Benedict Cumberbatch is in final talks to play a puppeteer in 1980s New York in the Netflix limited series Eric.
BBC
Acclaimed British actor Benedict Cumberbatch is in final negotiations to star in the Netflix limited series Eric as per Variety. Set in 1980s New York, the six-episode show would star Cumberbatch as Vincent Sullivan, the lead puppet maker and puppeteer of America’s most popular children’s show. When his young son Edgar suddenly disappears, Vincent is plunged into a downward spiral leading to homelessness and substance addiction. His only companion on this journey is Eric, a seven-foot-tall blue puppet who guides him back to his son and home. Benedict Cumberbatch will bring his signature brand of intensity to the show, giving audiences a unique view into Vincent’s desperate plight as he attempts to find redemption. The limited series was initially announced in November 2021.
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Abi Morgan is the writer and executive producer behind the upcoming series and brings with her a wealth of experience across both television and film. Her on-screen writing credits include Sex Traffick, The Hour (which earned an Emmy Award), Iron Lady, Invisible Woman, and Suffragette, to name a few. Jane Featherstone, Lucy Dyke, and Carolyn Strauss will also executive produce, with Lucy Forbes directing. Notably, Forbes has directed shows such as The End of the F***ing World, and This Is Going to Hurt.
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Benedict Cumberbatch Also Set to Star in Londongrad Limited Series
Netflix
Benedict Cumberbatch is best known for his roles in films such as Doctor Strange, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Avengers: Infinity War. He is also a Golden Globe and Academy Award nominee, as well as the recipient of multiple BAFTA awards. Cumberbatch has been acting since the 2000s, where he starred in several television miniseries such as To the Ends of the Earth. Since then, he has gone on to star in numerous films and television series, including the Sherlock Holmes series and The Imitation Game.
His performances often garner critical acclaim for his remarkable transformation into the characters he plays. He has an ability to completely inhabit a character’s spirit with subtle nuances which make his performances unique from any other actor. Cumberbatch is also well known for lending his voice to various projects, including Necromancer, the evil Mirkwood sorcerer who is revealed in the Lord of the Rings to be the evil spirit Sauron.
Cumberbatch is also set to star in the upcoming HBO limited series Londongrad, based on the true story of poisoned KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. Litvinenko defected from Russia and moved to London in 2000. In 2006, Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive isotope polonium-210. This series will take a deep dive into the fight between Russian intelligence services and their enemies, including Litvinenko’s last stand against them. Cumberbatch is set to portray the controversial figure, which promises to be a gripping performance.
Stay tuned to MovieWeb for updates on the limited series and any new developments regarding Cumberbatch’s involvement.
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