Maggie O’Farrell’s best-selling novel Hamnet is set for another adaptation.
Following the RSC’s stage adaptation of the book, which has its press night next week at the RSC’s newly refurbished Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, the story is set for the big screen.
Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Marvel’s Eternals) has been attached as director to the new movie version, which has Sam Mendes and Caro Newling’s Neal Street Productions, also co-producers of the stage play, as the film’s producers, alongside Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, and Book of Shadows.
The script for the movie will not be based on Lolita Chakrabarti’s (Life of Pi) stage adaptation, but rather a new screenplay written by Chloé Zhao.
The story is based on the real-life characters of William Shakespeare, and his wife Agnes who struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son.
The novel has scooped multiple prizes for O’Farrell including the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction, and the 2020 National Book Critics Circle Awards fiction prize.
Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes will be the producers for Neal Street Productions, with their previous movies including award-winning 1917, and stage productions such as the current West End run of The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
Nic Gonda will executive produce for Book of Shadows, along with Amblin’s Jeb Brody and Mia Maniscalco.
Following its run at the Swan Theatre and a short tour, Hamnet is coming to London, playing the Garrick Theatre from 30 September 2023 to 6 January 2024.
Book tickets to Hamnet at the Garrick Theatre in London
Garrick Theatre,
