The first trailer for Gary Oldman is unrecognizable as Winston Churchill, and if disappearing into an infamous historical figure isn’t a tried-and-true route to Oscar gold, I’m not sure what is.
The film, which is entirely separate from this year’s other biopic Churchill, takes place immediately after Winston took over as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1940. Nazi forces were bearing down on the country, and his decisions during this time made him into the legendary figure he is today.
Written as a passion project by Anthony McCarten, expect a similar tone to his previous Oscar contender The Theory of Everything (which took Eddie Redmayne to his Lead Actor award). Helming the project is Joe Wright, which means the lush visuals seen in the trailer will be consistent throughout and we should get some great tracking shots.
There’s always the chance, of course, that a biopic like this will fall into solemn reverence, but with some of Churchill’s most famous speeches taking place during this time frame, it’s hard to imagine the film not stirring its audience. The trailer lets you know they’re coming, featuring what might be his most famous oration, and if these moments are nailed, expect them to live on in Oldman’s sizzle reel.
Darkest Hour is directed by Joe Wright and stars Gary Oldman, Lily James, and Ben Mendelsohn. It will be released in the U.S. on November 22nd, 2017 and in the U.K. on January 12th, 2018. For international release dates, click here.
Are you excited for another Churchill biopic? Let us know in the comments!
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