Benedict Cumberbatch to star in new How to Stop Time adaptation

Virgin Radio

18 Apr 2023, 12:46

Matt Haig’s much-loved novel will be hitting our screens soon.

Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star in a TV adaptation of Matt Haig’s novel How to Stop Time, as announced by The Hollywood Reporter.

The Sherlock actor has been in a string of successful movies of late, including his part in the Marvel Universe as Doctor Strange, but he will soon return to the small screen in an intriguing new lead role.

He will play Tom Hazard, a history teacher who has a rare condition which means he ages extremely slowly, and has lived for centuries.

His very unusual condition has prevented him from finding love for over 500 years, but one day he meets a captivating French teacher who changes everything.

The bestselling 2017 novel was originally going to be adapted as a feature film, but in a change, it will now become a six-part TV series that will begin filming in London and across Europe next year. 

Benedict is clearly a fan of the genre-bending novel, described as part love story, part spy thriller, and says: “When I first read How to Stop Time, the potential of this story was immediately obvious.

“In his inimitable style, Matt once again explores what it is to be human and what it is to live a life - a very long one in this case - with pathos, insight, humour, drama and inspiration.”

Author Matt Haig says on the news: “Benedict Cumberbatch is the dream person to play Tom Hazard and was always who I pictured in my mind. 

“The whole team is incredible, and it is so great to feel a story is in the best possible hands.”

We will be seeing a lot of Benedict on our screens in the near future, as in February it was announced that he will star in new Netflix thriller Eric, as well as the adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar for the platform.