Benedict Cumberbatch Says ‘Rogue Male’ Could Film in 2026 Depending on His MCU Schedule

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I’ve been waiting ages for Benedict Cumberbatch to play Roger Allam in a film adaptation of Geoffrey Household’s Rogue Male! It’s been a passion project for him for a while, and he was on the Smartless podcast saying it might finally get going next year. Apparently, it was a big inspiration for the James Bond novels, which makes me even more excited. While it’s not quite Bond himself, it sounds like a really cool, classic spy thriller he’s bringing to life.

In a conversation with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett, Benedict Cumberbatch mentioned the movie is still in the planning stages with no filming date set, though they’re aiming to shoot it next year. He confirmed he will definitely appear in the film, but hinted that other major projects, including those requiring costumes, are also competing for his time.

This comment likely refers to his potential role in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars film, which is scheduled to be filmed throughout 2026 before its release in December 2027. Although Marvel hasn’t officially announced any casting decisions for the film – the conclusion to their Multiverse Saga – it’s widely expected that most current Marvel Cinematic Universe superheroes will participate, and Doctor Strange is definitely a key character.

Benedict Cumberbatch is a talented actor known for many roles, but his latest, in Rogue Male, might finally convince audiences he’d be perfect as James Bond.

‘Rogue Male’ Is a Precursor to James Bond

Benedict Cumberbatch has been connected to the project Rogue Male for quite some time. His production company, SunnyMarch, acquired the rights to the novel back in 2016. Michael Lesslie, who worked on Assassin’s Creed, then joined the team to finish writing the screenplay.

I think Cumberbatch really hit the nail on the head when he talked about this story. He described it as the book that basically started the whole ‘man on the run’ genre, and a big influence on James Bond! As we dug deeper into the reasons why this guy does what he does, and how he’s betrayed by both sides, it’s just incredibly relevant to everything happening in the world today. It’s fascinating how it reflects the current political climate, and how complicated things really are.

In the novel Rogue Male, an English sportsman tries to assassinate a European dictator—widely believed to be Adolf Hitler, given the book’s publication date. After his attempt fails and he escapes capture, he returns to England, only to find himself pursued by both foreign agents and his own government. Many readers see this story as a clear influence on Ian Fleming’s James Bond series.

Benedict Cumberbatch will star in a new adaptation of the novel, which has been made into a film before – as Man Hunt in 1940 and a BBC TV movie in 1977. While it’s unclear if the new movie will be set in the present day or the past, Cumberbatch has hinted that the story’s themes resonate with current events, suggesting a modern setting is probable.

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2025-11-28 15:33