Hamlet Acquired by Vertical for April 2026 Release
Vertical has acquired North American rights to the gritty, contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet from Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and director Aneil Karia, reteaming after winning the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for The Long Goodbye. Vertical has slated the film for a theatrical release on April 10, 2026.
With a screenplay by Michael Lesslie (Macbeth, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes), the film also stars BAFTA nominee Morfydd Clark (Saint Maud, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Joe Alwyn (Hamnet, The Brutalist), Sheeba Chadha (Songs of Paradise), Avijit Dutt (Raid 2), Art Malik (Disclaimer), and BAFTA winner Timothy Spall (Wolf Hall).
In this contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, set in a wealthy British South-Asian family, Hamlet (Ahmed) returns home for his father’s funeral and is shocked to learn that his uncle Claudius (Malik) will now marry his widowed mother (Chaddha).
When his father’s ghost (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.
The film has been on the festival circuit, beginning with the Telluride Film Festival and continuing to the Toronto International Film Festival, the BFI London Film Festival, and, most recently, the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
“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.”
“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,” stated Karia. “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.”
“Vertical is thrilled to be releasing this vibrant and kinetic Shakespeare adaptation to North American audiences later this year,” added Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey. “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.”
The Vertical (Astronaut, Dead of Winter, Eden) release 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.
The additional below-the-line talent includes director of photography Stuart Bentley (We Live in Time), editors Amanda James (The Long Goodbye) and Mikkel E.G. Nielsen (Lee), costume designer Nirage Mirage (What It Feels Like for a Girl), and BAFTA-nominated production designer Chris Oddy (The Zone of Interest), with casting by Lara Manwaring (Mandy), and music by Maxwell Sterling (Straight Circle).
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.
Hamlet was financed by Confluential Films, BBC Film, and the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding, in association with Waypoint Entertainment.
