Benedict Cumberbatch, celebrated for his roles as Sherlock Holmes and the sorcerer Doctor Strange, is poised to take on another iconic British figure—though not the one most might expect. After nearly a decade of anticipation, Cumberbatch’s long-gestating adaptation of Geoffrey Household’s 1939 thriller Rogue Male is finally showing signs of life, with the actor and producer revealing that production could begin as soon as next year—if his superhero schedule allows.
Speaking recently on the popular SmartLess podcast with hosts Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett, Cumberbatch offered fans a rare update on the project. “We haven’t got a filming date yet, but it’s something we’re trying to slate for next year. We will make it, definitely... There are other huge commitments involving cloaks floating about,” he said, according to ScorpioLikeYou and Radio Times. That last line, delivered with a knowing wink, is a clear reference to his ongoing role as Doctor Strange in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe—a commitment that, as fans know, often throws a wrench in even the best-laid plans.
For Cumberbatch, Rogue Male has been more than just another potential star vehicle. It’s a passion project he’s shepherded since 2016, when his production company SunnyMarch secured the rights to adapt the classic British novel. The project quickly gained momentum with the hiring of Michael Lesslie—screenwriter of Macbeth and Assassin’s Creed—and backing from Fox Searchlight. Yet, despite the early buzz, the adaptation has languished in development limbo, overshadowed by the actor’s Marvel commitments and the shifting sands of Hollywood production schedules.
Why all the fuss about this particular novel? As Cumberbatch has repeatedly emphasized, Rogue Male is no ordinary thriller. “It’s the original fugitive novel and a huge inspiration for Ian Fleming for Bond,” he explained on the podcast, as reported by Radio Times. The story follows an unnamed English sportsman who, in a daring act, attempts to assassinate a European dictator—implied by author Household to be Adolf Hitler or possibly Joseph Stalin. The protagonist is captured, tortured, and left for dead, only to escape back to England where he is relentlessly hunted by both enemy agents and suspicious British authorities.
Household’s decision to keep the dictator’s identity ambiguous was no accident. In a 1970s interview with Radio Times, the author revealed, “Although the idea for Rogue Male germinated from my intense dislike of Hitler, I did not actually name him in the book as things were a bit tricky at the time and I thought I would leave it open so that the target could be either Hitler or Stalin.” This creative ambiguity, coupled with the novel’s breakneck pace and psychological depth, helped establish it as a foundational work in the spy thriller genre.
Indeed, the influence of Rogue Male on Ian Fleming’s creation of James Bond is well documented. Cumberbatch himself has called the book “a huge inspiration for Ian Fleming for Bond,” noting its “cat-and-mouse vibe” and moral complexity. The unnamed protagonist is not a suave secret agent with government backing, but a solitary figure, squeezed by both the forces he opposes and those who should be protecting him. “The longer we were exploring the themes of it and the motivation behind the guy’s actions, and the outcome, and how he’s turned on by his own side, as well as the side he’s tried to take down, it’s fascinating how it plays into the political spectrum of what’s going on in the world right now,” Cumberbatch reflected on SmartLess.
While Rogue Male has been adapted before—first as the 1941 film Man Hunt by Twentieth Century Fox and later as a 1976 BBC TV movie starring Peter O’Toole—Cumberbatch’s version promises a fresh take. The actor-producer has hinted that the new adaptation may update the setting to reflect contemporary political anxieties, rather than simply retelling a period piece. “It’s not just a period thriller to him,” noted ScorpioLikeYou, citing Cumberbatch’s fascination with the story’s current relevance and the way it “plays into the political spectrum of what’s going on in the world right now.”
Despite the delays, Cumberbatch’s enthusiasm for the project has never waned. Back in 2016, he told The Hollywood Reporter, “I am thrilled both as an actor and producer to be working on bringing this most treasured of English novels to the big screen.” Nearly ten years later, his determination appears undimmed—though he’s refreshingly candid about the logistical challenges. The looming shadow of Marvel’s Avengers: Secret Wars, which is set to film through 2026 ahead of a December 2027 release, means Cumberbatch’s schedule is tighter than ever. Still, he insists, Rogue Male remains a priority.
For fans of both Cumberbatch and the spy thriller genre, the prospect of this adaptation is tantalizing. Not only does it offer the actor a chance to inhabit a morally ambiguous, psychologically complex role outside the Marvel universe, but it also promises to bring a foundational, if sometimes overlooked, work of British fiction to a new generation of moviegoers. As ScorpioLikeYou observed, “If the cloak does not pull him away, Rogue Male could be his next big non-Marvel move—a stripped-down man-on-the-run thriller with some sharp edges and real lineage behind it.”
With Michael Lesslie’s script in hand and the backing of SunnyMarch, all that remains is for the stars—both literal and metaphorical—to align. Whether the film ultimately unfolds as a period piece or a modern-day thriller, one thing is clear: Cumberbatch is committed to doing justice to a story that helped shape the very DNA of the modern spy narrative.
As the industry waits for Cumberbatch’s schedule to clear, the anticipation only builds. For now, fans can take heart in his pledge: “We will make it, definitely.” And if history is any guide, when Cumberbatch sets his mind to something, it’s only a matter of time before it becomes reality.
