5 movies based on Shakespeare Plays

23rd June: Shakespeare is widely regarded as the world’s greatest writer and playwright. He has given the literary world numerous timeless pieces of work and his work is still appreciated, read, and analyzed to this day.

There have been many interpretations of Shakespeare’s writings and have also been adapted as movies.

‘Romeo and Juliet’s’ theme itself is something we find in a lot of romantic movies or TV series as well -how two people from rival families fall in love, and their struggle following it.

Here, we provide you with a list of movies that have been adapted by Shakespeare’s plays:

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1. The Lion King (1994)

A classic children’s animated movie, which I’m sure we’ve all watched and enjoyed at least once. Can you guess what Shakespeare play this movie is based on? ‘Hamlet’.

There are many similarities between the two: the ‘accidental’ killing of The King, Mufasa, by the prince’s (Simba’s) power-hungry, malicious uncle, Scar. The characters of Timon and Pumba are clearly substitutes for Hamlet’s friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999):

This famous romantic comedy starring Heath Ledger is also based upon one of Shakespeare’s play and it’s fairly evident which one. ‘The Taming of The Shrew’.

In the movie, it’s pretty straightforward how Kat is the ‘shrewish’ sister, and Bianca who wants to go to prom will only be allowed if Kat goes. The solution: set her up with bad boy Patrick, who is the substitute for Patrick from Shakespeare’s play.

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3. Men of Respect (1990)

Anyone who has watched the movie already, probably knows which Shakespeare play this is adapted from. ‘Macbeth’.

The story is retold as a gritty mob drama. Standing in as Macbeth, Mike Battaglia, played by John Turturro, plans a hostile mob takeover at the urging of his wife Ruthie, played by Katherine Borowitz, who resembles the character of Lady Macbeth.

4. O (2001)

This movie, seemingly telling a story of a bunch of high schoolers is also actually adapted from one of Shakespeare’s very famous plays. ‘Othello’.

The main cast is replaced as being high school students rather than soldiers and this is how Shakespeare’s story of jealousy, manipulation, and murder is moved from Venice to a normal high school. The names of the characters also showcase that the movie is based on this play. For example, Othello is renamed as Odin, and his enemy, Iago, is called Hugo.

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5. She’s The Man (2006)

I’m sure most of you already know which play this movie, starring Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum, is based on. ‘Twelfth Night’.

The play was a story about how Viola, after getting separated from her twin brother after a shipwreck, disguises herself as a man called Cesario. The movie follows the same track, instead, Viola disguises herself as a man to play soccer instead of her twin brother Sebastian. The character of Duke Orsino, played by Channing Tatum, is the substitute for the play’s character of Duke of Illyria.

Nevertheless, all the romantic movies, be they from Hollywood, Bollywood, or Lollywood, are based on the Shakespearean idea of two unfortunate lovers and the struggles it entails.

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