Darkest Hour is a 2017 British biographical war drama film, directed by Joe Wright and written by Anthony McCarten. The film stars Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, and follows his early days as Prime Minister, while Hitler closes in on Britain during World War II. The film also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, and Ronald Pickup.
The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on 1 September 2017, and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. It began a limited release in the United States on 22 November 2017, before opening wide on 22 December 2017, and will be released on 12 January 2018 in the United Kingdom. The film has grossed $15 million worldwide and received positive reviews from critics. Gary Oldman's performance was lauded, with many noting it as the best of his career, and he was nominated for the Best Actor - Drama at the 75th Golden Globe Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.