English actorBenedict Cumberbatchis best known for playing Sherlock Holmes in the BBC seriesSherlockand the titular magical superhero in the MCU’sDoctor Strange. However, he is an actor with a diverse range of great films on his resume. Cumberbatch’s filmography includes computer-animated family comedies such asThe Grinch, the biographical period-drama12 Years a Slave, and thrillers such asThe Fifth Estate.Updated August 04, 2025: If you’re a Cumberbatch fan, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve updated this article with more of his best films, including updates onDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of MadnessandSpider-Man: No Way Home.Cumberbatch has been critically praised for his work, having received a Primetime Emmy Award, Laurence Olivier Award, British Academy Television Award, and multiple nominations for Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, Academy, and Golden Globe Awards. Over two decades, he has shown that he is an incredibly versatile and talented actor. Here are Benedict Cumberbatch’s best movies, ranked.
12Black Mass (2015)
Based on a true story of James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp), an Irish Mob godfather and a FBI informant who had a “secret trading” deal with his brother, State Sen. William “Billy” Bulger (Cumberbatch), and FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton). They planned to take down theft Italian mob and mafia in Boston, which went awry and things turned massively violent.Black Massfeatures an ensemble cast that also includes Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard, Dakota Johnson, and Corey Stoll. It received generally positive reviews and grossed $99 million on a $53 million budget. Cumberbatch, reliably superb, pulls off a flawless Boston accent that’s enough of a reason alone to check outBlack Mass.
Related:These Are The Best Johnny Depp Performances Of All Time
11The Mauritanian (2020)
The Mauritaniantells a harrowing account of injustice, brutality, and moral reckoning in the aftermath of the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks. Based on the book “Guantanamo Diary”, the film is the true story of Mohamedou Ould Salahi, who was taken clandestinely via rendition to the prison camp in Cuba. His interrogation, tactics used, and the efforts to free him are explored in a well-acted, but overly procedural narrative.The Mauritanianmakes a compelling case for introspection. We must hold the perpetrators of this heinous crime to account, but cannot trample on our bedrock values or succumb to unfettered vengeance.
Cumberbatch plays the conflicted Marine prosecutor Stuart Couch in the film. While we primarily follow Salahi’s tragic journey in The Mauritanian, it is Couch’s supporting character arc that effectively carries the story, as his view on prisoner see-saws in a heavily emotional journey.
10Star Trek Into Darkness
Cumberbatch stars as the iconicStar Trekvillain, Khan, in the sequel to J.J. Abrams’Star TrekrebootStar Trek Into Darkness.Like its predecessor,Into Darknessis fast-paced and plenty of fun. The film is stamped with the lens flares J.J. Abrams is well-known for and includes plenty of action set pieces.
Star Trekis a franchise known for its signature themes of space exploration and exploring alien civilizations. WhileInto Darknessfocuses more on action than going where “no man has gone before,” it is an entertaining film that succeeds in thrilling audiences.
Related:Star Trek Movie from WandaVision Director Gets Shifted to December 2023
9Doctor Strange
Director Scott Derrickson’s 2016 filmDoctor Strangeis arguably one of the best and most important films in the MCU. The film introduces Doctor Stephen Strange and the mystic world of sorcerers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It tells a strong origin story, where Cumberbatch’s character is an arrogant doctor that is quickly humbled after a serious car accident when he loses control of his hands. Stephen realizes that there is so much that he does not know.
Joined by a fantastic cast in Benedict Wong, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film combines mind-bending visuals with the spectacle of the MCU, kickstarting the story of one of Marvel Studios' greatest characters.
A new trailer for the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel,Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, was released during the Super Bowl, and it’s unleashed a whole new level of meticulous analysis upon the internet as legions of fans dissect every frame for clues about what might transpire in the Sam Raimi-directed flick. There arerumors of Spider-Man 2099appearing in the film, as well as suggests that along with theX-Men’s Professor X, the beloved antiheroWolverine will feature in the sequel,but will not be played by Hugh Jackman. Only time will tell!
Related:Multiverse of Madness: Here’s Every Doctor Strange Variant, Explained
8Atonement
A 2007 romantic war drama,Atonementis an impactful and tragic film about two lovers where the misinterpretations and lies of third parties run rampant. Resultantly, chaos ensues and causes massive disruption to people’s lives. Years later, Joe Wright’s dramatic film continues to impress with great performances and surprising emotional depth.
Atonementfeatures a Cumberbatch before he became BBC’s Sherlock and entered more of the public spotlight. Nevertheless, his role inAtonement, while small, is no less captivating, chilling, and entrancing.
7Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Set during the Cold War,Tinker Tailor Soldier Spyis a fantastic spy thriller about the search for a Soviet double-agent within MI6. AlthoughTinker Tailor Soldier Spysometimes suffers from a slow pace, the film offers a gritty story in the world of espionage that is both gripping and complex.
From concept alone,Tinker Tailor Soldier Spyalready features an engaging premise. The film, however, executes its premise perfectly, inviting the fears and feelings of paranoia that would naturally arise when one does not know who they can trust.
6Avengers: Infinity War
The third appearance of Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange in the MCU afterDoctor StrangeandThor: Ragnarok, his character quickly became a fan-favoriteAvengers: Infinity War. Doctor Strange works well in an ensemble film, playing a unique role as the snarky, powerful sorcerer. Strange is responsible for helping set the course inInfinity Warfor the Avengers' ultimate pathway to victory inAvengers: Endgame.
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo succeed in creating a film that performs the Herculean task of juggling countless Marvel characters and giving each a moment to shine. The Russo brothers accomplish this while still telling a high-stakes story, challenging Marvel’s heroes, and creating emotional beats that command engagement from the audience.
Related:Benedict Cumberbatch Improvised One Key Moment in Avengers: Endgame
1917presents a race against time as two British soldiers, Schofield and Blake, are tasked with delivering a message to Colonel Mackenzie (Cumberbatch) that will save thousands of lives. The film’s portrayal of trench warfare and a spectacular sequence as Schofield runs across the battlefield will be remembered for many years to come.
1917is a tense, large-scale, ambitious World War I film. Along with incredible performances, a stellar cast, and an incredible screenplay, cinematographer Roger Deakins shot1917so that it appears asif the film were shot in a single take. The result is an immersive cinematic experience that is surely not to be missed by film fans with an interest in a World War I epic.
Related:1917 Review: An Astonishingly Cinematic Masterpiece
4The Imitation Game
Starring Keira Knightley and Benedict Cumberbatch,The Imitation Gameis a historical drama loosely based on a biography published in the 80s calledAlan Turing: The Enigma.Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, a British mathematician, computer scientist, and codebreaker. Alan Turing worked for the British government during the Second World War, decoding the encryption of messages from German intelligence. While the film is based on a real-life historical figure,The Imitation Gamedeviates from history with several historical inaccuracies and compresses history into a two-hour film. Turing is also represented as a gay man but the film does not deeply delve into the real-life Alan Turing’s struggle with sexuality and the injustice he experienced. Nonetheless,The Imitation Gameis a dramatic biopic that entertains with great performances and tells the incredible story of a real-life historical figure.
312 Years a Slave
12 Years a Slaveis not the easiest film to watch due to its subject matter, portraying the slavery that is part of America’s history. The film is based onTwelve Years a Slave, the memoir by Solomon Northup in 1853. Solomon Northup was an African-American man born in the New York State who was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery. Twelve years of Northup’s life was spent working on plantations in Louisiana before he was freed. The film based on the memoir assembles an impressive cast with the likes of Lupita Nyong’o, Michael Fassbender, Alfre Woodard, Michael Kenneth Williams, Brad Pitt, Adepero Oduye, and Paul Dano.
Cumberbatch’sDoctor Strangeco-star, Chiwetel Ejiofor, stars as Solomon Northup. Receiving nine Academy Award nominations and winning for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o),12 Years a Slaveis critically acclaimed and among Benedict Cumberbatch’s best films. It is intense and powerful, its portrayal of the brutality and injustice slaves experienced in the nineteenth-century disturbing.
