Filming has commenced on the big screen adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell's 2020 novel Hamnet, a fictional account of the grief suffered by William Shakespeare and his wife when their son died at age eleven in 1596. The book received numerous accolades, including the Women's Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. It was also chosen as Waterstones' Book of the Year and named Novel of the Year at the Dalkey Literary Awards. The stage adaptation premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company before transferring to the West End's Garrick Theatre, where it played until February 2024.

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The film adaptation is directed by Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao, who directed the 2021 MCU blockbuster Eternals and the acclaimed Nomadland, which won the Golden Lion (see the news), four BAFTAS (see the news) and four Golden Globes including Best Drama and Best Director. Zhao became the second woman and the first East Asian woman to win the Best Director award and Nomadland received six nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards, winning Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Actress. 

Zhao co-wrote the script for Hamnet with the book's author. The story explores themes of marriage and grief, delving into the lives of William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, referred to as Agnes in O'Farrell's novel. Set in Elizabethan England, the story centres on their passionate yet troubled relationship and the profound impact of their son Hamnet's death, plausibly imagined as being due to the plague. As Shakespeare contends with public success and private sorrow, the narrative highlights how this personal tragedy influenced his work, particularly the creation of Hamlet.

The film stars Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as Anne Hathaway. Mescal gained prominence for starring in Aftersun [+leggi anche:
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scheda film], and will soon appear in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II. Buckley won an Olivier Award for her turn in Cabaret and most recently starred in Wicked Little Letters as well as Christos Nikou's Fingernails. The Knowledge reports that shooting is underway on location in Wales, following a period of development and casting adjustments, with Zhao replacing the originally attached director, Sam Mendes. With Mescal and Buckley leading the cast under Zhao’s direction, Hamnet is anticipated to be a significant contender in the 2025 award season given the director's track record.

Hamnet is produced by Liza Marshall of Hera Pictures alongside Sam Mendes and Pippa Harris of Neal Street Productions and Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. The theatrical release is slated for 2025.