The citizens of a sleepy 16th-century English town all whisper the same thing about the young healer Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley). She’s a witch, they say, just like her mother. But her reputation doesn’t dissuade William (Paul Mescal), a downtrodden Latin tutor with literary ambitions, from pursuing her — nor does his family’s strong disapproval. The two fall in love, start a family, and get married, while Agnes supports Will’s dreams of becoming a playwright in London. But one day, a terrible tragedy befalls the family. What follows is a story about love and artistic creation in the face of insurmountable grief. Adapted from the historical fiction novel Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell — which is based on the life of the Shakespeare family — the 2025 film follows Will and Agnes as they cope with the loss of their son, Hamnet. The death is rumored to have led to the playwright penning one of his most famous works, Hamlet.
Along with Mescal (The Lost Daughter) and Buckley (I’m Thinking of Ending Things), Hamnet stars Joe Alwyn (The Last Letter from Your Lover), Emily Watson (Steve), Jacobi Jupe (Before), Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place Part II), Justine Mitchell (Black Doves), David Wilmot (Bodkin), and Bodhi Rae Breathnach (Shelter). The drama — which garnered eight nominations at the 2026 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Chloé Zhao (Nomadland), as well as a Best Actress win for Buckley — was executive produced by Steven Spielberg (Jurassic World: Rebirth) and Sam Mendes (1917).
