Is Hamnet inspired by real-world events? Here’s what we know

Hamnet is a film in the historical drama genre, and it's based on Maggie O'Farrell namesake 2020 novel. Directed by Chloé Zhao, the film is written by Zhao and O'Farrell. It premiered at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival and had a limited theatrical release on November 26, 2025, by Focus Features. Here's the official synopsis as per IMDb:

A powerful story of love and loss that inspired the creation of Shakespeare's timeless masterpiece, "Hamlet".

The film is partly inspired by real events around the death of William Shakespeare's son.

More about Hamnet

Hamnet is partly inspired by a real-world event. It focuses on William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, as they cope with the loss of their namesake, 11-year-old son. His death had reportedly inspired Shakespeare to write Hamlet. The film reimagines history as to how the couple might have reacted after their son's death.

Shakespeare was really affected by the death of his father. So the film can be seen as a flip of real-life events. O'Farrell's book, which is the basis of this film, was a fictional take on Hamnet's death. He had passed away at a young age. While the exact reason is unknown, his death is attributed to the plague. He was Judith's twin and was Shakespeare's only son.

The film is produced by Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Gonda, Steven Spielberg, and Sam Mendes. It was backed under the banners of Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions, Amblin Entertainment, and Book of Shadows. Its cast members include,

Jessie Buckley as Agnes Shakespeare
Hera Gibson as Francisco
Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare
Emily Watson as Mary Shakespeare
Joe Alwyn as Bartholomew Hathaway
Sam Woolf as Bernardo
Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet Shakespeare
Louisa Harland as Roawn
David Wilmot as John Shakespeare
Jack Shalloo as Marcellus
Olivia Lynes as Judith Shakespeare
Bodhi Rae Breathnach as Susanna Shakespeare
Freya Hannan-Mills as Eliza Shakespeare
Dainton Anderson as Edmund Shakespeare
Elliot Baxter as Richard Shakespeare
Noah Jupe as Hamlet
El Simons as Ophelia

Zhao spoke to The Washington Post about the film. She said,

“The whole story is about existing in the tension between impossible polarities. Life and death. To be or not to be. Grief keeps you in the past, but time is pulling you forward.”

She also spoke about the lead actors' performances, saying:

“When Jessie is acting, when Paul is acting, when the children are acting, we are protecting them. We are the masculine structure around them. The makeup artist, the grip, the production assistant, the sound person, everyone knows the importance of holding that temple safe.”

The film was released on November 26, 2025, by Focus Features. It's shot by Łukasz Żal while Zhao has edited it with Affonso Gonçalves.