EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has acquired North American rights to Hamlet, the contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic play, reteaming Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) with director Aneil Karia following their Live-Action Short Oscar win for 2020’s The Long Goodbye. The film will be released in theaters on April 10.
Written by Michael Lesslie, who previously waded into Shakespeare on Justin Kurzel’s Macbeth, this Hamlet film is set in a wealthy British South-Asian family, watching as the titular character played by Ahmed returns home for his father’s funeral and is shocked to learn that his uncle Claudius (Art Malik) will now marry his widowed mother (Sheeba Chaddha). When his father’s ghost (Avijit Dutt) reveals that Claudius murdered him, Hamlet becomes consumed by revenge, questioning the corruption at the heart of the family’s business, and his own sanity.
Since premiering at last yearvs Telluride Film Festival, the film has gone on to play the Toronto Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, and most recently the Palm Springs Film Festival. Its cast also includes BAFTA nominee Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud), Joe Alwyn (Hamnet), and BAFTA winner Timothy Spall (Wolf Hall).
“Hamlet has been a passion project of mine since I first encountered the text at 17,” shared Ahmed. “We set out to make a film that is immediate, visceral, and contemporary, while staying true to its core as a universal story about family, duty, and corruption. It’s a 500-year-old story that feels urgently relevant today, and we’re thrilled to be bringing it to North American audiences.”
Karia told us, “We’re excited to be working with Vertical on the North American release of Hamlet. This has always been a bold, modern take on the play, and Vertical immediately understood that ambition. With their track record of supporting distinctive independent films and their belief in opening Shakespeare up to new audiences in a way that feels alive and uncompromised, they’re the perfect partner to bring the film to the States and Canada.”
Added Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey, “Vertical is thrilled to be releasing this vibrant and kinetic Shakespeare adaptation to North American audiences later this year. Riz, Aneil, and Michael, along with the rest of the cast and crew, have created a bold and powerful reimagining with a cultural charge that will captivate moviegoers of all ages.”
Hamlet was produced by Ahmed, Lesslie, James Wilson, Allie Moore, and Tommy Oliver and executive produced by Eva Yates and Claudia Yusef for BBC Film, Louise Ortega for the BFI, Ken Kao and Josh Rosenbaum for Waypoint Entertainment, and P.J. van Sandwijk for Storyteller Productions. Pic was financed by Confluential Films, BBC Film, and the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding, in association with Waypoint Entertainment.
The deal was negotiated by SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi and Manager of Acquisitions & Sales Rachel White on behalf of Vertical and by WME Independent and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.
Leave a Reply