BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Benedict to play Julian Assange?

**Posted by SusiGo** October 3, 2012 8:43 am

Just found this:

http://m.deadline.com/2012/10/dreamworks-julian-assange-pic-talk-focusing-on-benedict-cumberbatch-and-joel-kinnaman/

**Posted by tobeornot221b** October 3, 2012 10:19 am

If that was true (great prospects!), Benedict won't hardly find any time for vacation next year.
Ok, he's a grown up and will know how much he can take on...

**Posted by SusiGo** October 3, 2012 10:43 am

As long as he finds the time to do Sherlock … And then we would have a completely new hair colour as well. Silver Batch.

Last edited by SusiGo (October 3, 2012 10:43 am)

**Posted by hepzibah** October 3, 2012 11:47 am

Assange is an Aussie. Some of us love him, some think he is a complete silly boy. But he has a very complex story and the story needs a very talented actor to tell it. Ben would be an excellent choice. Can you imagine someone like Tom Cruise taking the role? Yikes.

Of course, the film would have to be shot here in Oz, it would only be fair. And he would need somewhere to stay. I have a spare room, Ben, if you are interested. No strings, of course (snicker)

**Posted by Mattlocked** October 3, 2012 12:29 pm

SusiGo wrote:
As long as he finds the time to do Sherlock … And then we would have a completely new hair colour as well. Silver Batch.

And maybe a bit more CP...?

Silver Batch would be interesting though.

**Posted by SusiGo** October 3, 2012 1:55 pm

Yes, CP, by all means. Hep, maybe you should already start to make your spare room nice and cosy.

**Posted by hepzibah** October 5, 2012 3:24 pm

Aussie members, there is a telemovie about Assange on Channel 10 on Sunday night at 8.30

**Posted by Sammy** October 6, 2012 9:12 pm

Hm, yes, I heard that.
That movie would be it, wouldn't it? Something that everyone will talk about with him as the lead.
But that script would make for a thriller movie, right? Probably nothing I would enjoy, but still... if Benedict's going to play the part, of course I'll be watching.

**Posted by Wholocked** October 6, 2012 11:51 pm

I think he'd be spot on casting for that role if he wants it. It would be an interesting step to take, career wise. And I expect he may also be one of the few non-Australian actors who could pull off the accent (very few can).

Edit: Not that I've heard him do the accent, I just imagine he could.

Last edited by Wholocked (October 6, 2012 11:53 pm)

**Posted by hepzibah** October 7, 2012 3:12 pm

Very interesting telemovie about Assange called Underground was shown on Aussie tv tonight. It gives a fascinating view of his teenage years and the start of his notoriety. After I watched it, I looked him up on Wikipedia and found out that he lived in a town near my hometown when he was a boy. Who knew! Anyway, no matter what you think of him, he has a story to tell.

http://molkstvtalk.com/show-previews/underground-the-julian-assange-story/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange

Last edited by hepzibah (October 7, 2012 3:13 pm)

**Posted by Sherly** November 29, 2012 8:51 am

Daniel Brühl to Star Opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in Bill Condon’s Julian Assange/WikiLeaks Film

We recently reported that James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class) was in negotiations to star opposite Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) in director Bill Condon’s Julian Assange/WikiLeaks movie, but it looks like that role has fallen to Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds). With Cumberbatch set to play WikiLeaks founder Assange, Brühl will play his right-hand man, Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Domscheit-Berg was a German tech activist who became a spokesman for the organization and wrote the book Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World’s Most Dangerous Website, the rights of which were picked up by DreamWorks. Hit the jump for more.

THR reports daniel-Brühlthat Brühl will get the role instead of McAvoy due to a breakdown in negotiations complicated by the actor’s commitment to X-Men: Days of Future Past. DreamWorks has fast-tracked the WikiLeaks picture and is looking to start shooting as early as January. The studio also picked up the rights to David Leigh and Luke Harding’s book, WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War On Secrecy.

In 2010, Domscheit-Berg was suspended by Assange and soon resigned from WikiLeaks, citing structural issues within the organization that he wanted no responsibility for and a failing in journalistic integrity. This divide was credited as being a major event leading to the massive diplomatic cable leak of over 250,000 documents in September 2011 and Assange’s eventual downfall.

THR also reports that Laura Linney (The Truman Show) is not in negotiations for a role in the film and has received no offer, though there is interest for her to play a CIA intelligence officer. The untitled picture was scripted by Josh Singer. Brühl will next be seen in Ron Howard’s Rush opposite Chris Hemsworth.

http://collider.com/daniel-bruhl-wikileaks-movie/214304/

**Posted by SusiGo** November 29, 2012 9:11 am

Oh, it would be great to have him playing opposite Benedict. I first saw him in "Goodbye, Lenin" and he was very good.

The article says that filming might begin as early as January. So maybe that's one reason for delaying Sherlock 3?

http://www.derwesten.de/panorama/leute/daniel-bruehl-spielt-in-wikileaks-film-id7340535.html

Last edited by SusiGo (November 29, 2012 9:13 am)

**Posted by Ivy** November 29, 2012 9:23 am

LOL I thought about it posting that yesterday, but then didn't.

But now it is sure that Benedict plays Assange I guess?!

**Posted by SusiGo** November 29, 2012 9:32 am

Seems so. Somewhere they said that Dreamworks fast-tracked everything so that shooting may start in January. They will have to speed up filming so it won't collide with our London trip in March.

OMG - what will they do about his hair? A silver Sherlock?

Last edited by SusiGo (November 29, 2012 9:35 am)

**Posted by Ivy** November 29, 2012 12:31 pm

That's not the problem he can dye them, like Mark does. I must say I'm really excited to see this film, because I find this whole Wikileaks/Assange story interesting.

And yeah for Daniel, I hope they get along. He could teach Ben some German, O.K. I get overexcited now!

**Posted by SusiGo** November 29, 2012 1:20 pm

Ivy wrote:
That's not the problem he can dye them, like Mark does. I must say I'm really excited to see this film, because I find this whole Wikileaks/Assange story interesting.

And yeah for Daniel, I hope they get along. He could teach Ben some German, O.K. I get overexcited now!

Poor hair. Will take a whole chemistry lab to make them white and sleek and black/dark brown and curly afterwards. What was that about his sensitive follicles?

I'm sure they will get along. What about shooting some scenes in Germany??

**Posted by besleybean** November 29, 2012 1:40 pm

Apparently Assange is quite ill at the moment.

**Posted by harleyq** November 29, 2012 6:42 pm

This film sounds very interesting, but I must admit I'm so disappointed they couldn't work it out with James McAvoy. I would love to see him and Benedict together again, they have good chemistry. Plus James is such a great actor. I'm so excited for the new X-Men though!

**Posted by Ivy** November 29, 2012 6:58 pm

besleybean wrote:
Apparently Assange is quite ill at the moment.

Really? I'm not up-to-date at the moment.

**Posted by besleybean** November 29, 2012 7:01 pm

Chest complaint.