Star Wars Episode VII Cumberbatch Rumors: Both Significant and Denied

Could actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who recently left Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak for undisclosed reasons, be reprising his role as director J.J. Abrams's biggest secret for the forthcoming Star Wars Episode VII? The actor, who played Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness--a role that was hidden from fans until the movie was released--is rumored to be appearing in the forthcoming Star Wars sequels, which Into Darkness director Abrams will likely produce all three of even if he does not direct them all. While earlier today it seemed that fairly expert members of the entertainment press were denying the rumors, Badass Digest is doubling down on the original report, saying that while they aren't certain it's a done deal, they don't necessarily believe the official denials they've been hearing (nobody is speaking on the record at all). After all, not only is Abrams notoriously secretive and open to denials of things that are in fact true, but there was a point where everyone with a microphone was denying that he was in the mix for Star Wars at all. That said, major trade publications are generally known to weigh in and confirm or deny reports like this if there's an obvious yes/no answer, and the report suggests they didn't break the story because of official denials. You might wonder, then, why they haven't denied it, either--but it's possible they have not yet weighed in with their own denials because they, too, are unsure what to make of anything less than an official statement coming out of the Abrams camp. Badass Digest are saying that in the version of the story they've heard, Cumberbatch will appear in all three of the upcoming sequels, possibly as a Sith Lord, and be a major player in the Star Wars mythology. "This part is why he dropped out of Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak," the site claims. "But it's not a done deal, and it may not yet come together. There are some other commitments Cumberbatch will have to break to secure the part."