Variety reports that Benedict Cumberbatch, star of the BBC TV series SHERLOCK, has been chosen to play the villain in STAR TREK 2.
The unknown role, rumored by some media sources to be the TV/Movie genetic superman Khan Noonian Singh, was originally offered to Benicio Del Toro. Del Toro and Paramount could not come to terms, however, so the search went on.
STAR TREK 2 is set to begin production this month.
Cumberbatch will also be joining his TV Watson Martin Freeman in THE HOBBIT, providing motion capture and voices for the dragon Smaug and “the Necromancer”, assumed to be the dark wizard Sauron.