Hamnet Adaptation: Everything We Know So Far About This Exciting New Project

There will never be enough stories about Shakespeare but this Hamnet adaptation will help bring the story the whole family to the screen. Named after Shakespeare’s only son, this captivating drama unravels the untold account of a young boy lost too soon, forever immortalized through his father’s literary masterpiece “Hamlet.”
 
With a narrative that transcends time and emotions that resonate with the soul, “Hamnet” takes us on a profound journey into the complexities of familial love, artistic devotion, and the overwhelming grief. We are invited to explore the bond between a family and a luminous portrait of a marriage.
 
Don’t forget to check out the masterlist of all the EWKSF adaptation posts here on Alison in Libraryland!
 
This page was updated: 8/2/23
 

About The Book:

England, 1580: The Black Death creeps across the land, an ever-present threat, infecting the healthy, the sick, the old and the young alike. The end of days is near, but life always goes on.
A young Latin tutor–penniless and bullied by a violent father–falls in love with an extraordinary, eccentric young woman. Agnes is a wild creature who walks her family’s land with a falcon on her glove and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer, understanding plants and potions better than she does people. Once she settles with her husband on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon, she becomes a fiercely protective mother and a steadfast, centrifugal force in the life of her young husband, whose career on the London stage is just taking off when his beloved young son succumbs to sudden fever.
 
bookshop.org // Amazon // Audiobook
 

Current Production Status:

This film is in pre-production with casting ongoing as of Summer 2023.
 

Hamnet Adaptation Timeline:

The book was first released in 2020 to critical acclaim including winning the Women’s Prize For Fiction.
In April 2023 it was announced that Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) has signed on to direct a film adaptation of the novel. The next month it was rumored that Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal were in talks to star in the leading roles.
As of August 2023 it has not been confirmed and there have been no further updates on the project.
 

Who Owns The Rights:

Amblin Partners is leading the production.
 

Who Is Attached:

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are in talks to lead the film.
Chloé Zhao is attached as director.
 

Filming Locations:

As of Summer 2023 there are no known filming locations yet because of the movie’s development status.
 

Estimated Release:

Because this project is still in the early stages of development there is not an estimated release timeframe known yet.
 

 

Previous mentions on AiLL:

This book have not been featured on Alison in Libraryland before.
 

Other Adaptations From This Author:

Hamnet is the first of Maggie O’Farrell’s works to get optioned for adaptation.
 
Make sure you sign up for the The Adaptation Watch newsletter, sent out every Saturday morning with all of the latest news on any & all adaptations. Don’t worry about missing an update when it’s coming straight to your inbox!
 

Happy Reading!!
~Alison

Everything We Know So Far

 
Hi there! I’m Alison in Libraryland, and I’ll be here for all your book related needs. Many of you know me as the girl with the book recommendations. Don’t be shy! Ask me! If you’re looking for a good book or movie adaptation, let me help you find it. I’ll be here for all your literary needs. This is a book blog run on an obsession for shiny new books, worn-through old classics, and all attempts at moving those stories to the screen, just like this Hamnet adaptation!