Benedict Cumberbatch Departs Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'

Planned as Guillermo Del Toro's next major project, the horror Crimson Peak has had some trouble holding on to its stellar cast. The Pacific Rim director assembled Benedict Cumberbatch, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Mia Wasikowska for the Gothic ghost story about an author who discovers her husband isn't who he claims to be. Scheduling issues forced Stone to drop out a few weeks ago, and now Cumberbatch has exited the film.

THR reports that Cumberbatch has moved on, but they make it clear that it wasn't due to schedule conflict. So let the speculation on that begin! It's not as if the actor doesn't have a lot on his plate, as he'll be making the press rounds for four films coming out later this year: August: Osage County, The Fifth Estate, 12 Years A Slave, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

There's plenty of time to find replacements for Stone and Cumberbatch as Crimson Peak doesn't roll until next year.