Paul Mescal's new film Hamnet is officially in production.
The big-screen adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's best-selling book has begun filming on location in Wales, according to Screen Daily.
The Gladiator 2 star plays William Shakespeare in the film, with Wicked Little Letters actor Jessie Buckley portraying his wife Agnes Shakespeare.
The story follows the fictional account of the death of their only son Hamnet, whose name inspired one of his father's most famous works: Hamlet.
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Hamnet is being directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao, known for Nomadland and Eternals. Zhao also worked on the screenplay with author O'Farrell.
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Sam Mendes is a producer on the movie, alongside Liza Marshall and Pippa Harris, with Steven Spielberg's production company Amblin Entertainment also involved.
The movie marks an on-screen reunion for Mescal and Buckley, who previously starred together in 2021's The Lost Daughter, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
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Mescal is next on screens in November with the much-anticipated Gladiator 2. The Normal People actor plays the lead role of Lucius (the son of Connie Nielsen's Lucilla), who is seeking revenge on the Roman Empire and specifically General Acacius.
Other upcoming movies for Mescal include The History of Sound - a gay period drama also starring Challengers' Josh O'Connor - and Merrily We Go Along. The latter is based on the 1981 musical with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
Buckley, meanwhile, has teamed up again with Gyllenhaal on the upcoming science-fiction horror The Bride!. Her co-stars include Christian Bale and Penélope Cruz, plus Maggie's brother Jake Gyllenhaal and her actor husband Peter Sarsgaard.
There is currently no release date for Hamnet.
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Emily is an experienced freelance entertainment writer and editor, reporting on all things TV, film, soaps and showbiz. An NCTJ-qualified journalist, with a First Class Honours degree in Journalism from the University of Sussex, Emily is a former Deputy News Editor and Evening News Editor at Digital Spy. She has previously worked at Hello magazine, BBC South News and GoodtoKnow.
A small and big-screen obsessive – with subscriptions to every TV and film service under the sun – Emily knows her movie stars from soap stars, and is always clued up on the latest reality show dumping, just-dropped trailer or off-screen spat. She's interviewed a number of celebrities over the years, with highlights including The Masked Singer host Joel Dommett and GMB's Kate Garraway (who "loved" her trousers).
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