A trailer has been unveiled for this fall's The Imitation Game, a movie about Alan Turing's role in breaking the Enigma code used by Nazi Germany in WWII - starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the famous mathematician and logician. While the trailer primarily focuses on the race-against-time/thriller aspect of the story, it has been indicated that Imitation Game will also deal with Turing's life after he became a hero in the second World War - including, the horrible fate that eventually befell him.

Related to that - there's a reference to Turing being gay in the Imitation Game trailer; presumably, the actual film will touch upon how he was forced to undergo chemical castration because of his sexual preferences (leading to him committing suicide). It's a disturbing end to Turing's story, even ignoring how he's been dubbed by many historians as the "Father of Theoretical Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence." (Not exactly something you focus on during a trailer to market the film- not even an potential awards season contender.)

Indeed, The Weinstein Company has positioned Imitation Game to serve as Oscar bait this fall - and while the trailer does include a somewhat formulaic moment of Turing's coworkers rallying to support him (despite his prickly nature), overall the film seems to be a solid piece of historical drama, all things considered. Certainly, it looks to be a pleasantly handsome movie in terms of aesthetics, with very fine-looking production design by Maria Djurkovic (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and costumes from Sammy Sheldon (X-Men: First Class).

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game

Imitation Game is the feature debut for screenwriter Graham Moore, though the film was directed by someone with a bit more experience, in the shape of Moreten Tyldum (helmsman on the acclaimed Headhunters). Starring alongside Cumberbatch are such well-respected names as Keira Knightley (Begin Again), Matthew Goode (Stoker), Mark Strong (Low Winter Sun), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), and Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), among others.

The Imitation Game opens in U.S. theaters on November 21st, 2014.

Source: The Weinstein Company