August: Osage County star Benedict Cumberbatch will return to the London stage in 2014 as Shakespeare’s most iconic and troubled prince (we'll give you one guess), USA Today reports. That's right, the British actor will play the title role in Hamlet in fall 2014—his first stage appearance since Frankenstein at the National Theatre in 2011. The production has been previously rumored to feature Lyndsey Turner as director. No additional casting or dates have been announced.
“I know for certain I’m doing Hamlet sometime in autumn on the London stage,” the actor confirmed to the news outlet, which dubs 2013 "the year of the Cumberbatch." Although the actor has been mostly seen on the big screen in recent years, he’s no stranger to the Bard—Cumberbatch made his stage debut as female fairy Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at age 13.
In addition to Frankenstein, Cumberbatch appeared on the London stage in Hedda Gabler, receiving an Olivier nod for his performance. His film and TV credits include The Hobbit films, War Horse, The Imitation Game, Flying Horse and Sherlock. He plays Little Charles Aiken in the forthcoming film adaptation of Tracy Letts' August: Osage County.