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Biographical drama

Lincoln (2012): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Lincoln (2012) movie poster

Lincoln is a 2012 biographical drama directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Daniel Day-Lewis. It is partly based on Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It runs 2 hours 30 minutes and earned $275.3 million worldwide on a $65 million budget. It won 2 Oscars, including Actor in a Leading Role and Production Design, and 10 awards in all. Critics gave it 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 87 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

IMDb rating
7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
89%
worldwide gross
$275.3M
Oscars won
2
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Watch the trailer Read the plot summary
Lincoln (2012) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 30m (150 min)
Director
Steven Spielberg
Genres
Biography , Drama , History , War
Original language
English
Studio
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Budget
$65M
Based on
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Lincoln About?

The premise of Lincoln without spoilers, adapted from Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

During the final months of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln faces immense challenges as he strives to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. He skillfully maneuvers through political opposition while pushing for the passage of the 13th Amendment, which would permanently outlaw slavery in the United States. Lincoln's unwavering commitment to his ideals and his remarkable leadership skills define a critical period in American history, leaving an enduring impact on the nation's future.

Lincoln Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • based on real person
  • president of the united states
  • american politics
  • bearded man
  • 1860s
  • american civil war
  • politics
  • cultural conflict
  • based on true story
  • democrat
  • american history
  • the white house washington d.c.
+38 more
  • mary todd lincoln character
  • character name as title
  • 19th century
  • politician
  • husband wife relationship
  • father son relationship
  • father reads a book to his son and daughter
  • desecration of grave
  • running
  • theater
  • opera
  • period drama
  • heartbreak
  • costume drama
  • british actor plays an american character
  • family relationships
  • negotiation
  • u.s. senate
  • u.s. senator
  • undressing
  • trust
  • distrust
  • old man
  • compromise
  • cigar smoking
  • telling a joke
  • singer
  • singing
  • song
  • horse
  • horse and carriage
  • courage
  • bravery
  • reference to god
  • knocking on a door
  • abolition
  • american south
  • anti slavery
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Cast & crew

Lincoln Cast

Daniel Day-Lewis stars in Lincoln. Directed by Steven Spielberg.

From the director

More from Steven Spielberg

More films directed by Steven Spielberg, best-rated first: Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, The Fabelmans and Jaws.

Full filmography
Ratings

Lincoln Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Lincoln 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 87 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

Plot

Lincoln Plot Summary

What happens in Lincoln from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Lincoln, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, narrates the pivotal moments of President Abraham Lincoln’s endeavors in January 1865 to secure the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution through the House of Representatives. This amendment aimed to formally abolish slavery within the nation.

As the Civil War’s end looms on the horizon, Lincoln is eager to ensure that his 1863 Emancipation Proclamation is protected. He fears that once the war concludes, the courts might invalidate it, and that the return of slave states could jeopardize the amendment’s passage. Hence, he believes it is crucial to finalize the amendment by the end of January, eliminating the risk of re-enslavement for those already freed.

Full summary

The whole story of Lincoln, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Lincoln Box Office & Budget

Lincoln grossed $275.3 million worldwide on a $65 million budget, 4.2 times what it cost. $182.2 million came from the US and Canada and $93.1 million (34%) from the rest of the world.

2012 box office

Worldwide gross

$275.3M

4.2× its budget

US & Canada
$182.2M
International
$93.1M
Budget
$65M
US & Canada 66% Rest of the world 34%
Awards

Lincoln Awards & Nominations

Lincoln won 2 Oscars, including Actor in a Leading Role and Production Design, and 10 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Critics' Choice 2013, with 3 wins from 13 nominations.

10 wins49 nominations8 ceremonies

Show all 8 ceremonies
Videos

Lincoln Trailers & Videos

4 videos: 1 trailer, 2 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.

Trailer
  • Featurette Academy Conversations: Lincoln
  • Featurette Daniel Day-Lewis winning Best Actor for "Lincoln"
  • Behind the Scenes Lincoln (2012) "The Art of Lincoln"
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Lincoln?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who played the role of President Abraham Lincoln in the film?
Details

Lincoln Also Known As

16 alternative titles, including “林肯” and “Линкольн”.

Also known as
  • 林肯
  • Линкольн
  • リンカーン
  • 링컨
  • لنكولين
  • Lincoln 2012
  • Lincoln (2012)
  • Լինքոլն
  • Λίνκολν
  • ลินคอล์น
  • לינקולן
  • Лінкольн
+4 more
  • Линкълн
  • Linkolns
  • Linkolnas, ლინკოლნი
  • لینکلن

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From the blog

Articles About Lincoln

11 articles about Lincoln. The latest: “The Role of Casting in Shaping Film Narratives”.

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FAQ

Lincoln FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Lincoln, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Lincoln?

Lincoln runs 2 hours 30 minutes (150 minutes).

When was Lincoln released?

Lincoln was released on November 9, 2012.

Who directed Lincoln?

Lincoln was directed by Steven Spielberg.

More films by Steven Spielberg

Who is in the cast of Lincoln?

Lincoln stars Daniel Day-Lewis.

How much did Lincoln make at the box office?

Lincoln grossed $275.3 million worldwide ($182.2 million domestic, $93.1 million international) on a budget of $65 million.

How is Lincoln rated?

Lincoln has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, 87 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.

Is Lincoln based on a book?

Yes. Lincoln is partly adapted from Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

What awards did Lincoln win?

Lincoln won 10 awards from 49 nominations, including Best Actor at the Critics' Choice 2013.

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