Benedict Cumberbatch Will Star in and Produce THE CHILD IN TIME for Masterpiece
Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star in and executive produce an adaption of Ian McEwan’s novel The Child in Time as a TV movie for BBC One and Masterpiece. This is film will tell an extremely heavy and dramatic story, and it will be different from anything that Cumberbatch has done before. It's also the first project he's developing from his SunnyMarch TV.
The film will explore the dark territory of a marriage devastated by the loss of a child: Cumberbatch will play children’s author Stephen Lewis, who must cope with the sudden loss of his daughter, Kate. Kate’s absence sets Stephen and his wife on diverging paths as both struggle with an all-consuming grief. With the passage of time, a balance of sorts returns, until hope surfaces and triumphs unexpectedly.
Like I said, this is going to be a heavy film filled with all kinds of heavy emotions, but Cumberbatch is passionate about telling the story and says:
“I read the novel years ago and it stayed with me — profound, beautiful, and very moving. Only Ian McEwan could write about loss with such telling honesty."
Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton added:
"Masterpiece has been proud to showcase Benedict’s work for many years, and of course ‘Sherlock’ has been a fantastic gift to our audience. To co-produce the first television drama out of his shop, SunnyMarch TV, with Pinewood Television is very gratifying."
McEwan offered up his own statement in the press release recalling the time he worked with Cumberbatch on the adaptation of another of his novels, Atonement.
“I’m thrilled to have my novel in the hands of such a high level creative team. I have fond memories of Benedict playing a brilliant and key part in the movie adaptation of Atonement. Now, it’s a great honor to have this actor of such immense resource, experience and subtlety in the lead role of The Child in Time.”
Cumberbatch is an incredibly talented actor, and I enjoy everything that he's a part of and this sounds like it will be a great film project for him to take on.