UPDATE! Benedict Cumberbatch Denies Involvement with Episode VII, but Hints that Simon Pegg is In. Pegg Responds!

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At the San Diego Comic Con, people asked Benedict Cumberbatch – who was apparently in-talks to have a role in the new Star Wars movies at one point – if he had any interest in being involved with a movie in the franchise after not apparently making the part. His answer proves to be interesting, but for completely different reasons than you might expect – and they allow an old rumor to come back to the forefront.

 

MTV News reported an exclusive interview with Cumberbatch asking if the Khan actor had a possible future in J. J. Abrams’s rebooted Star Trek universe, to which he jokingly replied that he would if they were to microwave the cryogenically-frozen warlord (though he was open to entertaining the possibility if they pulled it off correctly). After the interviewer shared a laugh with Cumberbatch, he then asked the British star if the rumored team-up with J. J. again was actually something that happened, or if the media made it up. His reply:

“J.J. and I are friends, so yeah, possibly, but I think J.J. is very good at creating something original out of something known, and I think apart from his continuing use of Simon Pegg — and who can blame him, frankly — it made sense not to do it.”

So in the short run, we hear that Cumberbatch is not going to be in Episode VII, though he has a chance of showing up in a movie later on down the line. In the long run, we’ve got the implication that Simon Pegg, who was previously rumored to have visited the Abu Dhabi set, is going to be in the movie.

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Now, giving Benedict Cumberbatch the benefit of the doubt, he could have just been referring to Pegg’s tendency to appear in works that Abrams has worked on – most notably, Benji Dunn in the Mission: Impossible series and Scotty in the reboot of Star Trek. But again, note his word choice – he said “continuing”, not “continued”. The active verb tense implies that there’s a recent bit of information supporting his claim. And considering that Pegg, Abrams, and Cumberbatch are all friends, what’s to say that they might have made a little small-talk about the movie? There’s a chance that Cumberbatch knows a little more than he’s letting on.

 

Nonetheless, Pegg has had experience with the Star Wars universe already (ranting about The Phantom Menace aside), giving new life to Dengar in The Clone Wars. While it’s unlikely that he’d show up as the same character 35 years later, the possibility for Pegg to fit into the new Star Wars is a little more well-rounded than ever.

 

UPDATE!

 

Apparently, Simon Pegg caught whiff of the rumor when New York magazine’s Vulture website asked him about the rumor. His responses are interestingly worded, and give more support to his possible inclusion in the film.

Vulture: Regarding Benedict Cumberbatch’s recent comments about you being on the set of Star Wars, are you in the next movie?
 
Pegg: Yes, Benedict said something at Comic-Con and on MTV.
 
Vulture: Yes…
 
Pegg: Well, J.J. uses me in different roles, and we’re good friends. I feel like my face in Star Wars would pop people out of the movie. Look, I love Star Wars, and I don’t want people to watch and go, “oh, there’s Simon Pegg’s face”. The film is cleverly cast with these amazing, unknown actors.
 
Vulture: So, you’re not in the movie?
 
Pegg: [Smiles.] Of course I visited the set. It’s amazing, and I love Star Wars. I want to see everything happening. It looks wonderful, and you need to believe those characters. Any type of stunt casting might just pop you out of the movie.

The coyness of his personality inspires a little more speculation. Notice how he repeatedly mentions that his face isn’t going to appear in the movie, but says nothing to deny that his voice may be heard, or anything to that effect. Keep in mind that the voice work of some famous actors have made their way into these movies – Brian Blessed and even John Wayne among them. Even more suspicious is that he completely changes the subject for the last question – when asked about whether or not he’s in the movie, he instead takes a page from Kevin Smith and gushes about the set of the new movie (without giving anything away). We may not see Simon Pegg’s face in the movie, but could it be possible that we could see him as some kind of droid or alien? In any case, it seems like Simon Pegg definitely knows more about the movie right now than he’s letting on, and he’s going to have a bit of fun with teasing us, whether he’s in the movie or not.

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Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.

Grant Davis (Pomojema)

Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.

32 thoughts on “UPDATE! Benedict Cumberbatch Denies Involvement with Episode VII, but Hints that Simon Pegg is In. Pegg Responds!

  • July 26, 2014 at 12:16 am
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    Really hope not. Simon Pegg is fantastic but I really like the current vibe about there being no well known faces

  • July 26, 2014 at 12:42 am
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    I’m not really sure he was implying that Simon Pegg is in Episode VII. I thought it was more just Cumberbatch ribbing his buddy J.J. about using Pegg so much. He had just complimented J.J. on his gift for “creating something original out of something known,” and it felt like he was following THAT up with the friendly shot about Pegg.

    It’s possible that Pegg has some role in Episode 7, of course. But I think that it’s at least equally likely that Cumberbatch wasn’t saying that.

  • July 26, 2014 at 1:50 am
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    Those rumours were around the time Pegg dropped by the Abu Dhabi set, so maybe he’s got a cameo (in make-up) playing the bartender.

  • July 26, 2014 at 2:03 am
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    I think all of us in this room today, should be in Episode 7, and a few of us fly the upgrade x- wing whatever it iz, and the others here fly the imperial, bounty hunter, whatever bad side it iz, and fight each other in at least a few minutes in the movie scene with a few words either early, or middle of movie…. 🙂

    O://://:}————–>

  • July 26, 2014 at 2:53 am
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    That would seriously suck. I loathe Pegg.

  • July 26, 2014 at 3:41 am
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    Pegg loaths you. Iam counting on it.

  • July 26, 2014 at 5:25 am
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    I have had a suspicion that Pegg is being tapped to become the new C3PO and is working with Anthony Daniels… Just a hunch. What do you guys think?

    • July 26, 2014 at 8:20 am
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      I doubt it, but you know you really raise a good point that I hope this site addresses.
      Star Wars is supposedly to be through the point of view of two droids:
      R2 and 3PO
      What happens in the future when Actors for whatever reasons can’t perform voice work?
      Now R2 is not the problem, but 3PO?
      Will Star Wars go to EP 12?
      Will it reboot in old republic era?
      Anyways I’m sure they can pull from other related projects Daniels has been in, or will use alternate takes and or by then by golley there will be an app for that!!
      Or they can just change him somehow, but that would be a cop out to me.
      Other people do good imitations but the human hear can recognize the difference with in a few lines.

      • July 26, 2014 at 8:31 am
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        In the bigger picture, I see the episodic movies as being larger than C-3P0 and R2D2. I expect these iconic characters to be retired by the time their beloved actors pass away. Just like the original cast is gradually being transitioned with the new, so should new droids gradually replace them.

        Kenny Baker turns 80 next month. What’s Disney going to do if, God forbid, he dies before they finish Episode IX?

        • July 26, 2014 at 8:40 am
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          Hire Peter Dinklage to play the most badass version of the character to grace the silver screen. Even if you can’t see him.

          • July 26, 2014 at 1:53 pm
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            Dude, what an awesome idea. Tyrion meets R2. Love it. 😀

        • July 26, 2014 at 8:43 am
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          Yes Star Wars has vast timeline even though droids can go on and on.
          I always liked the Whills concept. Lately I have found Yoda to be mentioned as a Whill.
          Not sure of it as Canon though. I do think R2 and 3PO could go on if the Episodes stay tighter in timeline.
          If Disney honors Lucas’s wish as creator, he did say that the two droids should be in every film. But time will tell. And I hope Daniels lives a long time

      • July 26, 2014 at 8:44 am
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        Funny! 🙂

  • July 26, 2014 at 8:21 am
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    Will Pegg or Gleeson play the new nerdy droid? Of course, C-3P0 and R2D2 will still be around. 🙂

    • July 26, 2014 at 8:30 am
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      I thought you ment Pegg was preparing to take over as C3PO! Lol! My bad.
      He did do that short awhile back, I’ll have to check it out.

      • July 26, 2014 at 8:32 am
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        lol 😛

  • July 27, 2014 at 2:13 am
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    A spin off for B.C. as in B.F.

  • July 30, 2014 at 12:43 am
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    Surely he must be cast in the film. Either as a motion capture character or doing voice work for a character (or both). He repeatedly and specifically mentioned his ‘face’ as opposed to his general involvement. My bet is he is probably playing some kind of bartender guy with a prosthetic face as I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a new bar scene for some stupid reason. Some small little role like that where maybe the character even has a little one liner or something. JJ brought in Winona Ryder for Star Trek and she was in it for approximately 0.23 seconds.. Plus Tyler Perry was in it for some reason too. I can see JJ offering Simon Pegg a little memorable role like, as I say, a bartender or something.

  • July 30, 2014 at 12:51 am
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    He’d make a good droid. Like the one that curse at C-3PO in ESB

    • July 30, 2014 at 9:21 am
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      Or that one at Jabba’s palace in VI who soon taught R2 some respect.

  • July 30, 2014 at 2:48 am
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    he’ll be in it, his face won’t be. So… voice, cgi, some sort of alien or droid. he’ll be in it as sure as R2 was in ST.

    thats what i gathered from it.

  • July 30, 2014 at 5:52 am
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    That Cucumberhatch is just so ugly… That JJ Abrams photo is also pretty creepy. Reminds me of the truth thats probably happening with Star Wars

  • July 30, 2014 at 6:22 am
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    Why is this being reposted????

    • July 30, 2014 at 7:05 am
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      Not reposted, bumped. It was updated with new information.

  • July 30, 2014 at 10:19 am
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    A source close to production (he wants to be named here as D. Smith) tells me Cumberbatch is actually in the movie. He plays Admiral Thrawn. Simon Pegg plays his pet Ysalamir.

    • July 30, 2014 at 10:47 am
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      My source tells me Oscar Isaac is playing Ezra… not a Solo offspring.
      I also hear you are playing Admiral DALA.

      • July 30, 2014 at 11:29 am
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        The rumor is true, I’m playing Daala. Got a scene with Thrawn and Ysalamir at Thrawn’s private suite. Real meat, no cg.

  • July 30, 2014 at 10:33 am
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    Please – no more Simon Pegg rumours

  • July 30, 2014 at 11:38 am
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    I think Pegg would love to be in Star Wars….I just saw ‘Paul’ again as it was on TV which he co-wrote and there’s quite a few star Wars references in it. Spaced was full of them too. I bet he’s in it behind some prosthetic make up or something similar.

  • July 30, 2014 at 12:06 pm
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    Maybe he’s doing a motion capture character!? He’s done it before on Tin Tin, so that’s probably it.

  • July 30, 2014 at 3:19 pm
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    I am going to guess Pegg will be a NEW C3-PO type droid for the NEW cast… Just watch.

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