Benedict Cumberbatch breaks Nazi codes (and chases an Oscar) in the first trailer for The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch breaks Nazi codes (and chases an Oscar) in the first trailer for The Imitation Game

We're still in the midst of summer blockbuster season — but if you want a sneak peek at this year's Oscar race, look no further than the trailer for The Imitation Game.

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Alan Turing, the mathematician and computer genius who was recruited by the British government during World War II to help crack Germany's Enigma machine, which enabled them to use sophisticated ciphers. "It's the greatest encryption device in history. The Germans use it for all major communications," says Cumberbatch, who proposes building their own machine that could "break every message and win the war." To bring his plan to fruition, he works alongside a team that reads like a who's-who of talented British actors, including Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Mark Strong, and Charles Dance.

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.