We’ve always thought Benedict Cumberbatch would have been perfect in The Thick of It, and it looks like our wish has been granted. Or, very nearly. Variety reports he’s set to star in an “explosive” one-off TV drama about the lead-up to the U.K.’s Brexit vote.
Benedict will play Dominic Cummings, the leading strategist and director of the campaign to leave the European Union when the British electorate were asked to vote in a nationwide referendum in 2016.
As we all know now, they were successful — 52% of those who voted chose “Leave”, while 48% chose to “Remain” — but it didn’t always look that way. Described as a “timely and compelling political thriller,” the two-hour drama (working title: Brexit) will explore both campaigns and scrutinize the tactics each side employed to win the hearts and minds of the British people.
It’s written by James Graham, who’s known for his stage plays about British politics as well as Coalition, a 2015 TV political drama that featured Benedict’s Sherlock bud Mark Gatiss among its ensemble cast.
“I’m so excited – not to mention a little nervous – to have this chance to try and get under the skin of what happened during that historic vote,” James was quoted as saying. “I hope by going behind-the-scenes of the campaign, we’re able to interrogate the consequences of what happened during these 8 weeks that have changed the country forever.”
And in case it wasn’t sounding dramatic enough, the whole thing will be directed by Toby Haynes, whose previous work includes dystopian satire Black Mirror and a little show you might have heard of called Doctor Who.
The drama will air in the U.K. in March 2019, when the country is currently scheduled to leave the E.U. after 45 years. A U.S. broadcast has not yet been confirmed, but we’re confident Benedict in the lead will be enough to woo stateside broadcasters.
Do you hope this drama makes it to the U.S.?
