Benedict Cumberbatch tapped as villain in 'Star Trek 2'

Star Trek 2 is coming to a theater near you with another big face added to the roster.

Benedict Cumberbatch has been cast as the head villain in the sequel (or 12th installment, whichever way you count it) to 2009's Star Trek. He's has a busy year, playing a lead role in Spielberg's just-released War Horse and beating Edgar Ramirez out for the Star Trek role.

His resume also "includes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Atonement. He is also voicing multiple characters in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," Reuters reports. Cumberbatch has also captured fans through his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock.

The cast for Star Trek 2 is full of many principles from 2009. Chris Pine will play Captain James T. Kirk again. Zachary Quinto returns as Spock and Zoe Saldana comes back as Uhura. John Cho reprises his role as Hikaru Sulu and Simon Pegg will melt geeks hearts again as the lovable, brilliant Scotty.

CinemaBlend brings up a great point that Cumberbatch slated to play the villain doesn't quite fit. In the original TV show and Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan film, Khan was Indian. With his pasty British skin, light brown hair and blue eyes, "Cumberbatch, talented as he may be, isn't going to pass as an Indian character. So if he's the main villain, who is he playing, and what happened to Khan? Is Khan still involved and Cumberbatch is playing a separate character? Or have the rumors really been wrong all along?"

Regardless of the villain, Cumberbatch will certainly bring a British balance to the headstrong American in Pine as well as bring a little more pretty to the screen.

According to Variety, the release date has been pushed to May 17, 2013. The film also has not yet been given a title.