The Lion King. Poster of the 1994 movie and cover of the 1605 book, King Lear
VS3
King Lear
William Shakespeare, 1605
movie vs book
Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, 1994

In the Pride Lands of Africa, a pride of lions rule over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. King Mufasa’s and Queen Sarabi’s newborn son, Simba, is presented to the gathering animals by Rafiki the mandrill, the kingdom’s shaman and advisor.


Sons of Anarchy. Poster of the 2008 TV series and cover of the 1603 book, Hamlet
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Hamlet
William Shakespeare, 1603
TV series vs book
Kurt Sutter, 2008-2014

A biker struggles to balance being a father and being involved in an outlaw motorcycle club. The series begins with the destruction of a warehouse the club uses to store and assemble guns, which is their main source of income, by a rival MC right before the overdose of Jax’s methamphetamine-addicted ex-wife Wendy. Jax finds his father’s memoirs when he visits a storage unit to collect some old baby clothes.


Ran. Poster of the 1985 movie and cover of the 1605 book, King Lear
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King Lear
William Shakespeare, 1605
movie vs book
Akira Kurosawa, 1985

Hidetora Ichimonji, a powerful though now elderly warlord, decides to divide his kingdom among his three sons: Taro, Jiro, and Saburo. Hidetora hears the comments as being subversive, and when his servant Tango comes to Saburo’s defense, he exiles both men.


West Side Story. Poster of the 2021 movie and cover of the 1595 book, Romeo and Juliet
VS3
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare, 1595
movie vs book
Steven Spielberg, 2021

Teenagers Tony and Maria, despite having affiliations with rival street gangs, fall in love in 1950s New York City. An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.


Throne of Blood. Poster of the 1957 movie and cover of the 1606 book, Macbeth
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Macbeth
William Shakespeare, 1606
movie vs book
Akira Kurosawa, 1957

Generals Miki and Washizu are samurai commanders and friends under Lord Tsuzuki, a local lord, who reigns in the castle of the Spider’s Web Forest. She then foretells that Washizu eventually will become Lord of Spider’s Web Castle, and finally she tells Miki that his son will become lord of the castle.


Haider. Poster of the 2014 movie and cover of the 1603 book, Hamlet
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Hamlet
William Shakespeare, 1603
movie vs book
Vishal Bhardwaj, 2014

In 1995, during the insurgency in Kashmir, Hilaal Meer, a doctor based in Srinagar, agrees to perform an appendectomy on Ikhlaque, the leader of a pro-separatist militant group. To avoid detection, he performs the surgery at his house, much to the chagrin of his wife Ghazala, who questions his allegiance.


Much Ado About Christmas. Poster of the 2021 movie and cover of the 1598 book, Much Ado About Nothing
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Much Ado About Nothing
William Shakespeare, 1598
movie vs book
Michael Damian, 2021

Haley is beloved in her community of Winterstone for acts of kindness. She is also the daughter of one of Winterstone’s wealthiest residents Leona Lloyd. Despite Haley’s down-to-earth demeanor, she is financially set as Leona’s only heir – information she fails to share with new love interest Claud, an artsy, hopeless romantic. A modern day re-imagining set at Christmas of William Shakespeare’s play “Much Ado About Nothing”.


Hamlet. Poster of the 1996 movie and cover of the 1603 book
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Hamlet
William Shakespeare, 1603
movie vs book
Kenneth Branagh, 1996

The film follows the plot of the original play, and is the first adaptation to have the complete original text. Hamlet, son of the King of Denmark, is summoned home for his father’s funeral and his mother Gertrude’s wedding to his uncle Claudius. In a supernatural episode, he discovers that his uncle, who he hates anyway, murdered his father.


Hamlet. Poster of the 1948 movie and cover of the 1603 book
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Hamlet
William Shakespeare, 1603
movie vs book
Laurence Olivier, 1948

The action begins on the battlements of Elsinore where a sentry, Francisco, is relieved of his watch by another sentry, Bernardo, who, with yet another sentry, Marcellus, has twice previously seen the Ghost of King Hamlet. Marcellus then arrives with the skeptical Horatio, Prince Hamlet’s friend. Suddenly, all three see the Ghost, and Horatio demands that the ghost speak. The ghost vanishes then, without a word.


Romeo & Juliet. Poster of the 2021 movie and cover of the 1595 book, Romeo and Juliet
VS3
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare, 1595
movie vs book
Simon Godwin, 2021

An adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy set in modern-day Italy where two young lovers strive to transcend a violent world where Catholic and secular values clash.


West Side Story. Poster of the 1961 movie and cover of the 1595 book, Romeo and Juliet
VS3
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare, 1595
movie vs book
Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise, 1961

In the slums of the upper West Side of Manhattan a gang of Polish-American teenagers called the Jets compete with a rival gang, the Sharks, to own the neighborhood streets. Tensions are high between the gangs but two kids, one from each rival gang, fall in love leading to tragedy.


The Tragedy of Macbeth. Poster of the 2021 movie and cover of the 1606 book, Macbeth
VS3
Macbeth
William Shakespeare, 1606
movie vs book
Joel Coen, 2021

A Scottish lord becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland, and his ambitious wife supports him in his plans of seizing power.