Benedict Cumberbatch, known by many as the villain “John Harrison” in Star Trek into Darkness and by few as the leading man on BBC‘s Sherlock, has some pretty massive rumors swirling about his strangely shaped head of late. Although nothing is confirmed, Cumberbatch is said to be in talks with Disney to play a “Vader-type” for Star Wars Episode 7. Now my understanding of this description – them using Vader-type instead of Sith – seems to come down to do a perceptions that the general public lacks familiarity with nerdtastic terms like “Sith Lord” – which is clearly all that they’re trying to get at with the description of anyone being “Vader-like”.

Any main villain in this next installment is sure to be a different beast than the iconic shiny-black-suit-wearing, respirator-box-chatting surrogate of the Dark Side. Who or what exactly he may be – if he is indeed involved in the project at all – is entirely at a speculatory point for now.

As for Cumberbatch’s involvement, a statement he made prior seems to suggest that he may be more than willing to be a part of a new part of the franchise:

“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,” Cumberbatch told Total Film. “And I loved them. I really, really loved those films and I always wanted to be Han Solo.”

Good choice on Han Solo, Cumbie. That’s who I wanted to be too. Mr. Cumberbatch however isn’t the only name rumored for this Disney-charted trip back to the stars as Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four, Magic Mike) and Rachel Hurd-Wood (Peter Pan) have both auditioned for roles. 

Hurd-Wood supposedly auditioned for the role of the daughter of Princess Leia and Han Solo, presumably the lead in the new trilogy. Pettyfer is said to be up for the role of Luke Skywalker’s son. Although both these characters feature heavily in canon, there’s no saying exactly which plot lines will be used for the offspring of the Skywalkers and Solos.

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