As we reported earlier today, Benedict Cumberbatch had to bow out of Joe Wright‘s “Anna Karenina,” but believe us, he has a good reason for what sounds like yet another first rate television project.
The Daily Mail revealed that Cumberbatch will be co-starring with Rebecca Hall in the five-part series, “Parade’s End,” that will air on BBC and HBO. Based on the book by Ford Madox Ford, the story is set against the backdrop of WWI and follows “Christopher Tietjens (Cumberbatch), a top civil servant from a background of wealth and privilege, whose marriage flounders almost as soon as it begins…he falls in love with another woman, but he remains honourable for some considerable time to Sylvia (Hall)” who has several affairs. On top of this, Chris is dealing with shell shock and partial memory loss that he endures during the war. The story spans ten years with Cumberbatch said to virtually appear in almost every scene from beginning to end.”
As if that isn’t enticing enough, Susanna White, who helmed the acclaimed “Generation Kill,” will be the behind the camera for the production that will shoot in the U.K., France and Belgium. And oh yeah, Tom Stoppard — who also penned “Anna Karenina” — wrote the script. Can we set our Tivo’s for this in advance?
Cumberbatch is angling for a helluva breakout year with Steven Spielberg‘s “War Horse” and he’s already been earning praise for his turn in Danny Boyle‘s stage production of “Frankenstein.” As for Hall, you should already know how we feel about her (one of the best actresses working these days, period). No word yet on when it will hit the cable networks but a mid-or-late 2012 bow would be a safe guess.
