The adaptation of the bestseller that tells how Shakespeare’s wife lived through the death of her son while the writer was creating ‘Hamlet’ will be the starting point of this production full of talents.
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are in final negotiations to star in an adaptation of ‘Hamnet’ for production companies Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows, according to reports Deadline. In addition, it will be Chloé Zhao, director of ‘Eternals’ or ‘Nomadland’, who will direct this film based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell. It will be the writer herself who will adapt the script together with Zhao.
We’re talking about the New York Times best-selling historical fiction novel. It tells the story of Agnes, the wife of the most famous writer in history, William Shakespeare, as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet (not Hamlet). The novel deals with the emotional, family and artistic consequences of that loss, giving life to a moving story as a backdrop for the creation of ‘Hamlet’, considered the most famous play in Western literature.
‘Hamnet’ is a multi-award-winning novel, winner of the 2020 Women’s Fiction Award and the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards Fiction Award, among other awards and nominations.
Liza Marshall of Hera Pictures, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes for Neal Street, producers of ‘1917,’ serve as producers along with Nic Gonda, executive producer on behalf of Book of Shadows. Finally, Jeb Brody, Amblin’s president of production, and Mia Maniscalco, senior vice president of creative affairs, will oversee the project on behalf of the famed studio.
But what would stand out the most would be these protagonists, two of the biggest promises in Hollywood, two actors on a streak of big projects. Buckley was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘The Lost Daughter’ and won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Sally Bowles in ‘Cabaret,’ opposite to Eddie Redmayne in London’s West End. She is also known for her roles in ‘They Talk’ and ‘I’m Thinking of Quitting’.
But perhaps it is the name of Paul Mescal (‘Normal People’) that shines the most, and it is that the Irishman has become one of the men of fashion in Hollywood. He will be the lead in the sequel to Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’. He was also nominated for an Oscar this year for his powerful performance in A24’s ‘Aftersun’, by many critics the best film of all of 2022. It even sounds like a frontrunner for the next James Bond. Before that we will see him in ‘Foe’, by Garth Davis, together with Saorise Ronan, another illustrious member of the most talented of the new Hollywood generation.
The project has not kicked off yet, so we cannot advance the release date, but if it is filmed in 2024 we can expect it for 2025. Even at the end of next year if everything goes well and the schedules balance quickly.
Source: Fotogramas
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
