Benedict Cumberbatch To Play Star Wars Villain?

Benedict Cumberbatch is reported to have been cast in rival sci-fi franchise Star Wars.

The British actor is claimed by Film Chronicles to be the subject of "the big casting announcement" which Lucasfilm has been teasing recently.

Word is that Cumberbatch, who played villain John Harrison in the most-recent Star Trek movie, will be reunited with filmmaker JJ Abrams on Star Wars Episode VII - in which he will also play a baddie.

He has been linked by Badass Digest to the role of a new Sith lord.

Fuel has been added to the fire by the recent news that he has pulled out of Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak - which was due to shoot next year.

The new Star Wars movie is set to begin shooting in the UK early next year.