Vertical has dropped the trailer for its bold new big-screen adaptation of Hamlet, starring Oscar winner Riz Ahmed in the title role. Directed by Aneil Karia and written by Michael Lesslie, the modern retelling relocates Shakespeare’s tragedy to London’s elite South Asian community. The film opens exclusively in theaters April 10 via Vertical.
Watch the new trailer below and read on for everything to know about the latest Hamlet adaptation.
What’s the plot?
William Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy is reimagined in a bold, modern adaptation set within London’s elite South Asian community. When Hamlet (Riz Ahmed) returns for his father’s funeral, he is stunned to discover his uncle Claudius (Art Malik) is marrying his newly widowed mother, Gertrude (Sheeba Chadha). Visited by his father’s ghost, Hamlet learns his brutal murder was at the hands of Claudius – and spirals into a quest for vengeance that exposes the rot at the heart of the family’s empire and threatens his own sanity.
Who’s in the cast?
Riz Ahmed as Hamlet
Art Malik as Claudius
Sheeba Chadha as Gertrude
Morfydd Clark as Ophelia
Joe Alwyn as Laertes
Timothy Spall as Polonius
Avijit Dutt as Hamlet’s Father
Who’s behind the scenes?
Karia reunites with Ahmed after their Oscar-winning short “The Long Goodbye,” marking their first feature collaboration together.
The screenplay is by Michael Lesslie, whose previous credits include Macbeth and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. He adapts Shakespeare’s original text for a contemporary setting.
Ahmed also produces alongside Lesslie, James Wilson, Allie Moore, and Tommy Oliver.
The wedding sequence featured in the trailer was choreographed by Akram Khan, blending classical Kathak with contemporary movement.
Where was it filmed?
Production took place in London, with the story unfolding across elite family estates and the city’s underground spaces, grounding Shakespeare’s tragedy in modern urban Britain.
When can I watch it?
Hamlet opens in theaters nationwide on April 10, 2026.