Maggie O’Farrell’s beloved New York Times bestselling novel is about to hit the screen and readers are melting over this emotionally charged trailer. Starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, this moving reimagining of the life of Shakespeare is one that is both unwaveringly beautiful and tragic.

Directed by Academy Award winner, Chloé Zhao, this masterful novel is sure to get its deserved film translation from the talented mind that brought us Nomadland.

This heart wrenching work of historical fiction attempts to unpack perhaps the most well-known writer of all time, but O’Farrell doesn’t seek to tell the story of the man specifically, but rather the life, the woman and the family that shaped him.

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

Told from the point of view of Agnes—Shakespeare’s wife—the story kicks off in 1580 in the throes of the Black Death. Agnes is a talented healer and an eccentric woman who lights a fire under her young, poor husband. Inspiring him as he begins to ascend in his career, the two endure a horrendous loss that is believed to inspire the infamous, Hamlet.

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If you’re a lover of Shakespeare and want stories similar to Hamnet, make sure you check out this list of modern-day retellings and explorations of this historic figure’s life and work. And get ready for the movie’s release on November 27, 2025.