Marvel's Benedict Cumberbatch lands next lead movie role

Doctor Strange himself Benedict Cumberbatch will be the next leading man for Bourne director Paul Greengrass.

News of the pair's collaboration emerged from Cannes Film Festival via Deadline, with the movie in question, titled The Hood, set to be a period action drama centring on England's peasant revolt.

In the vein of both Braveheart and Gladiator, The Hood will see Cumberbatch's farmer character transform into a heroic leader amid the action.

Lia Toby/Getty Images for BFI

It's been a monumental year for the actor so far, with Cumberbatch having picked up a Best Actor nod at the Oscars for his role in The Power of the Dog and headlined one of Marvel's strongest-ever box office openers in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.

Earlier this year, the actor also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where Marvel boss Kevin Feige praised Cumberbatch for becoming the "anchor of the MCU" and leading the film series into its next phase.

"You've always seen the tremendous potential in this character and because of that you've become the anchor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the only actor capable of guiding us through the madness of the multiverse," Feige shared.

benedict cumberbatch, doctor strange and the multiverse of madness

Disney//Marvel Studios

Cumberbatch also recently starred alongside Tom Holland in the record-breaking Spider-Man: No Way Home, and the actor recently revealed that his co-star encouraged him to improvise more on-set after seeing Holland and Robert Downey Jr shoot scenes together for Avengers: Infinity War.

"He did this thing which wasn't scripted at all," Cumberbatch reflected. "I'm quite a canon guy. It's about the text for me. To be free with that and to have some manoeuvrability in it and to be able to improvise, and on such a large canvas, was a real eye-opener."

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is out now in UK and US cinemas.

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Dan Seddon

Reporter, Digital Spy

Dan is a freelance entertainment journalist. Beginning his writing career in 2014, Dan's work first graced the pages of cult publications Starburst magazine and Little White Lies before moving onto Total Film, Digital Spy, NME and Yahoo Entertainment.

In the film and TV universe, he kneels at the altar of Jim Carrey, Daniel Plainview, Mike Ehrmantraut and Paulie Walnuts.