“Hamnet” is not a misread or a typing error. The slight alteration in spelling is meant to remind audiences of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet,’ the great Elizabethan play that follows the Prince of Denmark as he copes with his father’s death at the hands of his uncle Claudius. This film is different, however. It tells a fictional behind-the-scenes story about the Bard William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes as they struggle with the death of their son, Hamnet. The experience serves as inspiration for the writer’s most significant work.
It’s an intriguing premise that adds dimension and weight to the play’s origin. With Oscar winner Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland,” “Eternals”) at the helm and two great up-and-coming talents, Paul Mescal (“Gladiator 2,” “All of Us Strangers”) and Jessie Buckley (“Men,” “Women Talking”), in the starring roles, it’s sure to be a compelling drama for both theater and movie fans alike.
READ MORE:’ A History Of Sound’ Trailer: Paul Mescal & Josh O’Connor Star In Queer Historical Drama In Theaters On September 12
The movie stars Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Joe Alwyn, Emily Watson, Jacobi Jupe, Jack Shalloo, and David Wilmot, and Zhao wrote and directed the picture. “Hamnet” is based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell. Pippa Harris, Liza Marshall, Sam Mendes, and Steven Spielberg are producers. Laurie Borg, Nicolals Gonda, Kristie Macosko Krieger, and Zhao are executive producers.
Synopsis:
From Academy Award® winning writer/director Chloé Zhao, HAMNET tells the powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.
While Zhao’s last film was the Marvel movie, “Eternals,” seemingly a million miles away from her celebrated and Academy Award-winning indie work, she credits the film for readying her for “Hamnet” and a key step in he filmic evolution.
“‘Eternals’ prepared me for Hamnet because it’s world-building. Before that, I had only done films that existed in the real world. I also learned what to do and not to do—what’s realistic and what isn’t,” Zhao told Vanity Fair recently.. “Eternals had, like, an unlimited amount of money and resources. And here we have one street corner we can afford to [stand in for] Stratford…. ‘Eternals’ didn’t have a lot of limitations, and that is actually quite dangerous. Because we only have that street corner [in Hamnet], suddenly everything has meaning.”
Focus Features will release “Hamnet” in select theaters on November 27 and goes nationwide on December 12. Watch the trailer below.
