Audrey Diwan is attached to direct “The Marriage Portrait,” based on the novel by award-winning Northern Irish writer Maggie O’Farrell, best known for “Hamnet.”
Variety hears that the project will see the fast-rising French auteur team with two of Europe’s leading arthouse producers in Ireland’s Element Pictures (which has three films in Cannes’ official selection this year) and Italy’s Wildside (which has competition title “Limonov: The Ballad”). Film4 helped develop the feature.
Set in 1500s Renaissance Florence, “The Marriage Portrait” — which was published in 2022 — follows the fictional tale of young duchess Lucrezia de’ Medici, a sheltered 16-year-old who has spent her life locked inside the city’s grandest palazzo. But when her husband takes her on an unexpected visit to a country villa, it occurs to her that he has a sinister purpose — he intends to kill her.
Diwan, who has just completed the post-production of her...
Variety hears that the project will see the fast-rising French auteur team with two of Europe’s leading arthouse producers in Ireland’s Element Pictures (which has three films in Cannes’ official selection this year) and Italy’s Wildside (which has competition title “Limonov: The Ballad”). Film4 helped develop the feature.
Set in 1500s Renaissance Florence, “The Marriage Portrait” — which was published in 2022 — follows the fictional tale of young duchess Lucrezia de’ Medici, a sheltered 16-year-old who has spent her life locked inside the city’s grandest palazzo. But when her husband takes her on an unexpected visit to a country villa, it occurs to her that he has a sinister purpose — he intends to kill her.
Diwan, who has just completed the post-production of her...
- 5/14/2024
- by Alex Ritman and Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley are teaming up with Chloé Zhao for Hamnet. More on that project below.
In November, we reported that Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao is getting ready to shoot her new film Hamnet in April 2024. We had no details of the film’s cast back then, but we do now and boy, it’s going to be a doozy.
The Guardian reports that Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley have both signed on for the project. Mescal, currently starring in the outstanding All Of Us Strangers, will play a young William Shakespeare while Buckley will play Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway.
Hamnet is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s book of the same name and the fictional story explores Shapespeare and his wife coming to terms with the loss of their 11-year-old son Hamnet to the plague.
Speaking to Vogue, Mescal described the novel as “devastating”, adding that he...
In November, we reported that Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao is getting ready to shoot her new film Hamnet in April 2024. We had no details of the film’s cast back then, but we do now and boy, it’s going to be a doozy.
The Guardian reports that Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley have both signed on for the project. Mescal, currently starring in the outstanding All Of Us Strangers, will play a young William Shakespeare while Buckley will play Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway.
Hamnet is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s book of the same name and the fictional story explores Shapespeare and his wife coming to terms with the loss of their 11-year-old son Hamnet to the plague.
Speaking to Vogue, Mescal described the novel as “devastating”, adding that he...
- 1/30/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
All of Us Strangers actor will play William Shakespeare alongside Buckley as his wife in film adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel
Paul Mescal will star as the young William Shakespeare in a big-screen version of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao.
The film is not related to Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage play, which has played to sold-out runs in Stratford-upon-Avon and the West End; rather it will be scripted by Zhao and O’Farrell.
Paul Mescal will star as the young William Shakespeare in a big-screen version of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao.
The film is not related to Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage play, which has played to sold-out runs in Stratford-upon-Avon and the West End; rather it will be scripted by Zhao and O’Farrell.
- 1/30/2024
- by Catherine Shoard
- The Guardian - Film News
Exclusive: Hera Pictures, the indie behind Jodie Comer-starrer The End We Start From and Sky/Starz’ upcoming Mary & George, is developing a TV version of Joanna Quinn’s hit novel The Whalebone Theatre.
The 2022 best-seller is a coming-of-age story set in the shadows of the oncoming World War Two. It tells the story of an ‘unmarriageable girl’, Cristobel, electing to defy convention and find her own path through life. As Cristabel grows into a headstrong young woman, World War II approaches and she and her brother become British secret agents on separate missions in Nazi-occupied France.
The book hit best-seller lists in the UK and U.S. and has sold into 14 further territories worldwide since its release. No network is attached as of yet to the TV version.
Whalebone Theatre is the latest project for Hera, the drama indie run by former Channel 4 drama boss Liza Marshall that finds itself in rude health.
The 2022 best-seller is a coming-of-age story set in the shadows of the oncoming World War Two. It tells the story of an ‘unmarriageable girl’, Cristobel, electing to defy convention and find her own path through life. As Cristabel grows into a headstrong young woman, World War II approaches and she and her brother become British secret agents on separate missions in Nazi-occupied France.
The book hit best-seller lists in the UK and U.S. and has sold into 14 further territories worldwide since its release. No network is attached as of yet to the TV version.
Whalebone Theatre is the latest project for Hera, the drama indie run by former Channel 4 drama boss Liza Marshall that finds itself in rude health.
- 1/18/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners has cut some 20 percent of its workforce, as the company resizes amid a new multiyear deal with Universal. Those leaving the 90- to 100-employee company include staff in marketing, international and post-production.
Under Amblin’s new deal with Universal, the studio will co-finance the company’s movies. Previously, Amblin would find its own financing for movies and then give Universal the chance to distribute those films for a fee.
Spielberg last directed the Oscar-nominated The Fabelmans, which Universal released. He hasn’t yet announced his next directing project.
The company has in the works an adaption of the novel Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, to be directed by Chloe Zhao, and has closed a deal for the rights to the 2024 novel Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart. Amblin also has a deal with Netflix.
In announcing the new pact with the studio, Spielberg said in a statement,...
Under Amblin’s new deal with Universal, the studio will co-finance the company’s movies. Previously, Amblin would find its own financing for movies and then give Universal the chance to distribute those films for a fee.
Spielberg last directed the Oscar-nominated The Fabelmans, which Universal released. He hasn’t yet announced his next directing project.
The company has in the works an adaption of the novel Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell, to be directed by Chloe Zhao, and has closed a deal for the rights to the 2024 novel Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart. Amblin also has a deal with Netflix.
In announcing the new pact with the studio, Spielberg said in a statement,...
- 7/12/2023
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Blizzard Entertainment will be launching the video game Diablo IV on June 6th, and in anticipation of that event they have unveiled a new trailer for the game that was directed Chloe Zhao. The trailer is called “Saviors Wanted” and can be seen at the bottom of this article. Zhao is best known for directing the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals and the Best Picture winner Nomadland. She co-directed the Diablo IV trailer with Kiku Ohe, director of the 2017 film The Lines.
Here’s some information on the Diablo IV trailer: Set in the dark world of Sanctuary–a realm that has been besieged by horrific monsters while the High Heavens and the Burning Hells wage destructive battles against each other–Saviors Wanted captures the immersive and dark world that the series is known for and delivers the kind of cinematic drama that exists within the game. With a gripping...
Here’s some information on the Diablo IV trailer: Set in the dark world of Sanctuary–a realm that has been besieged by horrific monsters while the High Heavens and the Burning Hells wage destructive battles against each other–Saviors Wanted captures the immersive and dark world that the series is known for and delivers the kind of cinematic drama that exists within the game. With a gripping...
- 5/25/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
An acrobatic archer, a sorceress, a shapeshifting barbarian, skeletons-with-swords, and a frightened child. These are just a few of the characters you’ll meet in the minute-long trailer for Blizzard Entertainment’s upcoming blockbuster video game “Diablo IV.” And if this has a more cinematic look than most ads targeting the joystick set, that’s no surprise. The trailer is co-directed by Chloe Zhao alongside Kiku Ohe.
Few would have predicted, watching the 2015 independent film “Songs My Brother Taught Me,” just how mainstream Zhao would become in just a few years. After a similarly elegiac look at the American West with “The Rider,” Zhao teamed with Frances McDormand for “Nomadland.” The 2020 feature was an awards smash, winning Zhao two Oscars – Best Picture as a producer and Best Director. McDormand also took home two trophies during that ceremony, her third Best Actress award following “Fargo” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,...
Few would have predicted, watching the 2015 independent film “Songs My Brother Taught Me,” just how mainstream Zhao would become in just a few years. After a similarly elegiac look at the American West with “The Rider,” Zhao teamed with Frances McDormand for “Nomadland.” The 2020 feature was an awards smash, winning Zhao two Oscars – Best Picture as a producer and Best Director. McDormand also took home two trophies during that ceremony, her third Best Actress award following “Fargo” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Chloé Zhao has gone from intimate dramas in the American West to massive Marvel blockbusters, and now she’s entered the world of gaming. Kind of. The Oscar winner has teamed up with video game publisher Blizzard to direct a live-action trailer for their upcoming video game “Diablo IV,” set to release in two weeks.
The trailer, which Zhao co-directed with Kiku Ohe, is set in the video game’s world of Sanctuary, the realm of humans constantly caught in the middle of the battles between heaven and hell. The trailer features actors portraying the game’s five playable classes — Barbarian, Sorcerer, Druid, Rogue, and Necromancer — fighting various monsters and ending with a shot of the game’s primary antagonist, the demon Lilith.
“Working with Blizzard, we had the wonderful opportunity to bring the dark, thrilling and imaginative world of ‘Diablo IV’ to life,” Zhao said in a statement. “’Diablo’ fans are very passionate,...
The trailer, which Zhao co-directed with Kiku Ohe, is set in the video game’s world of Sanctuary, the realm of humans constantly caught in the middle of the battles between heaven and hell. The trailer features actors portraying the game’s five playable classes — Barbarian, Sorcerer, Druid, Rogue, and Necromancer — fighting various monsters and ending with a shot of the game’s primary antagonist, the demon Lilith.
“Working with Blizzard, we had the wonderful opportunity to bring the dark, thrilling and imaginative world of ‘Diablo IV’ to life,” Zhao said in a statement. “’Diablo’ fans are very passionate,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Following her Best Picture-winning Nomadland and her foray into the MCU with Eternals, director Chloé Zhao has circled a few feature projects, including a sci-fi western take on Dracula, but looks to have settled on an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet. Set to star Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, the story follows William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway and the death of their son, which led the writing of Hamlet. With production not planned to start until the summer of 2024, the director is keeping busy on shorter projects.
After her Budweiser Super Bowl spot last year, she’s now teamed with Blizzard to direct a live-action trailer for Diablo IV, which will be released in June. Co-directed with Kiku Ohe, the spot finds the director once again diving into a fantasy world, this time with more of a tinge than horror compared to what Marvel allows.
“Working with Blizzard,...
After her Budweiser Super Bowl spot last year, she’s now teamed with Blizzard to direct a live-action trailer for Diablo IV, which will be released in June. Co-directed with Kiku Ohe, the spot finds the director once again diving into a fantasy world, this time with more of a tinge than horror compared to what Marvel allows.
“Working with Blizzard,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
When you listen to Chloé Zhao talk about the films that she loves, an obvious pattern emerges. The Oscar-winning director describes her favorite movies by focusing on their scope and the worlds they create. One of her favorite ways to praise a director is by focusing how they approach using their locations: how the tiny details that populate a setting are considered, and how the characters’ interactions with their surroundings establish and reflect their own internal universes.
The films that use their locations successfully, in Zhao’s eyes, can vary widely. Some are massive epics like “Lord of the Rings” or “Interstellar,” while others are intimate romantic dramas like “Happy Together” or “Wuthering Heights.” Zhao’s films are often compared to the works of Terrence Malick, and she’s unsurprisingly a big fan of the director’s absorbing and gorgeous works, especially his 2005 historical epic “The New World.” But Zhao...
The films that use their locations successfully, in Zhao’s eyes, can vary widely. Some are massive epics like “Lord of the Rings” or “Interstellar,” while others are intimate romantic dramas like “Happy Together” or “Wuthering Heights.” Zhao’s films are often compared to the works of Terrence Malick, and she’s unsurprisingly a big fan of the director’s absorbing and gorgeous works, especially his 2005 historical epic “The New World.” But Zhao...
- 5/12/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
That's no spelling mistake -- "Hamnet" is a film adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel of the same name, not a new movie version of William Shakespeare's famous stage play tragedy "Hamlet". The film is being developed by Chloé Zhao, herself coming off multiple Oscars wins for her adaptation of the non-fiction book "Nomadland." Her other credits include "Songs My Brother Taught Me" and "The Rider," both of which have quasi-documentary qualities similar to those of "Nomadland."
More recently, Zhao directed "Eternals" -- a cosmic gumbo of a superhero epic that, say what you might against it, is one of most visually-accomplished and emotionally-grounded Marvel Cinematic Universe films to date. The point being, Zhao always aspires to make art that is both emotionally and technically complex, and "Hamnet" is certainly a good match for her sensibilities.
While we're still awaiting some key information at the time of writing (including...
More recently, Zhao directed "Eternals" -- a cosmic gumbo of a superhero epic that, say what you might against it, is one of most visually-accomplished and emotionally-grounded Marvel Cinematic Universe films to date. The point being, Zhao always aspires to make art that is both emotionally and technically complex, and "Hamnet" is certainly a good match for her sensibilities.
While we're still awaiting some key information at the time of writing (including...
- 5/6/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
“Nomadland” filmmaker Chloé Zhao is coming off a massive win at the 2021 Academy Awards as the acclaimed drama earned statues for Best Director and Best Picture. Shortly after, she released “Eternals,” which didn’t really excite audiences as much as she would have liked. Now, film fans are wondering what’s next? Well, one of her upcoming projects is a feature film adaptation of the fictional novel “Hamnet,” from author Maggie O’Farrell, and the director is looking to add two talented actors for lead roles in the drama.
Continue reading ‘Hamnet’: Filmmaker Chloé Zhao Enlists Paul Mescal & Jessie Buckley For Fictional Shakespeare Drama at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Hamnet’: Filmmaker Chloé Zhao Enlists Paul Mescal & Jessie Buckley For Fictional Shakespeare Drama at The Playlist.
- 5/2/2023
- by Christopher Marc
- The Playlist
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are in talks to star in 'Hamnet'.The duo are set to join the cast of Chloe Zhao's adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling historical fiction novel.The tale imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world's most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son Hamnet.The story charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of the loss and brings to life a human and heart-stopping tale as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare's most famous play, 'Hamlet'.Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes are producing the movie on behalf of Neal Street, the company that produced the Oscar-winning war film '1917'.Chloe is adapting the script with O'Farrell but it is unclear if the film will be her next project as she is developing a number of...
- 5/2/2023
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
“Nomadland” director Chloé Zhao has landed two heavy hitters for her next film, “Hamnet,” set up at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. Oscar nominees Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are both in talks to star in the film, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire.
“Hamnet” is a historical fiction take on the Bard, William Shakespeare, that tells the story of his wife Anne “Agnes” Hathaway and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.”
Specific character details for Buckley and Mescal were not disclosed.
“Hamnet” is based on a New York Times-best-selling novel from 2020 by author Maggie O’Farrell. Zhao is co-writing the script with O’Farrell.
Liza Marshall through Hera Pictures and Pippa Harris,...
“Hamnet” is a historical fiction take on the Bard, William Shakespeare, that tells the story of his wife Anne “Agnes” Hathaway and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.”
Specific character details for Buckley and Mescal were not disclosed.
“Hamnet” is based on a New York Times-best-selling novel from 2020 by author Maggie O’Farrell. Zhao is co-writing the script with O’Farrell.
Liza Marshall through Hera Pictures and Pippa Harris,...
- 5/1/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are in talks to star in an adaptation of Hamnet for Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows. Chloé Zhao will direct the film based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, who will adapt the script with Zhao.
The New York Times bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of The Bard’s Hamlet.
Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize at the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards and was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize and longlisted for the Andrew...
The New York Times bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of The Bard’s Hamlet.
Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize at the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards and was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize and longlisted for the Andrew...
- 5/1/2023
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO Max’s It prequel series has found its first potential victims.
Chris Chalk (Gotham), James Remar (Black Lightning), Taylour Paige (Hit the Floor) and Jovan Adepo (Sorry for Your Loss) have joined the cast of Welcome to Derry, the upcoming prequel to the supernatural horror film based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel, our sister site Variety reports. No character details are currently available.
More from TVLineMy Adventures With Superman Eyes Summer Release Date -- Watch Teaser Trailer for Animated SeriesTVLine Items: New Showtime Spy Drama, Clone High Teaser and MoreTVLine Items: Kit Harington on Industry, Love Is Blind Live...
Chris Chalk (Gotham), James Remar (Black Lightning), Taylour Paige (Hit the Floor) and Jovan Adepo (Sorry for Your Loss) have joined the cast of Welcome to Derry, the upcoming prequel to the supernatural horror film based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel, our sister site Variety reports. No character details are currently available.
More from TVLineMy Adventures With Superman Eyes Summer Release Date -- Watch Teaser Trailer for Animated SeriesTVLine Items: New Showtime Spy Drama, Clone High Teaser and MoreTVLine Items: Kit Harington on Industry, Love Is Blind Live...
- 4/6/2023
- by Erianne Lewis
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Orlando Bloom is set to play an American linguist in a series based on Maggie O’Farrell’s This Must Be The Place.
Bloom is also set as an exec producer on the project, which is in the works at Amazon, where the Pirates of the Caribbean star has a first-look deal.
Suzanne Heathcote, who served as showrunner on the third season of Killing Eve, will write and exec produce the adaptation. It comes from Bloom’s Amazing Owl, BBC Studios, Brexit: The Uncivil War producer House Productions and Amazon Studios.
This Must Be The Place crisscrosses time and continents to reveal the redemptive power of love and how the choices of our past have unexpected consequences in our present, as an American linguist and a reclusive Anglo-French actress find their marriage threatened by their earlier lives.
The book follows Daniel Sullivan, who leads a complicated life. A New Yorker...
Bloom is also set as an exec producer on the project, which is in the works at Amazon, where the Pirates of the Caribbean star has a first-look deal.
Suzanne Heathcote, who served as showrunner on the third season of Killing Eve, will write and exec produce the adaptation. It comes from Bloom’s Amazing Owl, BBC Studios, Brexit: The Uncivil War producer House Productions and Amazon Studios.
This Must Be The Place crisscrosses time and continents to reveal the redemptive power of love and how the choices of our past have unexpected consequences in our present, as an American linguist and a reclusive Anglo-French actress find their marriage threatened by their earlier lives.
The book follows Daniel Sullivan, who leads a complicated life. A New Yorker...
- 4/5/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmaker Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) has been signed up to take the helm on an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed Shakespeare-era novel ‘Hamnet’ for Amblin Partners.
The bestseller reframes the creation of William Shakespeare’s most famous play, ‘Hamlet,’ through the lens of the playwright’s wife Agnes, as she grieves the death of her only son, 11-year-old Hamnet, to the bubonic plague. The novel also traces the beginnings of Agnes’ relationship with young Shakespeare — who is never named, known only as the world’s most famous playwright.
Also in news – Austin Butler cast in adaptation ‘City on Fire’
Zhao will also be penning the screenplay with O’Farrell. Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows are all backing the project.
Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris (1917) and Sam Mendes (1917) are producing, and Nic Gonda is executive producing for Book of Shadows. Jeb Brody, Amblin’s president of production,...
The bestseller reframes the creation of William Shakespeare’s most famous play, ‘Hamlet,’ through the lens of the playwright’s wife Agnes, as she grieves the death of her only son, 11-year-old Hamnet, to the bubonic plague. The novel also traces the beginnings of Agnes’ relationship with young Shakespeare — who is never named, known only as the world’s most famous playwright.
Also in news – Austin Butler cast in adaptation ‘City on Fire’
Zhao will also be penning the screenplay with O’Farrell. Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows are all backing the project.
Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris (1917) and Sam Mendes (1917) are producing, and Nic Gonda is executive producing for Book of Shadows. Jeb Brody, Amblin’s president of production,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Chloe Zhao is to direct 'Hamnet'.The Oscar-winning director will helm an adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's novel and is adapting the script alongside the author.The best-selling historical fictional novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world's most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son Hamnet.The story charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of the loss and brings to life a human and heart-stopping tale as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare's most famous play, 'Hamlet'.It is not known whether 'Hamnet' will be Chloe's next project as she is developing a number of films following the success of 'Nomadland', which dominated the Academy Awards in 2021.Her most recent movie was the Marvel blockbuster 'Eternals' but she opted to take a break afterwards as she looked for her next picture.
- 4/5/2023
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao is getting behind the camera to direct an adaptation of Hamnet for Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions, and Book of Shadows. The concept is based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, who joins Zhao in adapting the script.
Hamnet is a fictional novel depicting the life and times of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare. The story takes audiences through a tumultuous tale of shattered realities, loss, and heart-wrenching inspiration behind Shakespeare’s world-famous Hamlet.
Per Amazon, the official description for O’Farrell’s Hamnet reads:
England, 1580. A young Latin tutor—penniless, bullied by a violent father—falls in love with an eccentric young woman: a wild creature who walks her family’s estate with a falcon on her shoulder and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer. Agnes understands plants and potions better than she does people, but...
Hamnet is a fictional novel depicting the life and times of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare. The story takes audiences through a tumultuous tale of shattered realities, loss, and heart-wrenching inspiration behind Shakespeare’s world-famous Hamlet.
Per Amazon, the official description for O’Farrell’s Hamnet reads:
England, 1580. A young Latin tutor—penniless, bullied by a violent father—falls in love with an eccentric young woman: a wild creature who walks her family’s estate with a falcon on her shoulder and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer. Agnes understands plants and potions better than she does people, but...
- 4/4/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Chloé Zhao is adding another feature to the roster of films she has on her plate. The filmmaker has set her sights on Hamnet, which is in the works from Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows.
The feature is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s historical novel of the same name. It centers on Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare who is mourning the loss of her son, Hamnet.
Zhao is a two-time Oscar winner for Nomadland, which landed her best director and best picture Oscars as a producer. The filmmaker followed that up with Marvel Studios’ Eternals, and she is also known for The Rider.
Zhao will pen the script for Hamnet with O’Farrell. Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes are producing, with Nic Gonda executive producing for Book of Shadows. Jeb Brody, Amblin’s president of production, and Mia Maniscalco, senior vp creative affairs,...
The feature is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s historical novel of the same name. It centers on Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare who is mourning the loss of her son, Hamnet.
Zhao is a two-time Oscar winner for Nomadland, which landed her best director and best picture Oscars as a producer. The filmmaker followed that up with Marvel Studios’ Eternals, and she is also known for The Rider.
Zhao will pen the script for Hamnet with O’Farrell. Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes are producing, with Nic Gonda executive producing for Book of Shadows. Jeb Brody, Amblin’s president of production, and Mia Maniscalco, senior vp creative affairs,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The big question surrounding Chloe Zhao right now is what’s next? After winning several Oscars for her work on “Nomadland,” the filmmaker followed that up quickly with Marvel Studios’ “Eternals.” However, since the release of the superhero film, she hasn’t officially announced which film project she’s pursuing next. Perhaps it’s “Hamnet?”
Read More: ‘Eternals 2’: Barry Keoghan Had To Text Kumail Nanjani For Updates, But Still Doesn’t Have Answers On A Sequel
According to Deadline, Chloe Zhao has signed on to direct the film, “Hamnet.” Based on the historical fiction novel of the same name by author Maggie O’Farrell, the film will follow the story of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare.
Continue reading ‘Hamnet’: Chloe Zhao To Direct New Film About Shakespeare’s Wife at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Eternals 2’: Barry Keoghan Had To Text Kumail Nanjani For Updates, But Still Doesn’t Have Answers On A Sequel
According to Deadline, Chloe Zhao has signed on to direct the film, “Hamnet.” Based on the historical fiction novel of the same name by author Maggie O’Farrell, the film will follow the story of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare.
Continue reading ‘Hamnet’: Chloe Zhao To Direct New Film About Shakespeare’s Wife at The Playlist.
- 4/4/2023
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
After Chloé Zhao’s venture into the Marvel universe, the Oscar winner is taking on the Bard. The “Nomadland” and “Eternals” director will adapt “Hamnet,” the 2020 novel from Irish author Maggie O’Farrell, IndieWire has confirmed.
A work of historical fiction, “Hamnet” tells the story of William Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway (referred in the story as Agnes), and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel particularly focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has long been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s most famous play, the very similarly named “Hamlet.” Upon its release, O’Farrell’s novel received critical acclaim; it won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize from the 2020 National Book Critics Circle, and was named by the New York Times Book Review as one...
A work of historical fiction, “Hamnet” tells the story of William Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway (referred in the story as Agnes), and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel particularly focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has long been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s most famous play, the very similarly named “Hamlet.” Upon its release, O’Farrell’s novel received critical acclaim; it won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize from the 2020 National Book Critics Circle, and was named by the New York Times Book Review as one...
- 4/4/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) will direct an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed Shakespeare-era novel “Hamnet” for Amblin Partners. Zhao is writing the screenplay with O’Farrell. Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows are all backing the project.
O’Farrell’s New York Times bestseller reframes the creation of William Shakespeare’s most famous play, “Hamlet,” through the lens of the playwright’s wife Agnes, as she grieves the death of her only son, 11-year-old Hamnet, to the bubonic plauge. The novel also traces the beginnings of Agnes’ relationship with young Shakespeare — who is never named, known only as the world’s most famous playwright. In 2020, “Hamnet” won the Women’s Prize for fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.
Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris (“1917”) and Sam Mendes (“1917”) are producing, and Nic Gonda (“Tree of Life”) is executive producing for Book of Shadows.
O’Farrell’s New York Times bestseller reframes the creation of William Shakespeare’s most famous play, “Hamlet,” through the lens of the playwright’s wife Agnes, as she grieves the death of her only son, 11-year-old Hamnet, to the bubonic plauge. The novel also traces the beginnings of Agnes’ relationship with young Shakespeare — who is never named, known only as the world’s most famous playwright. In 2020, “Hamnet” won the Women’s Prize for fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.
Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris (“1917”) and Sam Mendes (“1917”) are producing, and Nic Gonda (“Tree of Life”) is executive producing for Book of Shadows.
- 4/4/2023
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
Two-time Academy Award winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao will direct “Hamnet,” an adaptation of the critically acclaimed, award winning novel by Maggie O’Farrell, Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows announced on Tuesday.
Zhao and O’Farrell will write the script together.
The New York Times Bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet.
Also Read:
The 40 Best Movies on Hulu Right Now
Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize at the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards, and was also shortlisted for...
Zhao and O’Farrell will write the script together.
The New York Times Bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet.
Also Read:
The 40 Best Movies on Hulu Right Now
Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize at the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards, and was also shortlisted for...
- 4/4/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Exclusive: After dominating the Oscars in 2021, Nomadland writer-director Chloé Zhao looks to be building out her future slate. Sources tell Deadline that she is set to direct an adaptation of Hamnet for Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows. The film is based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, who will adapt the script with Zhao.
The New York Times bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet.
Related: Maggie O’Farrell Novel ‘Hamnet’ Headed For Screen From Amblin Partners, Sam Mendes’ Neal Street, Hera Pictures...
The New York Times bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet.
Related: Maggie O’Farrell Novel ‘Hamnet’ Headed For Screen From Amblin Partners, Sam Mendes’ Neal Street, Hera Pictures...
- 4/4/2023
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel Hamnet, a tale of love and heartbreak concerning Agnes Hathaway and her beloved one William Shakespeare, has taken the unheralded step of announcing its West End transfer before it has has even opened in the famous playwright’s place of birth.
Related Story Breaking Baz: ‘Ted Lasso’ Star To Lead Hot London Production Of ‘Romeo And Juliet’ Alongside ‘Red Rose’ Actress Isis Hainsworth Related Story Breaking Baz: 'House Of The Dragon' Star Milly Alcock Stirs Up A Witches Brew For London Stage Debut In Arthur Miller Classic 'The Crucible' Related Story Breaking Baz: Hollywood Lets Its Hair Down & Does The Conga After Midnight At Vanity Fair Oscar Party – Check Out The Guest List
The play, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti — whose version of Life of Pi is on Broadway — directed by Erica Whyman and starring Madeleine Mantock begins performances at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 1 through June 17.
Madeleine Mantock
But following a “tsunami” of interest from eager ticket buyers, the show will transfer after its run in Stratford to London’s Garrick Theatre for 14 weeks from September 30 through January 6.
If the phenomenal level of interest is maintained, then expect seats at the Garrick to be hard to come by after they go on priority sale from March 28, with public booking from April 6.
The plain fact is that O’Farrell’s engrossing novel has sold more than 1.5 million copies and has fans on every continent.
Her story of the plain-speaking, free-spirited Agnes Hathaway; her relationship with Shakespeare; the heartbreaking death of Hamnet, their 11-year-old son; and how that tragedy inspired the Bard to write Hamlet; touched a nerve coming out as it did during the pandemic. “It’s totally a love story, it’s very romantic,” Chakrabarti told us.
‘Hamnet’ director Erica Whyman
Also, Chakrabarti continued: “Shakespeare is endlessly fascinating because we are trying to work out who was the man behind these amazing pieces of work, but Maggie O’Farrell’s book asks: Who was the family behind him? Anne, or Agnes, Hathaway has had a pretty bad press, and this redresses some of those injustices.”
Whyman had a “hunch”the RSC ought to put it on stage the minute she’d finished reading it because it dealt “so beautifully with bereavement and love.”
That love, Whyman observed, “carried Shakespeare to some of the most remarkable achievements of his life, notably writing Hamlet.”
Liza Marshall’s Hera Pictures already had acquired an option, and the movie’s in development with Neal Street Productions, founded by Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris and Caro Newling, and Amblin Partners. Chiara Atik is writing the screenplay.
Lolita Chakrabarti. Courtesy RSC.
However, O’Farrell and Neal Street had a keenness for it to be staged in Stratford, so agreements were struck with the RSC for Neal Street, in association with Hera Pictures, to allow a theater version that would be separate from the movie. Amblin has been supporting the stage adaptation enthusiastically.
O’Farrell has been giving “hands-on” attention to both the screenplay and the stage play, Newling said.
Newling admitted that “it’s unusual” to “shout about” transferring before you’ve opened, but “there was this tsunami of interest, and we were never going to satisfy the extraordinary level of interest during the run at the Swan alone. There is such demand for this title,” she added.
Maggie O’Farrell. Courtesy RSC.
The play’s a terrific opportunity for Mantock, who made her debut in a recent revival of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit directed by Richard Eyre.
Whyman, Chakrabarti and Newling all spoke of their excitement in finding Mantock, heaping casting director Amy Ball with praise.
“It’s simple,” said Whyman “She has got really old-fashioned star quality but at the same time has got her feet firmly on the ground. Agnes is a hard-working, fearless woman who knows her own mind, and so does Madeleine.”
For the Nottinghamshire-born Mantock, Agnes is a “giant role” for her. “It does feel like the role of a lifetime. I don’t know if I’ll get this opportunity again, so I’m very grateful.”
The cast got to meet O’Farrell during rehearsals, and Mantock remembers the novelist telling the company “that ‘not every person in history is remembered kindly and sometimes they are misremembered,’ and I think we all felt lucky to have a responsibility to look at how we might choose to see Anne Hathaway this time.”
Mantock said that “there’s a lot of pain and loss and grief, but there’s also the love, the joy and the hope. And you have to feel all of those things … that’s what life is.”
She noted the advantages of having Chakrabarti at rehearsals, plus, if needs be, “if we get a bit stumped and we don’t know which way to go with something, we can go to the book. We’ve got this amazing resource.”
So first the Swan Theatre, followed by a season at the Garrick in the West End. The phenomenon of Hamnet is unlikely to end there.
There’s Broadway and beyond.
Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon
The cast also includes Tom Vary as William and Sarah Belcher, Will Brown, Haydn Burke, Ajani Cabey, Faye Campbell, Frankie Hastings, Karl Haynes, Alex Jarrett, Hannah McPake, Elizabeth Rider, Rose Riley, Harmony Rose-Bremner, Obioma Ugoala and Peter Wight.
Creatives includes Tom Piper design and Prema Mehta lighting.
Related Story Breaking Baz: ‘Ted Lasso’ Star To Lead Hot London Production Of ‘Romeo And Juliet’ Alongside ‘Red Rose’ Actress Isis Hainsworth Related Story Breaking Baz: 'House Of The Dragon' Star Milly Alcock Stirs Up A Witches Brew For London Stage Debut In Arthur Miller Classic 'The Crucible' Related Story Breaking Baz: Hollywood Lets Its Hair Down & Does The Conga After Midnight At Vanity Fair Oscar Party – Check Out The Guest List
The play, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti — whose version of Life of Pi is on Broadway — directed by Erica Whyman and starring Madeleine Mantock begins performances at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 1 through June 17.
Madeleine Mantock
But following a “tsunami” of interest from eager ticket buyers, the show will transfer after its run in Stratford to London’s Garrick Theatre for 14 weeks from September 30 through January 6.
If the phenomenal level of interest is maintained, then expect seats at the Garrick to be hard to come by after they go on priority sale from March 28, with public booking from April 6.
The plain fact is that O’Farrell’s engrossing novel has sold more than 1.5 million copies and has fans on every continent.
Her story of the plain-speaking, free-spirited Agnes Hathaway; her relationship with Shakespeare; the heartbreaking death of Hamnet, their 11-year-old son; and how that tragedy inspired the Bard to write Hamlet; touched a nerve coming out as it did during the pandemic. “It’s totally a love story, it’s very romantic,” Chakrabarti told us.
‘Hamnet’ director Erica Whyman
Also, Chakrabarti continued: “Shakespeare is endlessly fascinating because we are trying to work out who was the man behind these amazing pieces of work, but Maggie O’Farrell’s book asks: Who was the family behind him? Anne, or Agnes, Hathaway has had a pretty bad press, and this redresses some of those injustices.”
Whyman had a “hunch”the RSC ought to put it on stage the minute she’d finished reading it because it dealt “so beautifully with bereavement and love.”
That love, Whyman observed, “carried Shakespeare to some of the most remarkable achievements of his life, notably writing Hamlet.”
Liza Marshall’s Hera Pictures already had acquired an option, and the movie’s in development with Neal Street Productions, founded by Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris and Caro Newling, and Amblin Partners. Chiara Atik is writing the screenplay.
Lolita Chakrabarti. Courtesy RSC.
However, O’Farrell and Neal Street had a keenness for it to be staged in Stratford, so agreements were struck with the RSC for Neal Street, in association with Hera Pictures, to allow a theater version that would be separate from the movie. Amblin has been supporting the stage adaptation enthusiastically.
O’Farrell has been giving “hands-on” attention to both the screenplay and the stage play, Newling said.
Newling admitted that “it’s unusual” to “shout about” transferring before you’ve opened, but “there was this tsunami of interest, and we were never going to satisfy the extraordinary level of interest during the run at the Swan alone. There is such demand for this title,” she added.
Maggie O’Farrell. Courtesy RSC.
The play’s a terrific opportunity for Mantock, who made her debut in a recent revival of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit directed by Richard Eyre.
Whyman, Chakrabarti and Newling all spoke of their excitement in finding Mantock, heaping casting director Amy Ball with praise.
“It’s simple,” said Whyman “She has got really old-fashioned star quality but at the same time has got her feet firmly on the ground. Agnes is a hard-working, fearless woman who knows her own mind, and so does Madeleine.”
For the Nottinghamshire-born Mantock, Agnes is a “giant role” for her. “It does feel like the role of a lifetime. I don’t know if I’ll get this opportunity again, so I’m very grateful.”
The cast got to meet O’Farrell during rehearsals, and Mantock remembers the novelist telling the company “that ‘not every person in history is remembered kindly and sometimes they are misremembered,’ and I think we all felt lucky to have a responsibility to look at how we might choose to see Anne Hathaway this time.”
Mantock said that “there’s a lot of pain and loss and grief, but there’s also the love, the joy and the hope. And you have to feel all of those things … that’s what life is.”
She noted the advantages of having Chakrabarti at rehearsals, plus, if needs be, “if we get a bit stumped and we don’t know which way to go with something, we can go to the book. We’ve got this amazing resource.”
So first the Swan Theatre, followed by a season at the Garrick in the West End. The phenomenon of Hamnet is unlikely to end there.
There’s Broadway and beyond.
Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon
The cast also includes Tom Vary as William and Sarah Belcher, Will Brown, Haydn Burke, Ajani Cabey, Faye Campbell, Frankie Hastings, Karl Haynes, Alex Jarrett, Hannah McPake, Elizabeth Rider, Rose Riley, Harmony Rose-Bremner, Obioma Ugoala and Peter Wight.
Creatives includes Tom Piper design and Prema Mehta lighting.
- 3/21/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions are teaming on a film adaptation of the Maggie O’Farrell novel Hamnet. They’ve set Chiara Atik to write the script.
Liza Marshall, Sam Mendes and Pippa Harris are producing.
The bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet. Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize at the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards, and was also shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize and longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
Atik has previously worked...
Liza Marshall, Sam Mendes and Pippa Harris are producing.
The bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet. Hamnet won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize at the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards, and was also shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize and longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
Atik has previously worked...
- 6/22/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.