Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Star Trek Into Darkness: ‘They Have Managed To Up The Ante!’

It was London calling for the cast of “Star Trek Into Darkness,” who made the British stop on their film premiere world tour on Thursday, and newcomer to the fold — Benedict Cumberbatch — was raving over the movie.

“It’s a ride. It’s a very generous ride as all of J.J.‘s work is, but how they did it — I don’t know, but I think they have managed to up the ante,” Benedict told Access Hollywood’s Scott “Movie” Mantz of the film, directed by J.J. Abrams once again.

“It’s just richer deeper, faster, more furious and just — it’s terrific,” he added.

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Benedict is playing a character called “John” in the film, the new villain of the latest installment, and he thinks lifelong fans of the franchise, as well as movie lovers in general, will fall under the spell of “Into Darkness.”

“People should embrace the sci-fi and the ‘Trekkieness.’ Of course they should. And I hope that lots of fans — Trekkies, I mean — will love it as well, but this is just a really well made movie,” Benedict said. “I think it’s a thrilling ride and it’s got a depth and complexity that summer blockbusters don’t always have and I’m just — I’m very proud to be part of it.”

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In a new interview with Britain’s The Independent, the actor (also the star of PBS Masterpiece series, “Sherlock”) revealed that there were two difficult parts to his job on the film — the hair and the body.

“Which way to do my hair was the hardest thing really — straight or curly, or long with bangs, or a sort of ponytail, or maybe no hair,” he told the newspaper.

And as for the body, Benedict said shaping himself into “Star Trek” worthy form meant, “an awful lot of eating and a lot of working out in a very short space of time.”

“Star Trek Into Darkness” hits theaters on May 17.

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