Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star in an upcoming Netflix dramatisation of John Buchan’s classic espionage novel The 39 Steps.
The Sherlock Holmes star is signed on for the lead role in a limited series. According to Deadline, Cumberbatch will front a contemporary retelling of the novel which follows the story of an ordinary man who inadvertently finds himself embroiled in a global spy conspiracy.
The action is set to unfurl over the course of six or more episodes. Edward Berger is signed on to direct the series having previously worked with Cumberbatch on the TV series Patrick Melrose. Mark L Smith, known for The Revenant, will take on scriptwriting duties.
Deadline reports that filming is set to begin in Europe next year, thus it shouldn’t be expected on the streaming platform any time soon.
The series will be produced by Anonymous Content, Chapter One Pictures, and SunnyMarch. Cumberbatch, Berger and Smith will also receive executive producer credits for the series, along with his producing partner Adam Ackland for SunnyMarch.
At present, they’re no further casting announcements or due dates for the exciting project, but more news is expected in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, you can catch a trailer for Cumberbatch’s recent legal drama The Mauritanian below.
