Hamnet

Synopsis

From Academy Award® winning writer/director Chloé Zhao, Hamnet tells the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.

1580 England. Impoverished Latin tutor William Shakespeare meets free-spirited Agnes, and the pair, captivated by one another, strike up a torrid affair that leads to marriage and three children. Yet as Will pursues a budding theater career in far-away London, Agnes anchors the domestic sphere alone. When tragedy strikes, the couple’s once-unshakable bond is tested, but their shared experience sets the stage for the creation of Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece, Hamlet.

From Academy Award® winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, The Rider) comes a sensitively observed, magnificently crafted tale about the complexities of love and the healing power of art and creativity.

A luminous adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s internationally celebrated novel, Hamnet reframes the story of William Shakespeare through the eyes of his wife, Agnes, portrayed with breathtaking depth by Jessie Buckley, alongside Paul Mescal’s compelling Shakespeare.

Having premiered at Telluride before winning the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, Hamnet immerses us in the fragile joys and shattering sorrows of family life in 16th-century Stratford.

Movie Information

Release Date

15 January 2026

Duration

125 MIN

Rating

M

Director

Chloé Zhao

Cast

Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn

Genre

Biography, Drama