Hamlet poster

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Hamlet

1996 · Movie · 242 min
B

MEANRANK

79/100

Averaged across 8 ratings · 114.6K votes

Every rating

Platform pages last read 29 September 2026. IMDb’s figure comes from IMDb’s own data file, which we re-read about once a month.

67–95 out of 100

Mostly agreed

Lowest is Metacritic critics on 67, highest is Rotten Tomatoes critics on 95.

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The Prince of Denmark returns home to Elsinore Castle after his father's sudden death. He is consumed by grief and suspicion when his father's ghost appears, revealing that he was murdered by Hamlet's uncle, who has now taken the throne and married Hamlet's mother. Plunged into a whirlpool of rage and despair, Hamlet feigns madness as he contemplates a bloody revenge, struggling with the moral weight of his task and the decay he perceives in the court.

Details

Based on
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Released
25 December 1996
Country
United States
Language
English
Runtime
242 min
Rated
PG-13
Budget
$18.0M
Box office
$4.7M
Awards
5 wins, 15 nominations

This title elsewhere

Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh

Prince Hamlet

Derek Jacobi

Derek Jacobi

King Claudius

Kate Winslet

Kate Winslet

Ophelia

Julie Christie

Julie Christie

Gertrude

Richard Briers

Richard Briers

Polonius

Rufus Sewell

Rufus Sewell

Fortinbras

Reece Dinsdale

Reece Dinsdale

Guildenstern

Awards & nominations

See all 20 →

5 wins from 20 nominations across 11 ceremonies

Academy Awards 1996 Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) Kenneth Branagh Nominee
Academy Awards 1996 Best Art Direction Tim Harvey Nominee
Academy Awards 1996 Best Costume Design Alexandra Byrne Nominee
Academy Awards 1996 Best Original Dramatic Score Patrick Doyle Nominee
Art Directors Guild Awards 1996 ADG Excellence in Production Design Award Tim Harvey, Desmond Crowe Nominee
British Academy Film Awards 1996 Best Costume Design Alexandra Byrne Nominee
British Academy Film Awards 1996 Best Production Design Tim Harvey Nominee
British Society of Cinematographers 1996 GBCT Operators Award Martin Kenzie Winner
Show all 20 awards across 11 ceremonies

Awards from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.