Hamnet

A 2025 historical drama film directed by Chloé Zhao, adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about William Shakespeare’s family and the death of his son Hamnet.

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Hamnet (novel): A 2020 novel by Maggie O’Farrell imagining the life of Shakespeare’s family after the death of his son Hamnet. O’Farrell’s novel is the source text Zhao adapted for the film.
Stratford-upon-Avon: A market town in Warwickshire, England, where William Shakespeare was born and raised. The film’s family story is rooted in Shakespeare’s home town.
Historical fiction: A narrative genre that places invented or imagined stories within a recognizable historical setting. The film combines documented figures with imagined private moments.
Hamnet (2020 novel): A 2020 novel by Maggie O’Farrell about Shakespeare’s family and the death of his son. This separate page distinguishes the source novel from Zhao’s film adaptation.
Maggie O’Farrell: An Irish-British novelist whose works include the 2020 novel Hamnet. She wrote the novel on which the film is based.
Elizabethan era: The period of English history during the reign of Elizabeth I, from 1558 to 1603. The film places the Shakespeare family in this late-sixteenth-century setting.
Film adaptation: A film that reworks a story or source material originally created in another medium. Zhao translates O’Farrell’s novel into a feature film.
Hamnet film soundtrack: The music and audio released for Chloé Zhao’s 2025 film Hamnet. The soundtrack is a distinct part of the film’s artistic presentation.
Chloé Zhao: A Chinese-born filmmaker known for directing Nomadland and Hamnet. Her direction shapes the film’s visual style and adaptation choices.
Shakespeare's family: The household formed by William Shakespeare, Anne Hathaway, and their children Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith. The film’s intimate drama focuses on the lives and bonds within this household.