Other than Bram Stoker's Dracula I don't know if we've ever seen Gary Oldman undergo a transformation quite like what he's gone through for Darkest Hour. He plays British Prime Minister and legendary figure Winston Churchill in the Joe Wright-directed film, and based on this first look image Oldman has fully turned himself over to the role.
Sporting a stogie, some thick jowls, and a few extra pounds, Oldman makes for a striking image as Churchill. The story takes place within days of Churchill becoming Prime Minister, as he's forced to make a difficult decision. With Hitler advancing and growing stronger, he must decide whether to take the course of appeasement or to stand up against the Third Reich. The pressure took an immense toll on Churchill, though, and he relied on the strength of his wife, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, to get through one of the toughest choices any leader has had to face. It was especially difficult given the humiliating course taken by his predecessor, Neville Chamberlain, who is played by John Hurt.
Also starring Lily James and Ben Mendelsohn, Darkest Hour opens next year on November 24th.
