Rumour: Benedict Cumberbatch cast in Star Wars Episode VII

When Benedict Cumberbatch dropped out of Crimson Peak a couple of weeks ago, speculation was rife that he needed to free himself up to join JJ Abrams' Star Wars Episode VII.

Today the bloggers behind Film Chronicles have announced the rumours are true, with the fairly conclusive headline 'Benedict Cumberbatch is in Star Wars VII.'

They haven't confirmed a source, which would normally make us feel a disturbance in the force, but we're filing this one under 'C'mon guys, this simply has to be true.' Not least because we called it back in November 2012.

Conspiracy theorists have already noted that Cumberbatch and Kathleen Kennedy are both appearing at the Telluride Film Festival tomorrow, and Lucasfilm like to make Star Wars announcements on Tuesdays (apparently)…

Let's hope it's true, and that it's confirmed soon, with fans demonstrably running out of patience with how little we've heard on this project - still due for release in 2015 - so far.

If indeed it is true, we couldn't be happier - Cumberbatch told us earlier this year that he's a bit of a fan.

“I was much more connected to [ Star Wars ] as a kid, in the way that a lot of kids are because it’s immediate storytelling, very simple - a beautifully, outrageously simple narrative in a way - and a wonderful three-act melodrama, opera. And I loved them. I really, really loved those films and I always wanted to be Han Solo."

And for a host of other Hollywood stars talking about wanting to appear in Episode VII, just watch our videos below...

Sam Ashurst is a London-based film maker, journalist, and podcast host. He's the director of Frankenstein's Creature, A Little More Flesh + A Little More Flesh 2, and co-hosts the Arrow Podcast. His words have appeared on HuffPost, MSN, The Independent, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, and many more, as well as of course for us here at GamesRadar+.