It’s official; Benedict Cumberbatch is the latest Hollywood star to join forces with Netflix, after being confirmed as the star of The 39 Steps, an upcoming limited TV series based on the 1915 John Buchan novel of the same name.

Here’s what you need to know about the conspiracy thriller.

What’s the plot of The 39 Steps?

Telling the story of an ordinary man who finds himself unwittingly wrapped up in a vast global conspiracy to reset the world order in – you guessed it – 39 steps, this provocative thriller is set in the years leading up to World War I.  

It is not the first time that the novel has been brought to life on screen, however; The 39 Steps was famously turned into a film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1953, and it has been adapted a few times since.

Who stars in The 39 Steps?

Cumberbatch will take the lead in this limited series as Richard Hannay, the aforementioned ‘ordinary man’ who is forced to go on the run after stumbling across that evil 39-step plot.

No other casting decisions have been announced at the time of this article’s publication.

Who is directing The 39 Steps?

As per Deadline’s report, Edward Berger – who previously worked with Cumberbatch on Patrick Melrose – will direct.

The Revenant’s Mark L. Smith will write the series, meanwhile, and Cumberbatch himself will serve as executive producer alongside his SunnyMarch partner, Adam Ackland.

How many episodes of The 39 Steps will there be?

Netflix has promised that there will be “at least” six hour-long episodes.

When will The 39 Steps become available for streaming?

According to Deadline, the series is “most likely to shoot next year in Europe when schedules clear,” which means we’re looking at a late 2022 release date at the very earliest.

Watch this space for more details.

Images: Getty