No, this isn't wild speculation about Cumberbatch's character. Gary-7 *is* confirmed in the film, per IMDB... but not the same one you might be thinking of. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2332334/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
I just saw that, and I came on here to see if that was old information I missed. That's the best casting since the actor "Han Soto" was cast in the film Ender's Game to play the aide of Harrison Ford's character. But an actor actually goes by the name "Gary-7"? That's just strange.
Saying something is confirmed by IMDB is like saying something is confirmed by the National Enquirer...
It says he is playing a "Nibirian Elder", which seems pretty specific for it just to be intentional misinformation by an IMdB contributor. I mean, the actor is a real guy, and that is really his stage name. It wouldn't surprise me if his agent sought out the production, or if the casting director knew of him and thought it would be fun casting. If the character is a minor one, and the actor can do just as adequate job as anyone else, then why not cast an actor named "Gary-7"?
I'm more interested in the fact that Christopher Doohan, James Doohan's son, is a transporter officer!!!
That was what I was thinking. Last I knew, you took anything posted on IMDB with a huge grain of salt. I would laugh at that had I not--in the past...not to distant past--caught myself starting to sign IRL documents with "SeerSGB" and been known to respond to people questioning me on projects as "Cause I'm the god-damn Seer".