By MARK KENNEDY, AP Drama Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Benedict Cumberbatch, who recently begged fans not to film him playing the lead in "Hamlet," has broken a record while being filmed playing the lead in "Hamlet."

More than 225,000 viewers watched Cumberbatch tackle the melancholy prince of Denmark at movie theaters around the world on Thursday during a live — or in some cases delayed — telecast from London's Barbican Theatre. That's the largest global audience for a live broadcast of any title in National Theatre Live history.

The broadcast played on over 1,400 screens and in 25 countries.

Since its launch in 2009, National Theatre broadcasts from England have included "Frankenstein" with Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, Sam Mendes' "King Lear," and "A Streetcar Named Desire" with Gillian Anderson.

After a performance in August, Cumberbatch told fans gathered outside that spotting filming while performing was "mortifying."

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Online: http://www.NTLive.com