Benedict Cumberbatch Spills A Hobbit Nugget, Talks Star Trek, Sherlock And Lawyers

[Brendon Connelly]

Everybody has been talking to Benedict Cumberbatch it seems, and that actually includes me, if I can count the little Benedict Cumberbatch in my head.

Those who actually spoke to the real version managed to get responses.

Empire chatted with Cumberbatch on the set of Sherlock and, apparently coming out of a long embargo slash period of taking it easy with their feet up, have now shared some of what he said. Here's his apparently naive revelation about The Hobbit:

I?m playing Smaug through motion-capture and voicing the Necromancer, which is a character in the Five Legions War or something which I?m meant to understand. He?s not actually in the original Hobbit.

The Battle of Five Armies, which Cumberbatch apparently meant, provides a climax to The Hobbit as per Tolkien, but in the book it never featured the Necromancer - or, as he's also known, Sauron.

It seems like Jackson has rejiggered things somewhat, probably to bring the diverging stories of "Gandalf vs. Necromancer" and "Hobbit and Dwarves at the war" together in the climax. Good move. I hope he's also fixed the nonsense about Bilbo getting knocked out and missing all the best bits.

I think it's very interesting to know that Cumberbatch is providing motion capture for the dragon but not for the humanoid Necromancer.

Also able to speak to Cumberbatch were the amassed hacks at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, where he appeared Live! By Satellite! in the manner of some of the best episodes of Wogan and This Is Your Life.

Collider managed to transcribe some quotes on both Star Trek: The Second and Sherlock. Let's start with Cumberbatch on Trek:

There?s a lawyer standing here saying that I can?t say anything. I?m hugely, hugely excited and I?m very, very flattered. I?m very, very excited, but obviously I?m not here to talk about that. I will, in the future, I?m sure. I?m just getting my head around the fact that it?s happened. If you?ll forgive me, I?ll pass on that. But, my headline is that I?m over the moon.

And now, on the possibility of a third series of Sherlock:

You might see that it?s quite hard for me to make it back, after the end of the last episode. There?s another lawyer telling me not to say anything. I?m only going to tease you with [the fact that] I?d like to.

Get those lawyers some stools.

Sounds like Cumberbatch is having a great time with some exciting projects and he's in War Horse too. Busy busy - but that's the way we like him.

[Meyeraustin]

Holy shit...if ever a face needed a fist...

[FilmBuffRich]

Stop looking in the mirror and comment on the story.

[The Xenos]

Well, gee.. considering the final episode is entitled 'The Reichenbach Fall', it takes only a passing knowledge of Holmes history to know where that is likely to head. Then again, like fellow world's greatest detective Batman after him, Holmes didn't stay dead. Though I don't think Holmes was quantum leaping through time.

[Joe Kalicki]

Holy shit...if ever a face needed a fist...

That's actually among the most normal-looking pictures of him I've ever seen.

[Meyeraustin]

That's actually among the most normal-looking pictures of him I've ever seen.

I'm just pissed that he stole my porn name...

[I_Captain Blanco]

Though I don't think Holmes was quantum leaping through time.

I dunno...all three Sherlock writers do write for Doctor Who, after all...!

[longtimereader]

It would be a massive shame if Sherlock was to only last the 6 episodes. He did come back in the original novels of course.

[Mike H.]

I'm just pissed that he stole my porn name...

Just shorten yours to "Dick Cumbatch" and you'll be fine.

But don't shorten anything else in the process or you'll probably be unemployed.