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William Shakespeare’s Hamlet has seen countless cinematic adaptations over the last hundred years, including a Best Picture winner in 1949. In contrast, Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet, inspired by Shakespeare’s own life, has only been adapted once.
The real-life tragedy of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, who died at the tender age of 11, serves as the backdrop for O’Farrell’s 2020 novel. The story imagines the emotional impact of this loss on Shakespeare, portrayed by Paul Mescal, and his wife, Agnes, played by Jessie Buckley. It explores how this personal grief might have influenced the creation of the play Hamlet. Notably, the film highlights that during Shakespeare’s era, the names Hamnet and Hamlet were often used interchangeably.
This year, Hamnet made a significant splash at the Oscars, garnering eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for Chloé Zhao, Best Actress for Buckley, as well as accolades for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Casting. Jessie Buckley delivers a riveting performance as a woman disinterested in her spouse’s artistic pursuits, whose marriage is severely tested by this heartbreaking loss. While the film has grossed nearly $100 million globally and is an emotionally charged cinematic experience, it’s also perfect for a more private viewing at home, where viewers can comfortably express their emotions.
Is the Hamnet movie streaming on Netflix?
Hamnet is distributed by Focus Features, a Universal Pictures division, and is available for streaming on Peacock, Universal’s platform. For those preferring digital rentals, it can be accessed via popular platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. However, a subscription is necessary to stream it on Peacock.
Universal’s films don’t remain exclusive to Peacock forever. Thanks to a deal between Universal and Amazon, Hamnet will eventually become available on Prime Video, roughly four months after its initial streaming window on Peacock. Following this period, it will rotate back to Peacock for an additional four months. Based on this schedule, expect to see Hamnet on Prime Video around July 2026. Until then, Peacock remains the primary streaming destination for the film.
Peacock currently offers two subscription types: Premium with ads and Premium Plus ad-free. Peacock Premium costs $10.99/month, while Premium Plus costs $16.99/month.
You can save a bit by subscribing to one of Peacock’s annual plans, which give you 12 months for the price of 10. These cost either $109.99 with ads or $169.99 without ads.
Peacock Premium Plus is also available to subscribe to via Prime Video with a seven-day free trial that you can’t get by subscribing directly on Peacock.
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Stream Hamnet on Peacock