Overture Films Announces New Version of Hamlet
Emile Hirsch Plays Title Character in Shakespearean Adaptation
Jun 4, 2009
Overture Films announced this week that the company is developing a modern-day film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.” Conceived as a suspense thriller set in contemporary America, the story focuses on a young man deciding whether or not to seek vengeance on his uncle for killing his father. Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer, Lords of Dogtown) is set to star in the title role, with Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Lords of Dogtown) taking on directorial duties.
The Production Team of Hamlet
Having worked with Hirsch earlier in Lords of Dogtown, Hardwicke listened to him read “Hamlet” aloud for her. “When I heard Emile speaking Shakespeare’s amazing words, I was flooded with images. We edited the play tightly, making the words extremely accessible,” Hardwicke said in a prepared statement. “In our version, we’re working hard to make ‘Hamlet’ a thrilling cinematic experience – the violent, intense, and romantic scenes that happen ‘off-stage’ in the play will be shown in vivid detail.”
Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, The Painted Veil) will write the script for this new version of “Hamlet.” Overture plans to have a finished script later this year followed with principal photography.
The Academy Award-winning producing team of Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen of The Jinks/Cohen Company (Milk) will produce the project. In addition to Milk, the team worked on American Beauty and the television series Pushing Daisies.
Other Film Versions of Hamlet
Throughout the years, countless versions and adaptations of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” have been produced for stage, television, and movies. A few of the most noteworthy appear below.
Hamlet (2000)
- Starring Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Diane Venora, Sam Shepard, Bill Murray, Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Steve Zahn
- Director: Michael Almereyda
- Screenwriter: Michael Almereyda
Hamlet (1996)
- Starring Kenneth Branagh, Richard Attenborough, Brian Blessed, Julie Christie, Billy Crystal, Judi Dench, Gerard Depardieu
- Director: Kenneth Branagh
- Screenwriter: Kenneth Branagh
Hamlet (1990)
- Starring Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Dillane
- Director: Franco Zeffirelli
- Screenwriter: Christopher De Vore, Franco Zeffirelli
Hamlet (1980)
- Starring Derek Jacobi, Claire Bloom, Patrick Stewart, Eric Porter, Lalla Ward, David Robb, Patrick Allen
- Director: Rodney Bennett
- Additional Information: This was a made-for-television movie.
Hamlet (1976)
- Starring Quentin Crisp, Helen Mirren, Tony Meyer, David Meyer, Barry Stanton, Valentino Moon
- Director: Celestino Coronada
- Screenwriter: Celestino Coronada
Hamlet (1969)
- Starring Nicol Williamson, Judy Parfitt, Anthony Hopkins, Marianne Faithfull, Mark Dignam, Michael Pennington
- Director: Tony Richardson
- Screenwriter: Tony Richardson
Hamlet (1964)
- Starring Richard Burton, Hume Cronyn, Alfred Drake, Eileen Herlie, William Redfield, George Rose, George Voskovec
- Directors: Bill Colleran, John Gielgud
- Additional Information: This was a taped performance of a live Broadway play.
Hamlet (1948)
- Starring Laurence Olivier, Peter Cushing, Basil Sydney, Eileen Herlie, Norman Wooland, Anthony Quayle
- Director: Laurence Olivier
- Screenwriter: Laurence Olivier
For more information about new projects from Overture Films, read Overture Acquires The Men Who Stare at Goats.
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