Benedict Cumberbatch to Play Villain in ‘Star Trek’ Sequel
Benedict Cumberbatch, star of the BBC series Sherlock (which brings Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character of Sherlock Holmes into a modern-day setting) has been tapped by Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot to star in the sequel to J.J. Abrams‘ 2009 hit film Star Trek.
Cumberbatch will be assuming the villain role in the sequel. Bad Robot had previously been in talks with Benecio Del Toro for the role, but those negotiations broke down about a month ago. In addition to his role in Sherlock, Cumberbatch is recently finding himself with more film work. He stars in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and War Horse (both currently in theaters), and will be playing Smaug the dragon (via motion capture) and voicing the Necromancer in Peter Jackson‘s upcoming pair of Hobbit movies.
The crew from the 2009 film, headed by Chris Pine‘s Captain Kirk, are returning for the sequel. Joining Cumberbatch as newcomers in the cast are Noel Clarke, Alice Eve and RoboCop‘s Peter Weller. Abrams will return as director. Originally slated for a 2012 release, the sequel has now been moved to May 2013.