By golly! Isn’t it time to talk a bit more about our beloved Father of Puns and the creator of all sorts of funky words, William S.? It’s been a moment since we’ve dedicated an article to him. But we’re not ones to let such a faux pas continue for much longer; after all, William Shakespeare is the dude with whom we start our day and end our day. Yup, that’s how much we love him in our office! I mean, bamboo grove, of course.
Anyway, here’s our list dedicated to Shakespeare movies only, and although you might think that once you know the story, you’ll know them all, don’t be fooled by such a notion! Each of these movies based on Shakespeare’s works brings something new and unseen to the surface, or, rather, the screen, so it is safe to say that one can never get bored watching movies adapted from Shakespeare.
Sure, there are some stories by William that get a bit more attention than the rest, and the winner is probably the one about Hamlet with over 90 movie adaptations. That’s like three months’ worth of movies! If you do decide to watch them all at once, though, be warned that you might start speaking in rhymes after you’re done with your marathon, which isn’t such a bad thought, after all! And if 90 films already seem a lofty number, here’s a fun fact – all in all, there are over 500 movies inspired by Shakespeare, with 294 being full adaptations of his novels! Thankfully, our list isn’t as long, so you won’t have a tough time choosing which adaptation to watch next.
Right, ready to check out some of the best Shakespeare movies? If so, you know what to do! Once you’re done scrolling, vote for the Shakespeare movie you loved the most, and share this article with your friends who might also be suffering from a slight case of Shakespeare-o-mania.
#1 Much Ado About Nothing
1993 | 1 hour 51 minutes | Directed by Kenneth Branagh | Starring Kate Beckinsale, Robert Sean Leonard, Keanu Reeves
The week before their wedding, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and her fiancé Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) hook up with Don Pedro, Claudio’s commanding officer (Denzel Washington), to devise a matchmaking plot. They are going after the witty couple Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson), which will be difficult given their mutual dislike of love and one another. In the meantime, intrusive Don John (Keanu Reeves) plans to sabotage the nuptials.
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#2 Hamlet
1996 | 4 hours 2 minutes | Directed by Kenneth Branagh | Starring Kenneth Brannagh, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie
Prince Hamlet (Kenneth Branagh) is traumatized upon learning that his father was murdered by the current king, Claudius (Derek Jacobi), with the help of Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude). By accidentally killing Polonius (Richard Briers), the father of his love, Ophelia (Kate Winslet), as part of a scheme for retribution, Hamlet sets off a series of events that culminate in a dramatic and climactic conclusion. By the way, this is this novel’s only unabridged cinematographic adaptation! Hence the lofty 4-hour runtime.
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#3 Henry V
1989 | 2 hours 17 minutes | Directed by Kenneth Branagh | Starring Kenneth Brannagh, Emma Thompson, Derek Jacobi
Henry V of England (Kenneth Branagh), in this gritty film adaptation of Shakespeare’s play about the bold and brutal monarch, decides to claim the kingdom of France. A triumph that would unite the two realms and give Henry a queen is prevented by Henry’s skepticism and the low morale of his troops (Emma Thompson). However, his unwavering resolve and inspirational words prepare his men for the fiercest of wars.
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#4 A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1999 | 1 hour 56 minutes | Directed by Michael Hoffman | Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci, Christian Bale
Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream inspired the 1999 romantic comedy fantasy movie A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Director Michael Hoffman oversaw it. Kevin Kline plays Bottom, Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Everett play Titania and Oberon, Stanley Tucci plays Puck, Christian Bale, Calista Flockhart, Anna Friel, and Dominic West play the four lovers. The ensemble cast also includes Kevin Kline as Bottom.
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#5 Julius Caesar
1953 | 2 hours | Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz | Starring James Mason, John Gielgud, Louis Calhern
A cunning group of Roman senators, led by Caius Cassius (John Gielgud), convince Brutus (James Mason) that his close friend Julius Caesar (Louis Calhern) plans to overthrow the republic and establish himself as king. As a result, Brutus joins a plot to kill Caesar. Brutus passionately defends his conduct, but a conflict between the two sides is inevitable when Mark Antony (Marlon Brando) answers with a speech that capitalizes on the crowd’s adoration for their dead leader.
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#6 Othello
1995 | 2 hours 3 minutes | Directed by Oliver Parker | Starring Lawrence Fishburn, Kenneth Branagh, Irene Jacob
Noblewoman Desdemona (Irène Jacob) and the valiant commander Othello (Lawrence Fishburne), the sole African in the Venetian army, are having a relationship. Although their hurried union causes some political turbulence, the military commander is swiftly sent to stop an invasion of Cyprus. Once there, Iago (Kenneth Branagh), Othello’s henchman, decides to exact revenge by persuading the new husband that his wife is unfaithful since he feels Othello has wronged him.
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#7 Titus
1999 | 2 hours 42 minutes | Directed by Julie Taymor | Starring Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming
The Roman general Titus Andronicus (Anthony Hopkins) kills Tamora, Queen of the Goths (Jessica Lange), upon his return from 40 years of fighting the Goths. This begins a long path of retribution, cruelty, and murder that is made worse when Tamora marries the new Emperor, Saturninus (Alan Cumming).
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#8 The Taming Of The Shrew (1967)
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#9 Romeo And Juliet
1968 | 2 hours 18 minutes | Directed by Franco Zeffirelli | Starring Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey, John McEnery
The Montague and Capulet families are always at odds in the Italian city of Verona. Romeo (Leonard Whiting), a dashing young Montague who defies convention by attending a Capulet ball, meets Juliet (Olivia Hussey), a Capulet, and they fall in love. During a brief engagement, the couple elopes, escalating tensions between their families. It’s Shakespeare’s famous love story portrayed on screen in one of the best adaptations!
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#10 Richard III
1995 | 1 hour 50 minutes | Directed by Richard Loncraine | Starring Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent
Ian McKellen’s Richard III (who commits murder in his homicidal ambition for the British throne) spirals into madness. Even though the year is changed to the 1930s, a civil war is raging in England as the competing houses of York and Lancaster divide the country. Richard wants to establish a fascist dictatorship, but first he must get all of the people standing in his way, including his brother, his nephews, and his brother’s wife (Annette Bening). Richard’s ambitions are jeopardized when the Duke of Buckingham (Jim Broadbent) deserts him.
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#11 Hamlet (1948)
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#12 Romeo + Juliet
1996 | 2 hours | Directed by Baz Luhrmann | Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo
Romeo + Juliet is a 1996 American romantic drama film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It was directed by Baz Luhrmann. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the leading roles. The film is an abridged modernization of Shakespeare’s play. While it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue, the Montagues and the Capulets are represented as the opposing empires and swords are replaced with guns.
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#13 Throne Of Blood (1957)
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#14 Twelfth Night: Or What You Will (1996)
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#15 The Tempest (2010)
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#16 O (2001)
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#17 As You Like It (2006)
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#18 Scotland, PA (2001)
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#19 Macbeth (1971)
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#20 Coriolanus (2011)
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#21 A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1968)
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#22 The King (2019)
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#23 Much Ado About Nothing (2012)
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#24 Ophelia (2019)
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#25 The Tragedy Of Macbeth (2021)
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#26 Hamlet (1964)
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#27 Hamlet (2000)
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#28 Love’s Labour’s Lost (2000)
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#29 Henry Iv (1984)
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#30 Rosaline (2022)
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#31 Taming Of The Shrew (1929)
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#32 King Lear (1970)
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#33 Chimes At Midnight (1965)
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#34 Hamlet (1921)
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#35 Henry V (1945)
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#36 Richard III (1955)
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#37 Macbeth (1948)
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#38 Julius Caesar (1970)
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#39 Othello (1952)
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#40 Romeo Must Die (2000)
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