The Current War: First look at Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison

Benedict Cumberbatch loves to play a man of scientific genius.

From Sherlock to Alan Turing in The Imitation Game, Cumberbatch will now take on a historical figure both equally brilliant and infamous in his techniques: Thomas Edison, who developed the likes of the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and, of course, the electric light bulb.

He's starring in The Current War, which takes on the peculiar moment in history which saw the greatest minds of the late 19th century battle to introduce a marketable and sustainable electricity system, the main players being Edison's own Edison Electric Light Company and Westinghouse Electric Company.

Read more

• The mystery of the Sherlock finale leak in Russia has been solved

• Louise Brealey disagrees with Sherlock writer over Molly scene

• What Sherlock's cast, writers and the BBC have said about a season 5

Michael Shannon will play George Westinghouse, while Nicholas Hoult will take on the role of Nikolai Tesla. Fantastic Beasts' Katherine Waterston and Spider-Man: Homecoming's Tom Holland will also star, in a film directed by Me and Earl and the Dying Girl's Alfonso Gomez-Rejon.

Cumberbatch already has a fairly busy couple of years ahead of him; he'll be returning to the role of Doctor Strange for a cameo in Thor: Ragnarok and in Avengers: Infinity War, while also lending his voice to Shere Khan in Andy Serkis' Jungle Book and the Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Here's our first look at the actor as Edison:

The Current War does not have a release date yet.