Like capri pants and velour tracksuits, it seems that Shakespeare’s tragic tale of teenage love comes back around every 30 years.
- Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey drew raves and included a brief nude scene that prompted “a lot of fuss” at the time and a lawsuit alleging child abuse decades later.
- Baz Luhrmann’s psychedelic 1996 spin starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes received a critical response that was lukewarm at best but nevertheless remains a core millennial text.
Now, Gen Z’s moment with the star-crossed lovers is in the offing, as Robert Eggers is set to direct and produce a new Romeo and Juliet film for Focus Features. This is a fascinating choice given that Eggers, best known for The Witch (2015) and Nosferatu (2024), made his bones with horror stories.
- Then again, what’s more horrifying than horned-up teenagers with underdeveloped frontal lobes and access to lethal substances?
Production details are TBA, but Eggers has confirmed that the film will use Shakespearean English.
The Book Riot Newsletter
Join over 300,000 readers who get the latest book buzz, smart commentary, and must-read picks delivered straight to their inbox.