Gary Oldman Will Never Surrender in the New ‘Darkest Hour’ Trailer

Darkest Hour is not the only World War II movie of 2017 — it’s not even the only Winston Churchill movie coming out this year. But it is the only movie to completely transform Gary Oldman into the British Prime Minister so utterly that you might forget it’s not actually Churchill acting onscreen.

The plot of Darkest Hour is taken from a few days in British history: May 26–28 1940, the time it took for Churchill and his War Cabinet to decide whether or not to negotiate a peace treaty with Adolf Hitler. Thankfully, they didn’t, but the price for refusing to align themselves with the fascist menace looming from the mainland was the Battle for Britain, the Blitz, and the loss of hundreds of thousands of British soldiers and civilians. It’s an impossible choice to make, but Churchill made it, giving Britain a chance to fight against the Nazis, and giving Oldman a chance to gun for that Oscar.

A thrilling and inspiring true story begins on the eve of World War II as, within days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill (Academy Award nominee Gary Oldman) must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty and freedom of a nation. As the unstoppable Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, and with an unprepared public, a skeptical King, and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour, rally a nation, and attempt to change the course of world history.

Darkest Hour is directed by Joe Wright, also stars Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Stephen Dillane, and hits theaters November 22.