William Shakespeare is considered heavily as the greatest writer in the English language and his works are reinterpreted to this day. After writing 39 plays and 154 sonnets, the playwright concentrated mainly on comedies, tragedies and histories. His plays are performed more often than any playwright in history, and Hollywood has also been using his mastery of storytelling for over a century.
Updated September 20, 2022: If you can’t get enough of “the Bard,” you’ll be happy to hear that we’ve updated this list with additional content and movies from the legendary playwright.
While many of his film adaptations have graced the silver screen, not all are the cream of the crop. Some have fallen into oblivion, while others have a staying power that cannot be ignored. The fact that director Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth garnered critical acclaim upon its release last year only reinforces the notion that Shakespeare’s influence in Hollywood has become indispensable. Here are the best Shakespeare film adaptations.
10 hamlet (2000)
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Michael Almereyda’s innovative reworking of the classic Hamlet updates the prince’s story to modern-day New York, swapping Denmark for the Denmark Corporation and the king for a CEO. With a stacked cast (Ethan Hawke, Julia Stiles, Liev Schreiber, Kyle MacLachlan, Bill Murray, Steve Zahn and more) and superb cinematography and music, this divisive but utterly unique adaptation transforms the Bard with modernized technology. The ghost of Hamlet’s father’s appearance on closed-circuit television, Ophelia wears Polaroid photos of flowers instead of the real thing, and Hawke’s Hamlet is a film student in this insanely original masterpiece.
9 My own private Idaho (1991)
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Loosely based on Henry IV and the subsequent parts, My own private Idaho tells the story of two streetwise friends who leave Portland, Oregon and embark on a journey of self-growth and discovery along the way. Starring Keanu Reeves and the late River Phoenix (in his best outing), the film is considered a cult classic and has gained a large following among the LGBTQ+ audience. It received critical acclaim and moderate financial success, with the film and Phoenix earning numerous nominations and awards. Director Gus Van Sant has beautifully modernized Shakespeare’s words and really used his talented leads in this Henry IV amendment.
8 West Side Story (1961)
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, 1961’s West Side Story is a big screen adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name. In the film, Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer star as crossed lovers of feuding families and gangs in New York, the Jets and the Sharks. The main ingredient of West Side Story is the forbidden love element; Maria and Tony quickly fall in love, as do Romeo and Juliet. The film won 10 Academy Awards and was the highest grossing film of 1961, and is still heavily regarded as one of the greatest musicals of all time. A critically acclaimed Steven Spielberg remake was released in 2021.
7 Macbeth (2015)
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The Epic Historical Drama of 2015 Macbeth features a talented A-list cast including Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and Paddy Considine. The film follows Fassbender as Macbeth, a Scottish general who rises to power after discovering a prophecy that claims he will one day be king. MacbethThe cinematography is stunning and the daring fight scenes are intense and true to Shakespeare’s play. Both Fassbender and Cotillard deliver strong performances that really stand out and impress. It premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and received praise for its script, cast, direction, and overall visuals.
6 She’s the Man (2006)
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Perhaps the most lighthearted adaptation of Shakespeare, she is the man is a modern retelling of the romantic comedy Twelfth night. It stars Amanda Bynes as teenage Viola Hastings, as she pretends to be a boy to play on the boys’ soccer team at a boarding school.
The film is true to the material referenced, with the characters’ names and premise and all the crazy antics intact. The film introduced Shakespeare’s play to a new generation and did so in a fun and entertaining way; it also helped introduce Channing Tatum to the world, thankfully. While it may not be critically acclaimed, it’s entertaining nonetheless.
5 Much ado about nothing (2012)
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Joss Whedon’s Black and White Romantic Comedy Much ado about nothing is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s play of the same name. It’s largely unchanged from the original (including the dialogue) yet shockingly contemporary, also reuniting Angel alums Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof as the famous Beatrice and Benedict.
The film was shot in Whedon’s home over a period of 12 days, and while more casual than the 1993 Kenneth Branagh version, it almost has more heart and magic in its storytelling, reaching viewers on an intimate and simple level. Much ado about nothing garnered praise and appreciation from critics, with many calling it a great contemporary Shakespeare film.
4 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
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10 things I hate about you is an iconic romantic comedy with a cast from then-Hollywood, including Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It is a modernization of Shakespeare’s Taming the Shrew and is retold in a 90s high school setting. The premise follows new student Cameron as he falls in love with “It” girl Bianca, who is only allowed to date if her temperamental older sister Kat does too. He recruits badboy Patrick to court Kat, circumventing their father’s strict dating rules. The film was a breakthrough role for Stiles, Ledger and Gordon-Levitt, and is a very clever, unique and audience-friendly take on Shakespeare’s play.
Why Joseph Gordon-Levitt Tried to Escape by Doing 10 Things I Hate About You
3 The Tragedy of Macbeth
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In the first solo film directed by a Coen brother without the intervention of the other, Joel Coen’s 2021 historical thriller The Tragedy of Macbeth enlisted an amazing cast led by Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand and Brendan Gleeson to bring to life a visually stunning retelling of Shakespeare’s masterpiece. Washington powerfully portrays the eponymous character, earning a Golden Globe nomination for his role as the ill-fated Scottish lord on a crusade to become king.
Shot in black and white and completely on a soundstage to give the photo a look “detached from reality”the critically acclaimed edit was praised for its unique cinematography reminiscent of classic cinema, sharp directing and superb performances by its A-list cast.
2 Hamlet (1996)
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Kenneth Branagh edited, directed and starred in several Shakespeare adaptations, including the excellent Hamlet, in which he played the title role. With an impressive supporting cast including Kate Winslet, Billy Crystal, Charlton Heston and Judi Dench, the film is the first unabridged theatrical film version of Hamlet, clocking in at a whopping 242 minutes. Branagh’s version is heavily regarded as one of the best Shakespeare adaptations ever made, despite not being a blockbuster (most likely due to its four-hour runtime).
He uses flashbacks to depict scenes either implied or described in Shakespeare’s lyrics, bringing his words vividly to life on the big screen. Hamlet received critical acclaim and earned four Academy Awards nominations, mostly for its incredible set design and costumes.
1 Romeo + Juliet (1996)
One of the most divisive films based on classical literature and acclaimed adaptations of Shakespeare, Romeo + Juliet stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the title roles as two teenagers who fall in love despite their feuding families. Many are familiar with Franco Zeffirelli’s famous 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, what is one powerful display in itselfbut it is the star power and high octane content of this modification that is perhaps the most unique and spectacular.
Director Baz Luhrmann uses the power of music to beautifully elevate the scenes, mood and cinematography and the beautiful images only heighten the experience for viewers. Romeo + Juliet is heavily regarded as one of the most influential Shakespeare film adaptations ever made and is known for its fresh and innovative storytelling; it’s as if Shakespeare made the world’s most famous feature film, propelling DiCaprio and Danes to stardom in the process.