Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut is a gritty adaptation of the Bard's story of a disgraced war hero seeking revengeThe Weinstein Company
Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut is a gritty adaptation of the Bard's story of a disgraced war hero seeking revengeThe Weinstein CompanyThe hit teen comedy, featuring a young Heath ledger, takes Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew and plays it out in a modern school setting. Ledger is asked to tame Julia Stiles, the titular 'shrew' so that Joseph Gordon-Levitt can date her sister. The film was a huge success, with many fans completely oblivious to its literary roots.Buena VistaThe Disney classic broke children’s hearts across the world and remains one of the studio’s most popular and enduring hits. Animated animals aside, the film's plot closely follows that of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, with Simba filling the role of the prince whose life is thrown into turmoil with the murder of his father. Although Shakespeare’s text didn’t include any scenes featuring a flatulent warthog.DisneyAnthony Hopkins channels Hannibal Lecter for his performance as Titus Andronicus in a Julie Taymor-directed adaptation of what many consider Shakespeare’s darkest and most bloodthirsty play. The film is a surrealist mixture of old and new, with characters sporting cyber-punk outfits and an opening scene suggesting the whole thing is whipped up in the mind of a little boy playing with his toys.Fox SearchlightIn a surprisingly postmodern twist on the typical high school comedy, this Kirsten Dunst film sees a group of teens get embroiled in a love triangle reminiscent of A Midsummers Night’s Dream, while acting in a school version of...A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It also features a performance from R’n’B star Sisqo, which Shakespeare probably wouldn’t have expected.MiramaxIan McKellen, a name synonymous with Shakespearean performances, relocated the events of Shakespeare’s play to a fictional Britain in the 1930s. An adaptation of a Royal National Theatre version of the play, which also starred McKellen, the film cunningly played with the Bard’s language. The famous line of “My kingdom for a horse” was cleverly twisted to show McKellen calling for an animal to ride when his car becomes stuck.United ArtistsOne of the most successful Shakespeare adaptations of all time, Baz Luhrmann’s vivid, modern retelling of the classic tale of star-crossed lovers showed that the language of Shakespeare does not have to be diluted in order to appeal to the masses. It’s a blueprint that “Coriolanus” looks set to follow.20th Century Fox
Ralph Fiennes has met with critical acclaim for his directorial debut, Coriolanus, a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's play that sees a banished Roman hero return to the city seeking vengeance.
The film is a fusion of classical dialogue pulled straight from the Bard's text, along with cutting-edge visuals of modern combat.
This is not the first time Shakespeare's plays have been given a twist on the silver screen. International Business Times UK takes a look at other cinematic adaptations.
