Hollywood has been interpreting the Bard since cinema was invented. According to the Folger Shakespeare Library, and writer Michael Anderegg, the first cinematic Shakespearean adaptation was a variation on King John, presented as a four-minute silent short film in 1899. “King John could hardly be considered an adaptation of Shakespeare’s play in any meaningful sense. At best, the filmmakers produced little more than brief, animated illustrations of several key events in the drama,” writes Anderegg. And thank goodness—as bigger and better interpretations have grown from there, into a subgenre all their own.
Shakespeare has been interpreted in all manner of ways, but the most fascinating is often when the text goes modern. Some filmmakers choose to update the language and setting completely (like 2006’s She’s the Man), whereas others may keep the language classic and make the locations and time period contemporary (like Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet). We’ve included foreign iterations and versions made for kids; there’s a Shakespeare story for everyone! Modern-day interpretations of Shakespeare’s work have opened up his words to whole new generations, and certain plays have been adapted enough times to make different takes for every generation.
The twenty films below encapsulate some of the best, most beloved, or unique renditions of contemporary Shakespearean films, bridging the gap between cinema and the stage.