Mamoru Hosoda’s 'Scarlet' reimagines Hamlet with a message of hope

'Scarlet', Mamoru Hosoda’s adaptation of Hamlet, presents forgiveness and hope in a fractured world

Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda, known for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Mirai, and Belle, has reinterpreted William Shakespeare’s Hamlet in his latest movie, Scarlet. The film will be released in U.S. theatres early next year.

Scarlet follows Princess Scarlet, a fallen warrior cast into a purgatorial “Otherworld” after failing to avenge her father’s murder by her uncle, Claudius. Guided by Hijiri, a paramedic from modern-day Japan, Scarlet journeys across dreamlike battlefields confronting undead legions, generational hatred, and the temptation of the “Void” while seeking forgiveness and a way home.

In a Q&A included in the Scarlet press kit, Hosoda said he views “the geopolitical state of the world after COVID” and “the idea that people can’t forgive these days” as a source of concern. He explained that Scarlet represents the refusal to forgive, and her journey ultimately explores whether vengeance or forgiveness should guide her choices.

Hosoda highlighted that the key difference between Scarlet and Hamlet is in the guidance of the father figure. While the ghost of King Hamlet encourages revenge, Scarlet’s father urges his daughter to forgive.

“It’s a confusing directive because after everything done to her family,” Hosoda said. “She wonders how it can be so easy to forgive. The question presented to Scarlet is how to deal with the energy, how to forgive.”

Hosoda added that the film reflects parallels with today’s youth, their idealism, anger, and struggle for empathy in a divided world. According to the filmmaker, Scarlet delivers “a positive message to the younger generation,” showing a way beyond cycles of vengeance.

Fans and critics attending early screenings noted the film combines Hosoda’s signature fantastical style with Shakespeare’s revenge narrative to advocate for peace.

Scarlet emerges as a revitalised classic, blending epic storytelling with timely social commentary while offering hope amid global uncertainty.