Hamnet (12A)
Cast: Jessie Buckley, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, Emily Watson, Paul MescalGenre: Drama
Author(s): Maggie O'Farrell, Chloe Zhao
Director: Chloe Zhao
Release Date: 09/01/2026
Running Time: 125mins
Country: UK
Year: 2025
William Shakespeare falls under the spell of Agnes Hathaway, who is rumoured to be the daughter of a forest witch. They plan to marry after consummating the relationship, despite fierce opposition from William's disapproving mother, Mary. The couple persist and raise a family in Stratford-upon-Avon comprising daughter Susanna and twins Judith and Hamnet. During a period of absence when William is working in London, bubonic plague ravages the household.
LondonNet Film Review
Hamnet (12A) Film Review from LondonNet
Written before Hamlet, Shakespeare’s political thriller dedicated to the bloodthirsty history of Julius Caesar counsels the audience to embrace life without fear: “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.” The Bard of Stratford-upon-Avon heeds his own iambic pentameter in director Chloe Zhao’s exquisitely moving drama adapted for the screen by the filmmaker and author Maggie O’Farrell from her novel about Shakespeare’s descent into grief with wife Agnes after the death of their beloved 11-year-old son…
The picture opens in pastoral bliss with Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley) wafting through a forest with her hawk, feeding rumours that she is the daughter of a witch, while William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) tutors boys in Latin to settle the debts of his bullying and brutish father (David Wilmot). The scholar falls under Agnes’s spell and they plan to marry after consummating the relationship. “I would rather you went to sea than marry this wench,” spits William’s disapproving mother, Mary (Emily Watson).
The couple persist and raise a family in Stratford-upon-Avon comprising daughter Susanna (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) and twins Judith (Olivia Lynes) and Hamnet (Jacobi Jupe). London is the hotbed of theatrical creativity, forcing William to leave Warwickshire for extended periods while Agnes tends to their brood. During a period of absence, young Hamnet honours a promise to his father to be brave and the urchin succumbs to the ravages of bubonic plague in place of his twin. “Take me,” the tyke whispers to the blackness that has come for his sister. William returns home to discover his boy’s tragic fate. Heartbreaking loss divides the couple and William channels his emotions on to parchment as he prepares to stage the tragedy of a Danish prince driven to madness by his father’s ghost.
Hamnet is a bewitching and bountiful banquet, elegantly combining the earthy colours of Lukasz Zal’s cinematography, heartrending dialogue torn from the pages of O’Farrell’s novel, impeccable production design and composer Max Richter’s elegiac electronic score derived from sounds of Elizabethan-period instruments. Buckley’s performance is towering. The guttural scream that emanates from Agnes’ body when Hamnet takes his final breath in her arms, after various herbal potions fail to loosen death’s tightening grip, pierces like a dagger. Only an injustice would deny her the Academy Award for Best Actress in March.
Mescal is quieter though no less compelling as a father robbed of an opportunity to say goodbye to his boy. His anguish drip feeds into an emotionally shattering and cathartic final 10 minutes that director Zhao orchestrates with consummate flair and sensitivity, aided by an impeccable supporting turn from Jupe’s older brother Noah. On the stage of the Globe Theatre, there is something rotten in the state of Denmark. Zhao’s film is fragrant and intoxicating perfection.
– Jo Planter
Popular on LondonNet
London Cinemas Showing Hamnet
From: Friday 6th March
To: Thursday 12th March
Sun 12:40 18:00; Tue 20:30
Cineworld At The O2, Greenwich
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:50 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 14:10 19:00
Sat 20:15; Sun 19:20; Tue 17:00; Thu 15:10
Fri 12:00; Sun 11:10; Mon 17:00
Fri/Mon 12:40 (Mon) 19:00; Sat 16:30; Sun 16:15; Tue 13:00; Wed 13:50; Thu 13:45
Fri 12:30; Mon/Tue 12:40; Thu 12:00
Fri/Sat 14:00; Sun 13:40; Mon-Thu 13:50 19:10 (Tue)
Fri 13:45; Mon/Wed/Thu 13:50; Tue 14:40
Fri/Sat/Mon 17:30; Sun 14:45; Tue 16:00; Wed 14:30; Thu 17:45
Fri/Mon/Wed/Thu 14:10; Sat/Sun 11:40; Tue 14:20 19:40
Fri 12:20; Sat/Sun 11:00; Mon-Thu 12:00
Mon 13:50
Fri/Sat/Mon/Tue 12:40 (Mon) 18:10; Sun 14:10
Sun 14:00
Fri 11:30; Sat 10:50 17:00; Sun 10:00 13:30; Mon 12:00 14:20; Tue 15:10; Wed 16:30; Thu 11:45 14:40
Sun 14:35
Fri 14:45 16:50; Sat 13:25 15:55; Sun 15:15; Mon 13:45 17:35; Tue 14:55 17:30 21:20; Wed 16:15 23:15; Thu 14:15 17:10
Fri 14:15 16:45; Sat 11:30 14:00; Sun 15:15; Mon 14:50 17:15; Tue 14:25 16:20; Wed 14:30 17:15; Thu 14:35 20:25
Fri 23:35; Sat 10:20 19:10 23:10; Sun 10:15; Mon 14:20 23:15; Tue 14:30 23:15; Wed 13:45 15:50 23:05; Thu 13:45 16:25 23:15
Fri 15:55; Sat 09:20; Sun 15:15; Mon/Thu 17:15; Tue 14:30; Wed 16:20
Fri 13:30 16:00 22:30; Sat 10:00 12:55 18:20; Sun 11:30 18:15; Mon/Tue/Thu 16:30 18:15 (Thu)
Fri 12:20 16:35 22:55; Sat 13:15; Sun 15:15; Mon 11:50 15:00 23:15; Tue 13:45 16:15 18:30; Wed 13:20 18:00 23:15; Thu 11:45 14:55 17:10 22:55
Fri 00:00; Sat 23:55; Sun 11:45 15:15 23:00; Mon 11:40; Wed 12:15; Thu 22:30
Sat 11:00; Sun 10:20
From: Friday 13th March
To: Thursday 19th March
No cinema infomation at the moment
UK and Irish Cinemas Showing Hamnet
From: Friday 6th March
To: Thursday 12th March
Fri 14:45; Sat 13:15; Tue 11:45
Cineworld Aberdeen – Queens Link
Thu 13:00 19:00
Cineworld Aberdeen – Union Square
Thu 19:10
Thu 19:00
Thu 13:00 19:00
Thu 13:30 19:00
Thu 12:45 19:00
Thu 12:50 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 13:00 19:00
Thu 19:00
Cineworld Boldon Tyne And Wear
Thu 19:00
Thu 14:10 19:00
Thu 13:20 19:00
Thu 19:00
Wed 12:40; Thu 19:00
Thu 13:30 19:00
Thu 13:20 19:00
Thu 12:20 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:00 19:00
Thu 11:40 19:00
Thu 13:15 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:50 19:00
Thu 13:30 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Cineworld Eastbourne At The Beacon
Wed 13:40; Thu 19:00
Tue 12:00 16:15; Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:15 19:00
Thu 19:00
Cineworld Glasgow – Silverburn
Mon 12:50; Thu 19:00
Thu 12:50 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:50 19:00
Thu 13:20 19:00
Thu 13:40 19:00
Thu 13:10 19:00
Thu 13:10 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 14:00 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:20 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 13:00 19:00
Thu 14:15 19:00
Thu 14:20 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 13:25 19:00
Thu 13:30 19:00
Thu 13:10 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 14:40 19:00
Thu 13:15 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:50 19:00
Thu 13:10 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 13:20 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:20 19:00
Wed 12:20; Thu 19:00
Thu 13:00 19:00
Thu 13:15 19:00
Thu 12:50 19:00
Thu 19:00
Thu 12:15 19:00
Thu 14:10 19:00
Wed 16:00; Thu 16:20
Tue 13:50
Fri 16:50; Sat 14:10; Sun 17:10; Mon 13:00; Tue 13:30; Wed 13:50; Thu 12:50
Fri 11:50; Mon/Tue 17:20
Fri 15:00; Sun 11:30; Mon 11:10; Tue 14:10
Fri/Mon/Tue 13:10 19:10 (Tue); Thu 16:10
Fri 14:10; Mon 13:00; Tue 13:30
Fri/Sat/Mon/Tue 11:20 (Fri) 17:10; Sun 17:50
Fri 14:10
Fri 14:00; Sat 17:10; Sun 17:00; Mon/Wed/Thu 13:50 16:50 (Mon); Tue 13:20
Mon 13:45; Tue 16:15
Mon/Thu 14:10
Mon/Wed 14:10
Fri 13:30; Mon 13:50
Sun 12:00; Mon 13:30 16:30; Tue 13:00 19:20; Wed/Thu 13:00 16:00
Tue 13:40; Thu 17:10
Mon 13:40; Tue 16:10; Wed 13:50; Thu 13:00
Sun 12:50; Mon/Wed/Thu 13:20 16:20; Tue 13:00 19:20
Mon/Tue/Thu 14:00; Wed 14:30
Wed/Thu 12:00
Odeon Luxe Birmingham Broadway Plaza
Fri 11:00; Tue 15:40
Mon 13:30; Thu 16:20
Fri 12:20; Mon/Wed 14:20
Fri 11:00; Thu 12:00
Fri 15:10; Tue 19:10
Odeon Luxe Edinburgh Wester Hailes
Mon 12:00
Mon 13:50; Tue 15:50
Odeon Luxe Glasgow Springfield Quay
Mon/Tue 16:10; Thu 12:00
Fri 15:10; Tue 19:10
Mon-Wed 14:20
Fri 13:40; Sat/Sun 11:00; Tue 16:40
Mon 13:40; Tue 11:50; Wed 13:15
Odeon Luxe Liverpool Switch Island
Fri/Mon 12:10; Sat 10:30; Tue 15:00; Thu 12:20
Mon 14:00; Tue 12:20; Wed/Thu 13:50
Mon 13:50; Tue 15:50
Wed 13:00
Mon 14:30
Fri 12:30; Mon-Wed 14:20
Fri 12:40; Mon 14:20
Mon 14:20
Fri 12:30; Mon 12:00; Tue 20:00; Thu 13:50
Mon/Tue 17:15
Fri 13:20; Mon 13:00 19:45; Tue-Thu 13:00 (Wed/Thu) 16:30
Mon 14:10
Mon 14:30; Tue 13:40
Fri 14:10
Fri 14:10; Mon 14:30; Tue 13:40
Tue 17:00
Fri 14:00; Sun 17:10; Mon 13:00; Tue 13:30; Wed/Thu 13:50
Sat-Wed 10:30
Fri/Mon 13:40
Sun 11:00; Mon/Wed/Thu 13:20 (Mon/Wed) 16:20; Tue 19:20
Fri 11:10; Thu 12:10
Fri 14:00; Mon 13:50; Tue 13:00; Thu 19:50
Mon 14:00; Thu 17:15
Sat 11:05; Wed 14:30
Vue Basingstoke Festival Place
Sun 15:15
Sat 10:10
Fri 12:50; Sun 14:15; Mon 16:45
Sun 15:15; Tue 12:45
Sun 15:15
Fri 13:35 23:40; Sat 10:30 23:00; Sun 15:15; Mon 11:45 14:55; Tue 12:45; Wed 14:35 22:15; Thu 12:20 15:35
Sat 10:00; Thu 16:45
Sun 15:15
Sat 00:00; Sun 15:15
Fri 13:30; Sat 10:20; Sun 15:15; Tue 15:40; Thu 16:25
Sat 10:30
Fri 23:50; Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Sat 22:10; Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Sat 09:35; Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15; Mon 15:00; Tue 15:05; Wed 13:10
Fri 13:40 16:20; Sat 10:35 18:10; Sun 15:15; Mon 12:30 15:50; Tue 12:50 15:45; Wed 13:00 16:10; Thu 13:30 16:40
Fri 12:10; Sat 21:45; Sun 15:15; Mon 16:45; Tue 14:15; Wed 13:45; Thu 15:05
Sun 15:20
Fri 14:50 23:20; Sat 11:00 17:10; Sun 13:15 15:15; Mon 12:45 15:50; Tue 14:45; Wed 13:20 16:30; Thu 14:35 17:05
Fri 23:15; Sat 22:40
Fri 12:10; Sat 10:30; Mon 14:00; Tue 13:40; Wed 13:45; Thu 16:15
Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15
Fri 15:50; Sat 13:05; Sun 15:15; Mon 16:45; Tue 15:30; Wed 16:00; Thu 14:40
Fri 16:25; Sat 14:15; Sun 15:15 16:50; Mon 15:35; Tue 11:35; Wed 11:25; Thu 13:20
Sun 15:15
Sun 15:15; Mon 13:45
Fri 12:00; Sat 09:00 23:05; Sun 11:25; Mon/Thu 11:35 (Mon) 17:00; Tue 11:45 16:45; Wed 17:05
Fri 12:55; Sun 15:15; Mon 14:55; Tue/Thu 12:05; Wed 11:20
Fri 13:00; Sat 11:15; Sun 15:15; Mon 15:10
Fri 14:55; Sat 22:50; Sun 15:15; Mon/Tue 15:00; Thu 11:25
Sun 15:30; Mon 15:05
Fri 12:15 23:15; Sat 10:20 18:40; Sun 15:15; Mon/Thu 12:10 14:10 (Mon) 15:00 (Thu) 23:15; Tue 12:40 14:45 23:05; Wed 11:15 14:05 23:05
Vue Manchester Quayside (Media City UK)
Sat 10:30
Sun 15:15
Fri 12:30 14:35; Sat 15:25; Mon 13:20 16:25; Tue 17:15; Wed 15:20; Thu 13:40 15:45
Sun 15:15
Fri 16:05; Sun 15:15; Mon 14:00; Wed 16:00
Fri 14:15; Sat 09:40
Fri 14:35 22:20; Sat 09:15; Sun 15:15; Mon 16:40; Tue 11:40; Wed 12:45; Thu 13:15
Fri 12:25; Sat 10:25; Sun 15:15; Mon 11:20 15:50; Tue 12:55; Wed 11:50; Thu 11:20 14:45
Sat 10:30; Mon 12:40
Sat 10:20 22:55; Sun 15:15; Mon 15:30; Tue 13:15; Wed 12:10; Thu 15:20
Sun 15:15
Fri 12:05; Sat 09:30; Sun 15:15; Mon 11:25; Tue 13:15; Wed/Thu 11:15
Fri 12:25; Sat 22:55; Sun 15:15; Mon/Tue 12:05
Sun 15:15
Fri 16:15; Sat 11:05; Sun 10:10; Mon 16:40
Sat 11:10; Sun 15:15; Tue 14:35; Wed 16:25; Thu 14:55
Fri 14:50; Sat 09:40; Sun 15:15; Mon 14:45; Tue 16:05; Wed 15:35; Thu 11:55
Sun 15:15
Sat 09:30; Sun 15:15
Fri 00:05; Sat 09:45; Sun 15:15
Fri 11:00; Sun 09:50; Mon 15:00
Fri 14:15; Sat 09:45; Sun 15:15; Mon 14:45; Tue 16:25; Wed 11:15; Thu 15:00
From: Friday 13th March
To: Thursday 19th March
No cinema infomation at the moment
