Chloé Zhao's Hamnet to open in select U.S. theaters Nov 27

Chloé Zhao’s film Hamnet, a dramatization of Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel about William Shakespeare’s family, will open in select U.S. theaters on November 27 before expanding nationwide on December 12, Focus Features announced. The historical drama stars Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as his wife Agnes and centers on the death of their son Hamnet and the emotional aftermath that, the film suggests, helped inspire the play Hamlet.

Zhao, who co-wrote the screenplay with O’Farrell, directs a cast that also includes Joe Alwyn, Emily Watson, Olivia Lynes, David Wilmot, Jack Shalloo, Noah Jupe as Hamlet, and Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet. Producers on the project include Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Gonda, Sam Mendes, and Steven Spielberg; Kristie Macosko Krieger, Laurie Borg and Zhao serve as executive producers. The score was composed by Max Richter.

The film premiered on the fall festival circuit and has drawn strong reviews from critics. It holds an 89 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 47 reviews. Festival showings and critical attention have positioned Hamnet as a potential awards-season contender, building on Zhao’s previous recognition...