Riz Ahmed, the multi-talented actor and rapper who won an Academy Award for The Long Goodbye, is set to take on one of Shakespeare’s most iconic roles in an upcoming film adaptation of Hamlet.
Directed by Aneil Karia, Hamlet promises to bring a fresh and contemporary perspective to the classic tragedy.
This adaptation is set against the backdrop of modern-day London, reflecting the socio-political turmoil and cultural conflicts of contemporary society.
Here is the film’s synopsis: “In this latest interpretation of Hamlet, Ahmed plays the titular lead, a man haunted by his father’s ghost who moves from elite London to the city’s underground, from Hindu temples to homeless tent cities. He embarks on a violent journey to avenge his father’s murder, ultimately questioning his own role in the family’s corruption.”
Karia is set to direct from a script by Michael Lesslie (Macbeth).
Ahmed will produce on behalf of his production company Left-Handed Films with his producing partner Allie Moore, alongside Michael Lesslie’s Storyteller Films and Under The Skin producer Jim Wilson.
Rounding out the cast are BAFTA Rising Star nominee Morfydd Clark who is attached to play Ophelia and The Favourite and Harriet actor Joe Alywn who will play Laertes. They will play the brother and sister in a family that has long worked with Hamlet’s own – and which is enmeshed in its downfall.
Principal photography of the film took place in London, from November 8 to December 21, 2023.
Recently, Focus Features acquired international distribution rights to the film. The banner has not yet set a release date for Hamlet, but the film is expected to hit cinemas before the end of the year.
