Acclaimed Director Chloé Zhao Reimagines Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in Intimate Period Drama

In 2025, acclaimed director Chloé Zhao's new film "Hamnet" explores the personal tragedy that inspired William Shakespeare's classic work "Hamlet." The film stars Paul Mescal as Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as his wife, Agnes, as they grieve the death of their young son, Hamnet.

Set designer Fiona Crombie was tasked with recreating the Globe Theatre of the late 1500s for a key scene in the film. Zhao and Crombie decided against shooting at the actual reconstructed Globe, as it was deemed too ornate for their purposes. Instead, Crombie built a smaller, more intimate version of the theater, reducing it to 75% of the original footprint.

Crombie's design choices were heavily influenced by Zhao's vision. The director wanted the theater to have a more natural, tree-like aesthetic, which led Crombie to use 20 tons of reclaimed oak wood beams shipped in from France. The resulting set is deliberately understated, with a focus on the stage itself, serving as a "vessel" for Shakespeare's plays.

Crombie also incorporated aged and scarred timber into the sets, reflecting the decline of the Shakespeare family's fortunes. Her research drew heavily on paintings from the time, informing the use of soft, earthy tones and details like the black walls with painted accents in the family's home.