10 Best Benedict Cumberbatch Movies & TV Shows, Ranked (According To Metacritic)

With the Academy Awards around the corner, the chase to the Oscar glory is running high. Benedict Cumberbatch is nominated for the second time in the Best Actor category for his role of Phil Burbank in Jane Campion’s The Power of The Dog. 

From MCU to World War I drama, Benedict has a variety of roles in his belt, and for every character he dons, he gives it his all. Since BBC’s Sherlock, Benedict’s popularity and fame have only been growing and he has proved time and time again that he is one of the best actors of the current generation.

10 Thor: Ragnarok

What many fans argue is the best MCU solo movie, Thor: Ragnarok is filled with laugh-out-loud humor, action-packed scenes, outrageous characters, and show-stopping score. Amidst all the camaraderie was the cameo of Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange at the beginning of the film.

The cameo does not show the range of his powers and instead, it is a lighthearted sequence. The humor complements the tone of the film and it was a great way to introduce Doctor Strange outside his solo movie for the first time. The scene where Loki almost fought Strange after falling for 30 minutes is one of the most memorable scenes from the film.

9 1917

The World War drama, 1917, is one of the most ambitious films to have been released in recent years. Directed and produced by Sam Mendes, the film won three Academy Awards that year and was a critical and box-office success.

Cumberbatch had a 5-minute scene in this one-shot movie and he had to stay months at the production site. This is a testament to his dedication to his art and consequently, his short appearance felt deeply impactful and powerful.

8 Avengers: Endgame

The biggest MCU movie to date has to be Avengers: Endgame in terms of scale, cast, and budget. Its impact on the franchise as a whole and its fandom is immense. The movie will be talked about for decades to come and among its large arsenal of superheroes, Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange did not have a huge role, having disintegrated in the previous movie.

However, even his short appearance managed to shake the fans to the core. Fans can probably never forget the scene where Doctor Strange informs Tony Stark that he needs to make the sacrifice and save the world.

7 Patrick Melrose

Cumberbatch is known to play complex characters that have a lot of layers to unpack. Patrick Melrose is one of them and his portrayal of the abuse-victim turned substance abuser brought out his spectacular acting prowess. The mini-series is one of the biggest critical successes of his career.

The way Cumberbatch captures the authenticity of the role is nothing short of outstanding. His performance didn’t go unnoticed as Benedict won the BAFTA in the Leading Actor category.

6 The Hollow Crown

Benedict Cumberbatch and his undertaking of period characters are well-known. The Hollow Crown is a series of British television film adaptations of William Shakespeare’s history plays. He played the cruel and malicious Richard III in 2 episodes of the mini-series.

Cumberbatch was applauded by the critics for playing a superb villain. The series also starred Tom Hiddleston as Henry V and many other big names in the British film industry.

5 Atonement

Steven Moffat claimed that he thought about casting Benedict in the role of Sherlock Holmes after seeing him in Joe Wright’s Atonement. The movie is a war romance with James McAvoy and Keira Knightley in the leading roles.

Cumberbatch had a minor role in the movie but it was wildly different from the characters fans see him playing now. His odd fascination with Lola, a teenager, is enough to put off any viewer. However, he competently proved his acting chops in the minor role, much before his stardom days.

4 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Benedict Cumberbatch starred in the mind-bending 2011 spy drama film, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The movie was one of his first forays into working with big industry names such as Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, and more. Benedict played a gay spy who hides his sexuality from the world and presents something of a glamorous lifestyle as a mask.

Even amongst the sea of incredible actors and acting performances, Benedict presents the depth of his character convincingly and leaves a lasting impression on the audience. Through this role, he exhibited at the start of his rising career, how unafraid he is to play unconventional characters, which hasn’t changed to this day.

3 The Power Of The Dog

With 12 Academy Award nominations, The Power of The Dog is one of the biggest stars of this award season. Set in Montana, the film brilliantly subverts the western genre with the theme of toxic masculinity at the forefront. Benedict dons the character of Phil Burbank, who is a repressed gay rancher with unconventional charisma.

The character has multitudes of layers and evokes a plethora of emotions in the fans, ranging from indignation to sympathy. The film ends with him becoming victim to his own ideas of toxic masculinity. Benedict did a mindblowing job in presenting all this fittingly on the camera.

2 Sherlock

BBC Sherlock is what turned Benedict Cumberbatch into a global icon. The modern adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle became an overnight success with fans loving Cumberbatch’s portrayal of the classic world-famous detective and also, the chemistry between him and Martin Freeman’s John Watson.

Even though there are only four seasons and 12 episodes, the show has not only won the hearts of millions of fans all over the world but also plenty of awards including at the Emmys. Cumberbatch was famously termed as the “Internet’s boyfriend” thanks to Sherlock. 

1 12 Years A Slave

Another movie starring Cumberbatch that was a hit at the Oscars was 12 Years A Slave. A biographical drama, the film won three Academy Awards in 2014. Not only this, but it also became the first film directed and produced by a black filmmaker, Steve McQueen, to win the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture of the Year.

Benedict played a relatively kinder slave owner and the protagonist, Solomon Northup (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor) is sold to him. However, he later sells Northup to a madman, highlighting the hypocrisy of seemingly decent white man. Cumberbatch played the character with conviction and it shows on screen.

About The Author

Sakcham Tiwari
(61 Articles Published)

An avid fangirl of books, TV shows, and movies at her core, Sakcham is a content writer with an MA in Digital Publishing from Oxford Brookes University. When she is not working, she can be found reading fanfiction or scrolling through Twitter.

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