No sooner has Martin Freeman finished winning plaudits for his work on stage in London as Richard III, now his Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch has gotten in on the act, albeit for the small screen.
Be it Alec Guinness, Al Pacino, Mark Rylance, or indeed Freeman, the role has been a rite of passage for many an actor already at the top of their game, and now, mounting up for upcoming BBC series The Hollow Crown: The War Of The Roses, you can see the first official image of Cumberbatch taking the reins on the show.
The War Of The Roses, an adaptation of four William Shakespeare plays, will also feature Judi Dench, Sophie Okonedo and Sally Hawkins - a stellar line-up which should be of no surprise to those already familiar with 2012’s first cycle of Hollow Crown, which so brilliantly starred Tom Hiddleston, Rory Kinnear, Ben Wishaw, Patrick Stewart and Jeremy Irons.
With an airing date by the BBC and NBC slated for 2016, you've plenty of time to catch up on the last series, or at least book tickets to see Cumberbatch treading the boards as Hamlet in London between August and October 2015.
Until then, take heed from Benedict and hold your horses.
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