Netflix will soon add a 2025 historical epic starring Paul Mescal to its streaming catalog. The film blends fiction and history, exploring the death of William Shakespeare’s son. It received universal acclaim and was in the running for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars.
Hamnet arrives on Netflix in July
Hamnet begins streaming on Netflix from Monday, July 6, 2026 (via What’s on Netflix).
The story follows Agnes and William, who fall in love and conceive a child before marriage. Rejected by her family, Agnes moves in with William and eventually has three children. Meanwhile, William goes to London to pursue a career in theater. But after the outbreak of the bubonic plague, their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, tragically dies. Agnes struggles deeply with the loss, and William channels the grief into his work, creating Hamlet.
The film is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel of the same name. While historical records confirm basic facts, most aspects of the story are from her imagination. This is because very little is known about the personal lives of William Shakespeare, his wife, Anne Hathaway (Agnes in the novel), and their children.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao directed the film and also wrote the screenplay with O’Farrell. It stars Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Jacobi Jupe, Olivia Lynes, and David Wilmot, among others.
Hamnet was released in the United States on November 26, 2025. It garnered an overwhelmingly positive reception. Viewers especially praised its emotional impact and strong performances. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently holds a Tomatometer score of 87% and a Popcornmeter score of 93%. It has an average user rating of 7.8/10 on IMDb.
Commercially, the film made roughly $108.7 million against a reported budget of $30-35 million. At the 2026 Oscars, Buckley received her first Oscar for Best Actress.
