By Vlad Zakh · March 6, 2026
Drama intensethought provoking
Shakespeare adaptations range from faithful to wildly reimagined, and these are the finest. Hamlet (1996) has a Danish prince plotting revenge, Much Ado About Nothing has two pairs of mismatched lovers in Renaissance Italy, and Ran moves King Lear to feudal Japan. Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story, Throne of Blood, the 1948 Hamlet and Henry V round out the eight.
01 A grieving Danish prince plots revenge on the uncle who murdered his father and married his mother.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh · 4h 02m · Rated PG-13
Stream: Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Rent: Amazon Video
02 Two pairs of mismatched lovers navigate wit, deception and romance in sunny Renaissance Italy.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh · 1h 51m · Rated PG-13
Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, Kanopy, MGM Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
Stream: MGM Amazon Channel · Rent: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, CosmoGo, YouTube, Amazon Video · Buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video
Stream: MGM Amazon Channel, Rialto Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Stream: MGM Plus Amazon Channel · Rent: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video · Buy: Apple TV Store
03 An ageing warlord's decision to divide his kingdom among his sons ignites a catastrophic war.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 2h 40m · Rated R
Won 1 Oscar30 wins & 23 nominations
Stream: Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, BFI Player Amazon Channel
Stream: Studiocanal Presents Amazon Channel · Rent: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Sky Store, BFI Player · Buy: Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Stream: MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Rent: Amazon Video
04 Two teenagers from feuding families fall desperately in love in Renaissance Verona.
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli · 2h 18m · Rated PG
Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: Paramount Plus, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Basic with Ads · Rent: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube · Buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Sky Store, YouTube
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fetch TV
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
05 Romeo and Juliet retold through rival New York street gangs and a doomed cross-gang romance.
Directed by Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise · 2h 33m · Rated NR
Won 10 Oscars31 wins & 11 nominations
Stream: YouTube TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Stream: MGM Plus Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, Sky Store, YouTube
Stream: MGM Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, CosmoGo, YouTube, Amazon Video
Stream: BINGE, Foxtel Now, MGM Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Stream: MGM Plus Amazon Channel · Rent: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video · Buy: Apple TV Store
06 A feudal Japanese warlord's ambition, fuelled by a witch's prophecy, drives him toward ruin.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · 1h 48m · Rated NR
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Stream: BFI Player, BFI Player Amazon Channel, BFI Player Apple TV Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
07 A Danish prince seeks revenge on his uncle for murdering his father and seizing the throne.
Directed by Laurence Olivier · 2h 33m · Rated NR
Stream: fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
08 A young English king rallies his outnumbered troops for a decisive battle against the French.
Directed by Laurence Olivier · 2h 17m
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Buy: Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Rent or buy: Apple TV Store
Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.
