Oscars 2026: ‘Hamnet’ In the Room Where It Happened

There is such a thing as TDS. No, not THAT one. Telluride Derangement Syndrome happens in the magical mountains of Telluride, Colorado. It’s when the air is thin and the celebs are in abundance, nervously and charmingly introducing their films. They’re just actors, standing in front of an audience, asking you to love them. TDS has happened to me a few times, and it misdirects Oscar watchers when looking for The Next Big Thing. But TDS was not in the house on Friday night as Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Hamnet screened.

Hamnet is absolutely the real deal.

Starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, Hamnet tells the fictionalized story of Will and Agnes Shakespeare from their initial “meet cute” moment to the untimely death of their 11-year-old son, Hamnet, and their journey beyond. Zhao directs the film as authentically as I think anyone could. I have not read Maggie O’Farrell’s original novel (she co-wrote the screenplay with Zhao), but Zhao’s vision for the film hones in on Agnes’s relationship to the natural world. She allows her camera to create moments of quiet space within her world, letting imagery tell the story in creative and inviting ways.

The audience at Telluride’s Palm Theater sat mostly silent for the first half of the film. When tragedy strikes, that’s when I knew the film had the audience in its iron-tight grasp. Sniffles and quiet sobs nearly overpowered the film’s audio. The sounds of engagement, of emotional investment, and of quiet heartbreak resonated throughout the film’s final act. When the lights came up, the audience applause continued through the end credits. That’s virtually unheard of in a festival setting. Typically, you’re running to the next screening or off to another event.

No, this audience was locked in for Hamnet. Since then, I’ve only heard raves when talking to festival goers. Not just journalists but real people who pay money to see these films. That’s the kind of reaction you can’t buy, folks.

Yes, this was the world premiere of the film, and I’ve read all of the horribly negative comments on various websites and on social media about quote whores. A lot of that can be true. I’m very good friends with a few unabashed quote whores. But MY reaction to this film was real. The audience’s reaction to this film was real, and I believe it will be replicated throughout the film season.

This isn’t a case of TDS.

Hamnet is the kind of film that you enjoy equally in a communal theater setting and at home on screener. It will play like gangbusters at SAG-AFTRA screenings. The Writers Guild will embrace this risk-taking adaptation and the opportunity to celebrate the author. The Directors Guild will respect Zhao’s choices and maturation as a filmmaker. As the great Anne Thompson said many times, this is how you build a consensus: branch by branch. And they would make history with a second Best Director win for Zhao. This is all Academy catnip.

The Way-Too-Early Oscar Outlook

So, where does the film potentially go? Is it the elusive frontrunner? It’s too early to tell for sure as we have many films left to see before the festival wraps on Monday. And even I’m loathe to take this beautiful, emotion, and poignant film and stamp “OSCAR! OSCAR! OSCAR!” all over it. But that won’t stop me now.

Today, before Hamnet really goes out into the world and stands on its own merits, I see somewhere around 12 nominations:

• Picture
• Director
• Actor (a never-better Paul Mescal)
• Actress (the volcanic Jessie Buckley)
• Adapted Screenplay
• Cinematography
• Production Design
• Editing
• Original Score
• Costume Design
• Makeup and Hairstyling
• Sound

IF (and that’s a big “if” this early in the game) The Academy truly loves the film, then I could see two additional nominations: Supporting Actress (Emily Watson) and more likely Supporting Actor (the alarmingly adept Jacobi Jupe playing the doomed Hamnet). The 2026 Oscar season also marks the first Casting category. We’ll have a full piece dedicated to exploring the Casting Oscar (no, it’s not going to be an extension of the SAG Ensemble award), but I have a feeling that the Casting Directors branch will celebrate the great Nina Gold.

But who knows at this stage in the game? It’s still so wildly early. But the Oscar game will never take away the experience of seeing Hamnet with that audience. That’s something you take with you forever.