Jashandeep Singh
Benedict Cumberbatch’s film and television career is a testament to his exceptional acting prowess. The actor made his mark on the small screen with appearances in shows like ‘Heartbeat,’ ‘Silent Witness,’ and ‘Fortysomething’ before gaining widespread recognition as Stephen Hawking in the television film ‘Hawking’ in 2004. However, it was his iconic portrayal of the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes in the critically acclaimed series ‘Sherlock’ that earned him global stardom.
Cumberbatch’s filmography is equally impressive, encompassing a wide range of roles, from the enigmatic Khan Noonien Singh in ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ to the brilliant mathematician Alan Turing in ‘The Imitation Game,’ which earned him an Academy Award nomination. He has also made his mark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the charismatic Doctor Strange. With his exceptional talent and diverse roles, the actor is going to continue to captivate audiences on both the big and small screens in his future projects as well. Here is a list of all the upcoming films and TV shows of Benedict Cumberbatch!
1. There’s a Hole in My Bucket (TBA)
Directed by Robert Cavanah and narrated by Cumberbatch, this documentary follows Royd Tolkien, who attempts to complete a bucket list of 50 challenges in New Zealand. The list was left for him by his brother Mike, whom he nursed through the former’s final stages of a form of motor neurone disease until he died on 28 January 28, 2015, aged just 39. For those of you wondering why a documentary is being made on these boys, you should know that they are the great-grandsons of JRR Tolkien, author of ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ The documentary has been in its post-production stage for a long time, and we have yet to get a release date.
2. The Thing with Feathers (TBA)
Cumberbatch stars as a young father dealing with his wife’s death, along with his two sons, in ‘The Thing With Feathers.’ Cumberbatch’s character’s life gets turned around when a strange presence named “Crow” starts to stalk him from the shadowy recesses of his apartment. We also have Eric Lampaert, who plays the Crow, and Adam Basil, who plays the Demon. We are yet to find out more about these two interesting characters. The rest of the cast includes Garry Cooper, Pierre Bergman, and Joakim Skarli. The film, based on Max Porter’s novel ‘Grief is the Thing With Feathers,’ is directed by Dylan Southern. The project is currently filming, but no release date has been attached yet.
3. The Phoenician Scheme (TBA)
Wes Anderson will soon be back with his next surreal venture starring Bill Murray, Michael Cera, Benicio del Toro, and Mia Threapleton. Cumberbatch, as per the latest reports, is a new addition along with Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Rupert Friend, and Willem Dafoe. With such a talented cast and Wes Anderson’s filmography, we can easily expect ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ to be another mind-bending movie. Anderson has also co-written the story with Roman Coppola. The film will explore a strained father-daughter relationship within their family business.
Other co-stars include Tom Hanks, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Rupert Friend. Johansson, Benicio del Toro, Bill Murray, Michael Cera, and Mia Threapleton. The film is in its post-production state and will be released in Germany on February 13, 2025. A release date for the US is eagerly awaited.
4. Avengers Films (2026-2027)
While Cumberbatch is expected to reprise his role as Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars,’ Marvel cut ties with Jonathan Majors, who was supposed to play Kang the Conqueror, the main villain. Now, Robert Downey Jr. will return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, the new villain of Phase 6. While the plot and casting details have been kept under wraps, ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ will both be directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is currently under pre-production and is scheduled to be released on May 1, 2026, while ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ is in development and will be released on May 7, 2027.
5. The Roses (TBA)
To be directed by Jay Roach for Searchlight Pictures, ‘The Roses’ is written by Tony McNamara, who adapted it from Warren Adler‘s novel. The film is a reimagining of the 1989 classic ‘The War of the Roses’ and centers on Ivy (Olivia Colman) and Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch), the picture-perfect couple whose family life topples after Theo’s career takes a hit and his dreams come crumbling down. The film co-stars Ncuti Gatwa, Ncuti Gatwa, Kate McKinnon, and Jamie Demetriou. It is currently in its filming phase and is expected to drop in 2025.
6. Morning (TBA)
‘Morning’ is a sci-fi film that follows a society that has put away the need for sleep with the invention of a pill and artificial sun. When there is no end to morning daylight, living, and work, the younger generation of society considers rebelling to reclaim their dreams. Cumberbatch executive produces the project and stars in it as Frank, along with Laura Dern, Noah Jupe, and Naomi Ackie. The film, helmed by Justin Kurzel and written by Sam Steiner, is currently under pre-production.
7. How to Stop Time (TBA)
‘How to Stop Time’ is a thriller series about a man who can live for centuries without aging a single day. Cumberbatch plays Tom Hazard, who has lived for more than 600 years, only to get caught in a secret war. Based on Matt Haig’s eponymous novel, the show is adapted for the screen by D.C. Moore. Tomas Alfredson is set to direct the series, with Cumberbatch starring in the lead and producing the project. The rest of the cast is yet to be revealed. The show is currently in development, and its filming will begin in London and across Europe in 2024.
8. The Hood (TBA)
‘The Hood’ follows a farmer who becomes the leader of a rebellion against the Crown (14-year-old King Richard II) during the Peasants Revolt in 14th-century England. Cumberbatch is currently the only star attached to the project. The actor’s character is expected to remind us of the protagonists of ‘Braveheart’ and ‘Gladiator.’ The drama film, directed and written by Paul Greengrass, is currently under development, and its release date has yet to be announced.
9. War Magician (TBA)
‘War Magician,’ based on David Fisher’s book ‘The War Magician,’ tells the real story of British illusionist Jasper Maskelyne and his team who fought in World War II by means of their illusions. Cumberbatch plays the lead role in the war film and also serves as a producer of the project, while the rest of the cast has not been revealed yet. The film follows Maskelyne and a female military intelligence officer’s efforts to defeat the Nazis with the help of an international “magic gang” from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. The Colin Trevorrow directorial was announced in March 2021; however, there haven’t been any recent developments concerning the production.
10. The 39 Steps (TBA)
Cumberbatch also executive produces and stars in ‘The 39 Steps,’ a Netflix mini-series with at least six episodes. It revolves around an ordinary man named Richard Hannay (Cumberbatch), a mining engineer, who arrives in London and gets involved in resisting a global conspiracy that aims to reset the world order. The thriller series is an adaptation of the 1915 novel ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’ by John Buchan. The rest of the cast has not been unveiled yet. Mark L. Smith serves as the creator and writer of the project, which, as per the latest reports, is in its script stage.
11. Magik (TBA)
Directed and written by Stephen Wallis, ‘Magik’ is going to be an animated fantasy starring Cumberbatch and Dominique Swain. Cumberbatch will play the role of Lewis Clark, an author whose two young children disappeared. After this unfortunate incident, he comes across a world of magic and locks horns with the evil that threatens his world, old and new. Swain will play Calysta, a yet undisclosed character, presumably one of Lewis’ daughters. Matthew Goode and Jim Broadbent have also been roped in. The film is currently in development, and more details are awaited.
12. Londongrad (TBA)
Another series starring and executive produced by Cumberbatch is ‘Londongrad.’ The mystery thriller, based on ‘The Terminal Spy’ by Alan Cowell, tells the true story of KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who was allegedly poisoned and killed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s agents. Cumberbatch is currently the only cast member announced for the Bryan Fogel-directed project. The HBO series has been in development since 2021, but there haven’t been any recent updates concerning its production.
Read More: Is The Imitation Game Based on a True Story?
