Keeping Old Stories Fresh: 5 Modern Movie Adaptations of Shakespeare You Should Watch!

One of the greatest playwrights of all time, William Shakespeare, may sometimes be viewed as a historical relic rather than an author of texts that can continue to be analyzed in the present tense. And what more modern way to do it than through the silver screen? Here are 5 modern interpretations that you might not have even realized were based on Shakespeare! 

1. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

The 1999 cult classic rom-com, 10 Things I Hate About You, is known for its humorous depiction of high school. What you may not know is that it’s actually a reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, set in a contemporary high school. Following the same plot, the modern setting opens Shakespeare’s classic story up to new possibilities of strong-willed women refiguring societal constraints and independence. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have a young, star-studded cast, including Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. (Stream on Disney+/Hulu)

2. She’s The Man (2006)

Inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the quintessentially 2000s teenage rom-com She’s the Man mirrors the play with a modern twist. The film follows a tenacious Viola, who, after the girls’ soccer team gets cut at her high school Cornwall Prep, pretends to be her twin brother in order to join the elite Illyria boarding school boys’ varsity soccer team. Also widely considered a cult classic, Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum give Twelfth Night a refreshing facelift. If you haven’t seen it, put your cleats on and warm up, because it’s time to get out there on the pitch. (Stream on Pluto TV)

3. Ex Machina (2014)

Famous British screenwriter and director Alex Garland, known for Civil War, Annihilation, and the 28 Days Later franchise, brings a new interpretation of Shakespeare that a lot of people don’t pick up on. The 2014 sci-fi thriller Ex Machina brings us a new imagining of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Through the lens of the development of artificial intelligence, the film harnesses themes of control, exploitation, and rebellion, and produces similar inversions of power. With outstanding character performances from Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina is a thrilling and nerve-wracking take on Shakespeare. (Stream on Netflix)

4. The Northman (2022)

Known for both his comedies and his tragedies, Shakespeare has one play that stands out above them all in modern cultural memory: Hamlet. Perhaps his most famous and one of his most tragic plays, its influences have reached far and wide, inspiring films from The Lion King to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Robert Eggers, known for his dark aesthetics, brings not only Shakespeare’s play back to life in The Northman but also the Nordic legend of Amleth that inspired it. The movie stands out as a unique action-packed thriller with an A-list ensemble cast (including Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Ethan Hawke) and breathtaking cinematography of sites in Ireland and Iceland. (Stream on Netflix)

5. Anyone But You (2023)

A reconceptualization of Shakespeare’s hit comedy Much Ado About Nothing, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell take this notorious narrative to Sydney, Australia. This rom-com follows Bea and Ben (shorthand for Beatrice and Benedick), who have an initially pleasant encounter that becomes muddled by a series of miscommunications and misunderstandings. This film revels in the witty banter of Much Ado About Nothing and paints multiple vignettes of love, especially those that endure misfortune and still find themselves pulled back to one another. (Stream on Disney+/Hulu)

Now, if you’re looking for something even newer, Aneil Karia’s Hamlet just left theaters and is available for purchase. Also, if you haven’t seen Jessie Buckley’s Oscar-winning performance in Hamnet, it’s a must for all Shakespeare lovers. In Shakespeare’s words, "All the world’s a stage," and these films use their stage to preserve and reformulate his plays. So go on and dip your toes into the ocean of possibilities that modern Shakespeare presents; you won’t regret it!