Chloé Zhao to Direct Adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s ‘Hamnet’

After Chloé Zhao’s venture into the Marvel universe, the Oscar winner is taking on the Bard. The “Nomadland” and “Eternals” director will adapt “Hamnet,” the 2020 novel from Irish author Maggie O’Farrell, IndieWire has confirmed.

A work of historical fiction, “Hamnet” tells the story of William Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway (referred in the story as Agnes), and her romance with the man who would become the world’s most famous playwright. The novel particularly focuses on the death of the couple’s son, Hamnet, who died at age 11 in 1596 and has long been speculated to be an inspiration for Shakespeare’s most famous play, the very similarly named “Hamlet.” Upon its release, O’Farrell’s novel received critical acclaim; it won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Fiction Prize from the 2020 National Book Critics Circle, and was named by the New York Times Book Review as one of the 10 Best Books of the year.

More from IndieWire

• Chloé Zhao's Next Project: Watch Her Video Game Trailer for 'Diablo IV'

• Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in Talks to Lead Chloé Zhao's 'Hamnet'

Zhao and O’Farrell will co-write the screenplay for the film together. The film comes from Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions, and Book of Shadows. Sam Mendes, Liza Marshall, and Pippa Harris produce. Nic Gonda executive produces for Book of Shadows. Amblin President of Production Jeb Brody and SVP of Creative Affairs Mia Maniscalco oversee the project on behalf of the studio.

For her 2020 drama “Nomadland,” Zhao received the Best Director Oscar from the Academy Awards, becoming the second woman and first Asian woman to receive the honor. Prior to that win, Zhao made her feature debut in 2015 with the Sundance premiere “Songs My Brothers Taught Me,” and received critical acclaim for her 2017 feature “The Rider.” In 2021, the Chinese director made a sharp pivot from her work in small, independent films set in the American West by directing the Marvel Studios space opera blockbuster “Eternals,” to mixed reviews. “Hamnet” isn’t quite a return to Zhao’s indie roots, but will presumably be much smaller and less expensive than her dabbling with Marvel.

Zhao is repped by CAA and co-managed by Pangea and Ilene Feldman Management, attorney Linda Lichter of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark, Inc., and IDPR. O’Farrell is repped by Conrad Williams at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency and Victoria Hobbs at AMHeath.

Deadline was first to report the news of Zhao’s “Hamnet” adaptation.

Best of IndieWire

• Where to Watch This Week's New Movies, from 'The Little Mermaid' to 'You Hurt My Feelings'

• The 55 Best Animated Movies of the 21st Century

• The 80 Best Comedies of the 21st Century, from 'Neighbors' and 'Frances Ha' to 'Jackass Forever' and 'Borat'

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.