What We Have Done to Hamlet

Hamlet has been one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays for over 300 years. But it stands alone in one category: Hamlet has been adapted for the big screen more than any of Shakespeare’s works, even Macbeth. Since Mel Gibson played Hamlet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1990 feature film, there have been six major film adaptations of the play. That’s one big Hamlet film every five years. This doesn’t include innumerable filmed stage performances, such as Benedict Cumberbatch’s 2015 National Theatre production, or made-for-TV films.