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Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch

Actor and producer · Born July 19, 1976 (50) · Hammersmith, London, England, UK

Primetime Emmy winner · BAFTA Award winner · Oscar nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born July 19, 1976) is an English actor. Known for his roles on the screen and stage, he has received various accolades throughout his career, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a British Academy Television Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award. Cumberbatch won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for Frankenstein and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Sherlock. His performances in the dramas The Imitation Game (2014) and The Power of the Dog (2021) earned him nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award, all for Best Actor in a Leading Role. For playing the title role in five-part drama miniseries Patrick Melrose, he won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. In 2014 Time magazine included him in its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, and in 2015 he was appointed a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2015 Birthday Honours for services to the performing arts and to charity. A graduate of the Victoria University of Manchester, Cumberbatch continued his training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, obtaining a Master of Arts in Classical Acting. He first performed at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park in Shakespearean productions and made his West End debut in Richard Eyre's revival of Hedda Gabler in 2005. Since then, he has starred in the Royal National Theatre productions After the Dance (2010) and Frankenstein (2011). In 2015, he played the title role in Hamlet at the Barbican Theatre. Cumberbatch's television work includes his performance as Stephen Hawking in the television film Hawking in 2004. He gained worldwide recognition for his performance as Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock from 2010 to 2017. He has also headlined Tom Stoppard's adaptation of Parade's End (2012), The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016), Patrick Melrose (2018), and Brexit: The Uncivil War (2019). In films, Cumberbatch has starred in Amazing Grace (2006) as William Pitt the Younger, Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) as Khan, 12 Years a Slave (2013) as William Prince Ford, The Fifth Estate (2013) as Julian Assange, and The Imitation Game (2014) as Alan Turing. He also acted in the historical dramas The Current War (2017), 1917 (2019) and The Courier (2020), and received critical acclaim for his performance in Jane Campion's Western drama The Power of the Dog (2021). From 2012 to 2014, through voice and motion capture, he played the characters of Smaug and Sauron in The Hobbit film series. Cumberbatch portrays Dr. Stephen Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, beginning with Doctor Strange (2016), and also voiced the character in the animated series What If...? (2021).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 19, 1976 (50)
From
Hammersmith, London, England, UK
Works as
Actor and producer
Titles
75 on Motif · 118 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 23% in 30 days

What are Benedict Cumberbatch's films like?

Across their 59 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Biography13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Drama12 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 96th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Documentary5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile
: browse their Documentary movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Short2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Short movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
23%
Self
20%
Bonds
19%
Survival
14%
Power
13%
Ideas
6%
Society
5%
Family bonds11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival9 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 51 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 11 · Serious 9 · Dark 31

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 18 · Stylized 18 · Heightened 15

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 6 · Charged 19 · Intense 26

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 17 · Shifting 23 · Whiplash 11

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 33 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 6

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 22 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 12

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 32 · Full focus 13

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 8 · Affecting 18 · Heavy 25

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 32 · Open-ended 15 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

35 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 19 of 35 analyzed roles.

Hero
19 of 35
Shadow
8 of 35
Ally
4 of 35
Mentor
3 of 35
Herald
1 of 35
Show the 35 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
42
Melancholic
31
Contemplative
21
Hopeful
16
Dread
10
Other
44

How their films linger

Thought-provoking29 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 10 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet37
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous12
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Benedict Cumberbatch's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 57 of their 75 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Benedict Cumberbatch's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

118 credits, 75 with a Motif page; 45 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Wife & Dog (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2027)

    Actor

  • The Thing with Feathers(2025)

    as Dad

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • The Roses(2025)

    Executive Producer · as Theo Rose

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Phoenician Scheme(2025)

    as Uncle Nubar

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • We Live in Time(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Eric(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · Executive Producer · as Vincent

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2024)

    as Henry Sugar / Max Engelman / Harry (archive footage)

  • The Book of Clarence(2023)

    as Benjamin

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Mog's Christmas (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)

    as Mr. Thomas (voice)

  • The End We Start From(2023)

    Executive Producer · as AB

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Arctic: Our Frozen Planet (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)

    as Narrator

  • Poison(2023)

    as Harry Pope

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar(2023)

    as Henry Sugar / Make-Up Artist

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Minions & More 1(2022)

    as The Grinch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Tiger Who Came to Tea (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    as Daddy (voice)

  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness(2022)

    as Doctor Stephen Strange

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Reframing the West: Behind the Scenes of Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Spider-Man: No Way Home(2021)

    as Doctor Strange

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    as Stephen Strange / Doctor Strange (voice) (archive footage)

  • The Power of the Dog(2021)

    as Phil Burbank

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Electrical Life of Louis Wain(2021)

    Executive Producer · as Louis Wain

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • What If...?(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · as Doctor Strange (voice) · as Doctor Strange / Strange Supreme (voice) · as Doctor Strange / Strange-Supreme (voice) · as Strange Supreme / Demon Strange (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Letters Live from the Archive: Freemasons’ Hall (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • The Mauritanian(2021)

    Producer · as Lt. Stuart Couch

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Marvel Studios: Legends(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · as Stephen Strange / Doctor Strange (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • The Courier(2020)

    Executive Producer · as Greville Wynne

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • 1917(2019)

    as Colonel MacKenzie

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Between Two Ferns: The Movie(2019)

    as Benedict Cumberbatch

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Good Omens(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Satan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Avengers: Endgame(2019)

    as Doctor Strange

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Cindy-Lou's Yule Log (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    as The Grinch

  • The Dog Days of Winter (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    as The Grinch (voice)

  • Brexit(2019)

    as Dominic Cummings

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle(2018)

    as Shere Khan (voice)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Grinch(2018)

    as The Grinch (voice)

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Child in Time(2017)

    Executive Producer · as Stephen Lewis

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Patrick Melrose(2018)

    Show 5 episodes · Executive Producer · as Patrick Melrose

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Avengers: Infinity War(2018)

    as Doctor Strange

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Current War(2017)

    as Thomas Edison

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Thor: Ragnarok(2017)

    as Doctor Strange

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Walk With Me(2017)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Naples '44(2016)

    as Norman Lewis (voice)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Strange(2016)

    as Dr. Stephen Strange

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Zoolander 2(2016)

    as All

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Sherlock Holmes

  • National Theatre Live: Hamlet (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

    as Hamlet

  • Black Mass(2015)

    as Billy Bulger

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies(2014)

    as Smaug / Sauron (voice)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Penguins of Madagascar(2014)

    as Classified (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Imitation Game(2014)

    as Alan Turing

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet 3D (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator (Voice)

  • The Penguins of Madagascar - Operation: Penguin Takeover (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    as Agent Classified (voice)

  • Cristiano Ronaldo: World at His Feet (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator

  • 9 Kisses (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    as Man at Costume Party

  • August: Osage County(2013)

    as Little Charles Aiken

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Sherlock: Many Happy Returns (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    as Sherlock Holmes

  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug(2013)

    as Smaug / Sauron

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Jerusalem (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Little Favour (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    Producer · as Wallace

  • National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    as Rosencrantz

  • 12 Years a Slave(2013)

    as William Ford

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Fifth Estate(2013)

    as Julian Assange

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Star Trek Into Darkness(2013)

    as John Harrison / Khan

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • How Sherlock Changed the World(2013)

    as Sherlock Holmes

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey(2012)

    as Necromancer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Girlfriend in a Coma(2012)

    as Dante (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • WWI's Tunnels of Death: The Big Dig (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · as Narrator (Voice)

  • Stephen Hawking's Grand Design (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 3 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

  • Parade's End(2012)

    Show 5 episodes · as Christopher Tietjens

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • The Hollow Crown(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard · as Richard III

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Sherlock: Uncovered (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Sherlock, Self

  • The Dreams of William Golding (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Reader

  • War Horse(2011)

    as Maj. Jamie Stewart

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Wreckers(2011)

    as David

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy(2011)

    as Peter Guillam

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Rattigan Enigma by Benedict Cumberbatch (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • National Theatre Live: Frankenstein (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    as The Creature / Victor Frankenstein

  • Curiosity(2011)

    Show as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Whistleblower(2010)

    as Nick Kaufman

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Sherlock(2010)

    Show 12 episodes · as Sherlock Holmes

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Third Star(2010)

    as James

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Four Lions(2010)

    as Negotiator

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 3 episodes · as Stephen Hawking

  • Painted with Words(2010)

    as Vincent Van Gogh

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Burlesque Fairytales (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    as Henry Clark

  • Small Island (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bernard

  • Creation(2009)

    as Joseph Dalton Hooker

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Turning Point (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    as Guy Burgess

  • The Other Boleyn Girl(2008)

    as William Carey

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Last Enemy(2008)

    Show 5 episodes · as Stephen Ezard

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Stuart: A Life Backwards(2007)

    as Alexander Masters

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Inseparable (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    as Joe / Charlie

  • Atonement(2007)

    as Paul Marshall

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Amazing Grace(2006)

    as William Pitt

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Starter for 10(2006)

    as Patrick Watts

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Broken News (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 6 episodes · as Will Parker

  • The Colbert Report (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Smaug (voice)

  • The Man Who Predicted 9/11 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • To the Ends of the Earth(2005)

    Show 3 episodes · as Edmund Talbot

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Nathan Barley (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 2 episodes · as Robin

  • Agatha Christie's Marple(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Luke Fitzwilliam

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Hawking(2004)

    as Stephen Hawking

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Dunkirk(2004)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lt Jimmy Langley

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Fortysomething (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 6 episodes · as Rory Slippery

  • To Kill a King(2003)

    as Royalist

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Cambridge Spies(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Edward Hand

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Tipping the Velvet(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Freddy

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Fields of Gold (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    as Jeremy

  • Hills Like White Elephants (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    as The Man

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Jim North

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Silent Witness(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Warren Reid

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Heartbeat(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Charles · as Toby Fisher

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Quilloughby (voice) · as Severus Snape / Prime Minister (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Blood on Snow (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as The Fisherman

  • Last Flight (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Executive Producer · as Kirk Wallace Johnson

  • Migrations (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Morning (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Executive Producer · as Frank

  • Rogue Male (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 116 titles, 110 of them dated from 1989 to 2025; peak year 2014.

Biggest box office

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

$2.9B worldwide

Highest rated

Sherlock (2010)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19892025

Peak 2014 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 38 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 3 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting113 of 116: 102 only acting, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score80thProducing14 of 116: 3 only producing, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score79th

116 titles, 11 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 11 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s2 · acting2000s25 · acting2010s57 · 57 acting · 3 crew2020s25 · 24 acting · 7 crew

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 40% of 62 roles
0308131823

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy and a BAFTA Award from 32 major nominations, 2005–2022.

WinNomination
  1. 2022
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Leading Actor
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor
  2. 2019
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Leading Actor
  3. 2018
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Limited Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
  4. 2017
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Leading Actor
  5. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in an Action Movie
  6. 2015
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • BAFTA Award, nominated ×2 · Best Leading Actor
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor
  7. 2014
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated ×2 · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
  8. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Show 4 earlier years
  1. 2012
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Leading Actor
  2. 2011
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor
  3. 2010
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor
  4. 2005
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Benedict Cumberbatch's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 82nd percentile, the median of all 56; across their 51 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 81st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 51

Approval · how many liked their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 51

Reach · how many have seen their films

92ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 51

Midcredits score across 75 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up42
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

40 of their 75 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved23
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser40
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

The Book of Clarence (2023)

77th percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Sherlock (2010)

Midcredits 99th · 95% liked

Reviewers score the acting 79/100 in their films, across 48 reviewed titles; fans 85, detractors 56. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Benedict Cumberbatch's work okay for kids?

Across up to 47 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore40 titles18–81 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity47 titles6–61 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity41 titles18–84 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs42 titles8–66 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense40 titles30–83 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Benedict Cumberbatch work with?

People who share at least 2 of Benedict Cumberbatch's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Adam Ackland shares the most, 9.

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Mixed roles