Benedict Cumberbatch has been tapped to join the onscreen adaptation of Matt Haig’s beloved book “How To Stop Time,” which revolves around a man that ages extremely slowly as a result of a very rare condition known as anageria.
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Benedict Cumberbatch – To Take Lead Role In Upcoming Six-part Series Adaptation Of Matt Haig’s Book
It’s not often that big stars like Benedict Cumberbatch agree to join a seasonal show, and when they do, it’s usually because the material is too good to pass up.
The script that’s got Cumberbatch agreeing to star in the series will be based on Matt Haig’s historical fantasy, which follows a protagonist that has lived alongside famous historical characters such as Shakespeare, Captain Cook, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. In the present day, he looks like he’s in his forties, but he has access to history that most of the world don’t.
Cumberbatch will play the main character Tom Hazard in the series produced by StudioCanal and Cumberbatch’s Sunnymarch and directed by Tomas Alfredson (‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’). DC Moore is attached to adapt Haig’s novel for the screen.
The novel was well-received following its 2017 release, earning positive reviews from the likes of The Guardian, NPR, The Washington Post, Kirkus Review and more. The fictional book blends genres, with history, love and fantasy being the foremost.
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Born in 1581, Tom has lived through centuries, enduring persecution and hatred from people who fear their kind. To protect themselves, those suffering from the condition came together to form a society and institute rules that will govern their existence. The first and most important one is that they must not fall in love, and this is to protect them from the grieve of watching their partners and children die. However, this rule is what Cumberbatch’s Tom is in danger of breaking, and for that, he needs to escape the secret society’s supervision.
Benedict Cumberbatch On What Attracted Him To The Project
In a recent interview, Cumberbatch revealed the reason he joined the series.
“When I first read How to Stop Time, the potential of this story was immediately obvious,” said Cumberbatch. “In his inimitable style, Matt once again explores what it is to be human and what it is to live a life — a very long one in this case — with pathos, insight, humor, drama and inspiration. I am so thrilled to be reuniting with Tomas Alfredson who is the perfect person to capture the scale, tension, and sense of humor alive in DC Moore’s adaptation.”
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Haig added: “Benedict Cumberbatch is the dream person to play Tom Hazard and was always who I pictured in my mind. And Tomas Alfredson is the ideal director for this story. The whole team is incredible, and it is so great to feel a story is in the best possible hands.”
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