There are a ton of promising upcoming book-to-screen adaptations on the way, and there’s one in particular that should have fans of William Shakespeare and historical fiction tremendously excited. Hamnet, a start-studded drama from the Academy Award-winning director behind one of the most celebrated Best Picture winners in years, sounds like it could check all the boxes for fans of timeless poet and playwright and stores based on his life.
While we don’t know where the Hamnet release date will fall on the 2025 movie schedule at this time, there’s actually quite a bit we know about the highly anticipated period drama about the writer, his wife, and a tragedy no parent ever wants to face. That said, let’s break down everything we know about Hamnet.
What Is The Hamnet Release Date?
Unless there is some big surprise or miracle, it doesn’t look like the Hamnet release date will fall anywhere on what’s left of the 2024 movie schedule. That said, Focus Features, which is releasing the movie, hasn’t said anything about a possible release date or even a window. We’ll make sure to keep you updated as we learn more about the release plans in the coming weeks and months.
Hamnet Is Based On Maggie O’Farrell’s Novel Of The Same Name
Inspired by the lives of William Shakespeare and his family, Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel, Hamnet, imagines a fictional scenario in which the prolific writer and his wife are pushed to the breaking point after their son succumbs to the Black Plague in late 16th-century Stratford-upon-Avon. Detailing the life and death of Shakespeare's’ son, the critically acclaimed novel, which was one of the New York Times‘ best books of 2020, explores the impact of love, loss, and grief, on parents and how the experiences shape not only their relationship but their greatest works of art.
The Hamnet Cast
When Hamnet arrives in the theaters, it will bring with it an outstanding and talented group of actors. With the likes of Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal leading the cast, not to mention the supporting players appearing alongside them, this historical fiction could be a great addition to the list of movies inspired by William Shakespeare.
Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley sits atop the Hamnet cast, Focus Features has announced. The actress, best known for roles in movies like Wicked Little Letters, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, and Women Talking, is no stranger when it comes to the world of William Shakespeare. In addition to appearing in a television play adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, the Academy Award nominee took the stage in productions of The Tempest and Henry V before her film and TV career took off around a decade ago.
Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal, one of the busiest actors of the past few years, is also set to lead the Hamnet cast. Known for celebrated performances in movies like Aftersun, All of Us Strangers, and Foe, the Irish actor is preparing for his biggest role yet, Lucius Verus in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II. Mescal is also currently filming Richard Linklater’s Merrily We Roll Along, an ambitious years-spanning project that won’t be released for at least a couple more decades.
Emily Watson
Emily Watson, who came up as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company back in the early 1990s, is also set to play a role of some sort in Hamnet. The prolific actress, who has appeared in movies like Breaking the Waves, Gosford Park, Punch-Drunk Love, Synecdoche, New York, and countless others, has a tremendous amount of experience in the realm of Shakespeare. With performances in All’s Well That Ends Well, The Taming of the Shrew, and Othello, to name a few, she’s accomplished on both the screen and stage.
Joe Alywn
Joe Alywn has built up a strong filmography the past decade with movies like Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Mary Queen of Scots, The Favourite, and Kinds of Kindness, and now he’ll add to that with Hamnet. Alywn will also appear in the much-lauded The Brutalist alongside Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones, and he’s set to play Laertes in Aneil Karia’s upcoming Hamlet adaptation.
Chloé Zhao Is Co-Writer And Director Of Hamnet
Since making her debut with Songs My Brothers Taught Me in 2015, Chloé Zhao has become one of the most engaging and intriguing filmmakers on the planet with her intense, character-driven narratives and visuals in the vein of Terrence Mallick. After the success of Nomadland, which took home scores of awards, and the ambitious Eternals for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Zhao has turned her attention to Hamnet, a film she both co-wrote and directed.
Unlike Nomadland, which Zhao adapted on her own, Hamnet was co-written by the original novel’s author, Maggie O’Farrell, Focus Features has announced. How the movie will differ from the book, if at all, is not yet known at this time.
Production Reportedly Got Underway In July 2024
Reading about who’s appearing in the movie and who’s running the show behind the scenes is great and all, but when will Hamnet enter production? Well, according to Screen Daily, cameras started rolling on the movie in Wales starting back in July 2024. There has been no confirmation from Focus Features or anyone else involved about the duration of the shoot, but we should hopefully know more about this fairly soon, especially as studios start to flesh out their 2025 slate of films and beyond.
Hamnet Was Previously Adapted As A Stage Production
Chloé Zhao’s upcoming Hamnet film isn’t the only time Maggie O’Farrell’s novel has been adapted, as the book was previously turned into a stage production in 2023. Put on by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the production started out at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon before moving to the larger Garrick Theatre in London due to ticket demand. The performances ran into the early months of 2024.
Expect to hear much more about Hamnet in the coming weeks and months, as we eagerly await more information and the first look at footage of the highly anticipated film with its unique director and tremendous cast of actors.
