British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has signed on to play WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in an upcoming movie about the website. Cumberbatch will enact the role of the boss, who is currently living in sanctuary at the Ecuadorian embassy here as he fights moves to extradite him to the US and Sweden.

Cumberbatch could be joined onscreen by another British TV favourite, Dan Stevens of Downton Abbey. Stevens is said to be in negotiation for a role as a computer hacker in the film, reports variety.com.

The yet-untitled movie will be produced by Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks.