<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Benedict Cumberbatch has joined Twelve Years a Slave. The Sherlock star will feature in Steve McQueen&amp;#039;s forthcoming historical drama, reports Variety.  The film tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York in the 1840s who is kidnapped and sold into slavery on a Louisiana plantation. Cumberbatch will take the role of a slave owner who is slowly won over by Northup&amp;#039;s engineering skills. Chiwetel Ejiofor will play Northup alongside a cast featuring Adepero Oduye, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Taran Killam, Scoot McNairy, Ruth Negga and Paul Dano. Twelve Years a Slave was originally published as a memoir of Northup&amp;#039;s time in slavery in 1853. Cumberbatch will play the role of a villain in Star Trek 2, although rumours continue to fly concerning the character he will portray. Twelve Years a Slave is scheduled for a 2013 release. Watch Benedict Cumberbatch and Mark Gatiss talking to Digital Spy at the BAFTAs below:  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a384822/benedict-cumberbatch-joins-twelve-years-a-slave/>