Benedict Cumberbatch is keen on portraying the protagonist in a fresh adaptation of the 1939 novel about a fugitive, which also influenced the creation of James Bond.
Rogue Male, announced as being in development since 2016, has remained largely out of the spotlight until recently. Cumberbatch has reassured fans that the film is definitely still happening and that production will commence soon.
“We don’t have a start date for filming yet, but we’re aiming to schedule it for next year,” the Doctor Strange actor explained confidently in an interview with Smartless, asserting “We will definitely make it happen.”
Cumberbatch cites “other major commitments involving floating cloaks,” clearly hinting at his continued role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), as reasons for the delay.
As of January 2025, Cumberbatch might have indicated his return as Stephen Strange in the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday, though he appeared uncertain. In a recent chat with ScreenRant, when pressed for details about his MCU involvement, Cumberbatch chose not to comment, stating, “Frankly, it’s just not worth the potential backlash, trouble, and the tediousness of such answers lingering over me indefinitely.”
In Rogue Male, Cumberbatch is set to play a skilled English marksman vacationing in Europe during the 1930s who decides to target a notorious dictator through his sniper scope.
The marksman manages to take aim at the unidentified dictator but ends up captured, tortured, and left to die. The narrative evolves into a suspenseful chase, with Cumberbatch drawing parallels to Harrison Ford’s iconic The Fugitive and mentioning the novel’s influence on Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond.
“It’s the quintessential fugitive story and was a significant influence on Ian Fleming’s Bond,” Cumberbatch noted.
Cumberbatch also discussed the broader implications of Rogue Male, remarking, “It’s intriguing to see how it fits into the current global political landscape.”
The story, originally published in 1939 by Geoffrey Household, was first filmed by famed director Fritz Lang in 1941 under the title Man Hunt, and later adapted into a BBC TV film starring Peter O’Toole.
Michael Lesslie, known for his work on the Assassin’s Creed movie, was reported to be writing the screenplay for Rogue Male in 2016. Cumberbatch is currently prominent in the U.K. and Ireland with the film The Thing With Feathers, and his recent black comedy The Roses is now streaming on Hulu.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
