Benedict Cumberbatch

Settle in and make yourselves comfortable. Benedict Cumberbatch is taking off his tie. Only a few minutes into an interview about his villainous turn in “Star Trek Into Darkness,” the English actor was all apologies for the distraction. But a painful pinched nerve required some tending to before he walked the red carpet at the New York premiere of J.J. Abrams’ highly anticipated sequel. A pinched nerve in the left shoulder? Perhaps Cumberbatch has been spending too much time in the company of angry Vulcans of late? “Ah, I see what you did there,” Cumberbatch said with a laugh. “Those who pay attention to these things will notice that’s the one that Zach grabs in the film.” Zach, of course, is Zachary Quinto, who, in reprising his role as Mr. Spock for “Into Darkness,” spends considerable time pursuing, punching and, […]

“Star Trek Into Darkness” is only a month away, but fans who can’t wait for the film to hit theaters May 17 (or May 15 in IMAX theaters) can sate their otherworldy appetites with a new trailer and new posters. Paramount Pictures released the final trailer for “Star Trek Into Darkness” today, and it boasts an epic score, plenty of action and a more desperate tone than the previously released trailers that in turn focused humorously on James T. Kirk’s brash recklessness and on John Harrison’s deadly threat. “You think you can’t make mistakes,” Bruce Greenwood’s Christopher Pike tells Capt. Kirk (Chris Pine) at the beginning of the new trailer. “But the choices you make could get yourself and everyone under your command killed. But I believe in you Jim.” What follows is a rundown of the events fans have […]

“Star Trek Into Darkness” is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the coming summer season, and theater owners got a special preview of the May 17 release as CinemaCon kicked off in Las Vegas on Monday. The convention is heavy on big summer tent poles. “Man of Steel” and “Pacific Rim” were set to be previewed, along with “The Lone Ranger.” The 18 minutes of “Star Trek Into Darkness” footage included some of the 9-minute preview that screened before IMAX showings of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” late last year, as well as a scene in which the Enterprise beams out Mr. Spock from a volcano, inspiring the worship of the local Nibiru villagers, and another in which Chris Pine’s James T. Kirk strikes an uneasy alliance with villain John Harrison, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. “I think in […]

With “The Avengers,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and more sci-fi and fantasy films, 2012 was a landmark, record-breaking year for spectacle entertainment. But 2013 looks just as promising with a host of big, anticipated sequels — including “Iron Man 3″ and “Star Trek Into Darkness” — and such smart new offerings as “Pacific Rim” and “Elysium” on the calendar. With that in mind, here’s a look at Hero Complex’s 13 must-see movies in 2013. “Oz: The Great and Powerful” (March 8) Sam Raimi’s upcoming “Oz: The Great and Powerful” promises viewers a journey down the yellow brick road that will include a breathtaking array of dazzling visual effects. The Disney film stars James Franco as the man who will become the Wizard of Oz, and takes place well before Dorothy arrives in the faraway fantasy […]

Fans anxiously awaiting J.J. Abrams’ upcoming “Star Trek Into Darkness” just got a little more information to ruminate over — Paramount has released the official plot synopsis for the film, and it offers a few juicy clues to the identity of the villain played by Benedict Cumberbatch. The synopsis reads, in part: “When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction. “As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death,” the synopsis continues, “love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, […]

If the title character of television’s “Sherlock” ever went looking for Hollywood’s Holmes, it would be the quickest case in the history of scenery-chewing sleuths. That’s because Benedict Cumberbatch — who plays a modern-day version of fiction’s greatest detective on the British import now airing Sundays on PBS’ “Masterpiece Mystery!” — lives in a vintage Venice wood-frame house that sits less than two blocks from the sleek offices of Robert Downey Jr., the American movie star who keeps it Victorian on the big screen. “It’s just right over there,” Cumberbatch said with a nod of his chin as he sat at his dining-room table. “I should go throw eggs or do something. I’ve never met him. I think he got a few [press] questions and then after a few more he was like ‘Who is this kid Cumberbatch?’ “ You […]

As rumors about which villainous character Benedict Cumberbatch will play in J.J. Abrams’ 2013 “Star Trek” sequel go into warp speed, we bring you a look back at the career of the English actor best known for portraying Sherlock Holmes. Before Cumberbatch made a name for himself playing literature’s most famous sleuth on “Sherlock” (with “The Hobbit” star Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson), the 35-year-old appeared in several Masterpiece Theatre productions, acted alongside “House” star Hugh Laurie in the sitcom “Fortysomething,” and won awards for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in the 2004 TV movie “Hawking.” Flip through the gallery above for a look at some more highlights from his stage and screen career, including recent performances in Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” and opposite “The Dark Knight Rises” star Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” The as-yet-untitled sequel is […]