Rumor Of The Day: Benedict Cumberbatch To Play Familiar Role On Doctor Who

By David Wharton | Updated

This article is more than 2 years old

There seems to be a strange convergence of Benedict Cumberbatch news today. We just posted the first set footage from Star Trek 2, showing Cumberbatch smacking Zachary Quinto’s Spock around. Earlier in the day I referenced a fight between Sherlock Holmes, a role Cumberbatch plays on the BBC’s excellent Sherlock, and The Doctor. Now a rumor has hit the internets that veers unnervingly close to that offhanded comment. According to the Daily Express, Sherlock — or rather Cumberbatch — will indeed be squaring off against The Doctor, and in the role of one of Doctor Who‘s most infamous villains: the rogue Time Lord known as The Master.

Cumberbatch is rumored to be stepping into the role of The Doctor’s longtime nemesis for the show’s 50th anniversary. It’s not the first time Cumberbatch has been mentioned in connection to the popular British series; he was one of the rumored contenders to take over as The Doctor in the wake of David Tennant’s departure, prior to Matt Smith donning the bowtie. The Daily Express’ unnamed source says, “Fans will love the idea of the man who plays Sherlock Holmes taking on the Doctor. Benedict has often been asked about whether he would like to play the Doctor, so it will be ironic if he now ends up being The Master instead.”

This is still just rumor, and has yet to be confirmed or even addressed by anyone involved with Doctor Who, so take it with a heaping helping of sodium. Still, Cumberbatch would make a rather excellent Master, I think.