So many Star Wars: Episode VII casting rumors, so little time. Just last week we learned that Rachel Hurd-Wood and Alex Pettyfer were approached to star in the J.J. Abrams-directed film. Before that, Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling were in talks, the latter of whom decided not to sign on because he doesn’t do sequels. Plenty of rumors have come and gone, but this latest one is sure to get Star Wars fans and geeks alike talking.

Film Chronicles [via Bleeding Cool] reports that Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is in talks to star in Star Wars: Episode VII.

There were no details about the role. But Cumberbatch is 37, and one of the major lead roles calls for an actor who is in their teens or twenties, so it’s possible that the actor is in talks to play a villain, although I’m not sure if Cumberbatch wants to play another baddie again after already having done so in Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness.

But the timing of this rumor seems to be a bit too coincidental. Just last week it was confirmed that Cumberbatch would be dropping out of Guillermo Del Toro’s Crimson Peak. According to the reports, the actor cited scheduling conflicts as his reason to leaving the project. Then there is the fact that Star Trek Into Darkness DVD and Blu-ray is just about to be released, so this rumor brings attention to the actor and thereby the home release of the film. So it’s very possible that Cumberbatch was in early talks to have a role in Star Wars: Episode VII.

So what are your thoughts? Who should Cumberbatch play if he is cast?

[Source: The Film Chronicles via Bleeding Cool | Benedict Cumberbatch Photo courtesy of Shutterstock, used with permission.]

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