Who Should Benedict Have Played In 'Harry Potter'?

It's a thing now, guys: Benedict Cumberbatch is everywhere. He's been all up in the buzzy bits of the Internet for a long while now, but his meme potential has never lessened. The Cumberbatch obsession may have begun with the fervent exchange of Sherlock gifs on Tumblr, but it's evolved since then to the wider world, who has gleefully embracing all of the possible mashups his name allows (Cumberbaby! Blunderbatch!) in addition to mercilessly mocking him for being in absolutely everything. Lovingly, though, of course. Most recently, even former Luna Lovegood Evanna Lynch joined the Benedict Cumberbatch obsession, and tweeted an image of Cumberbatch alongside the most amazing caption known to man (at least, for today): "Crumplehorned Snorkack is my favourite actor. #sorrynotsorry #thankstumblr."

It was some classic, Cumberbatch-inspired humor (Cumberhumor?), but it also reminded me of another important Cumberissue: We haven't talked nearly enough about who he should have played in Harry Potter.

I mean, it's not that farfetched a question: If you squint, you can see half the population of Britain's actors passing through the Harry Potter movies at one point or another, and yet Cumberbatch was nowhere to be found. This Cumberloss is understandable, but it also seems like a bit of a missed opportunity! So, with Lynch's tweet as an excuse, let's combine nostalgia for the first series of films and hope for an eventual reboot: Let's fancast Benedict Cumberbatch in Harry Potter. Dude's got range, the options are nearly endless!

Here are some characters he could have played:

Severus Snape

We already know about his Alan Rickman impression, and he's actually a much more suitable age to play someone from the immediately-pre-Harry generation. Plus, you know...he could pull off intimidating and mysterious well. (However, I don't know how I'd feel about being inexplicably attracted to Severus Snape.)

Dobby

He's already proven his ability to play CGI'd characters, why not give him the chance to play this self-sacrificing house elf?

Remus Lupin

He's got that necessary nerdiness, and it feels like an oversight that he hasn't played some sort of werewolf yet.

Albus Dumbledore

I mainly just want to see him try to pull off that beard, but he could probably deliver those wisdom lines pretty well. Age him up a little bit and why the hell not?

Norbert

I told you he has range, right?

Hagrid

It'd be the kind of physical transformation that nabs someone a second Oscar nom.

James Potter

A character who did not get nearly enough page- or screen-time. He's got the dark hair, and could totally help inspire audience waterworks as a spirit guiding his son.

Mad-Eye Moody

Alternately, one of the Crouches.

Harry Potter

Age him down a bit and why not? He already knows what it feels like to have a very weird type of fame! A scar, some de-ageing CGI, that's all ya need!

All Of the Marauders At Once

He could really play all of them. James? Yeah! Remus? Hell yeah! Sirius Black? With the right costuming! Peter? Sure, I guess! Give him a chance to really challenge himself with one Cumberbatch mega-movie extravaganza.

Everyone

Alternatively, why not just give him the chance to play all the characters in Harry Potter in one fell swoop, a la Cher and West Side Story?

The Crumplehorned Snorkack

It's just meant to be.

Images: Getty Images [12]