting rumor), “Star Trek Into Darkness” villain and “Sherlock” actor Benedict Cumberbatch has been cast in the J.J. Abrams’ movie.
There are no details about who the British actor might play in the highly anticipated sequel, where original stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill are expected to reprise their roles.
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Back in January 2012, as filming for “Star Trek Into Darkness” got underway, Abrams raved about Benedict’s acting skills.
“He’s a genius,” he told AccessHollywood.com at the time. “He’s just an incredible actor. Honestly, if you’ve seen the work in ‘Sherlock,’ he’s just got incredible skills. He did amazing work in ‘Frankenstein’ [on the London stage]. He’s brilliant.
Benedict is the latest in a slew of “Star Wars” casting rumors that also include reports of Ryan Gosling, Zac Efron, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonathan Rhys Meyers all being considered for roles.
“Star Wars: Episode VII” is slated for release in 2015.
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