Benedict Cumberbatch has built a successful career from playing posh and prickly aristocrats, and his next role will be no exception.
Showtime announced Tuesday that Cumberbatch will star in the network's five-part limited series "Melrose," an adaptation of the semi-autobiographical Patrick Melrose series by Edward St Aubyn .
The books chronicle the protagonist's journey to overcome addiction and an abusive childhood while simultaneously serving as a caustic examination of upper-class society.
"I've been a huge admirer of Edward St Aubyn's novels for years and can't wait to bring these dark, witty, brilliant books to the screen," Nicholls said in a press release. "Benedict is the perfect Patrick Melrose."
Filming for the series will begin in August and take place in New York, London and the South of France.
"Melrose" is a co-production between Showtime and Sky Atlantic.
