It wouldn’t be a fall festival season without a few cinematic takes on classic works of theater, and none are more intriguing this year than Nia DaCosta‘s “Hedda.”
The director’s fourth feature is an update on Henrik Ibsen’s classic realist drama “Hedda Gabler,” which documents the inner turmoil of a newly married woman who manipulates a former lover into suicide as a way of numbing the frustration and boredom that she feels from her loveless marriage. The play is considered one of Ibsen’s masterpieces and the title character remains one of the quintessential female roles in the Western theatrical canon.
While it remains to be seen how much DaCosta’s adaptation will stick to the original plot, the film will undoubtedly give Tessa Thompson (who previously starred in DaCosta’s “Little Woods”) plenty of rich material to draw from as she steps into the role of Hedda. The actress will be joined by Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss.
Since breaking out with “Little Woods” in 2018, DaCosta has largely leant her directorial talents to franchises, including the 2021 “Candyman” sequel and the comic book crossover “The Marvels.” Next on her docket is “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” which will serve as the second entry in a new trilogy that began with Danny Boyle’s “28 Years Later.” In a recent interview with IndieWire, Boyle explained the unique perspective that DaCosta is bringing to her take on the material.
“I remember asking Nia [about this new trilogy], ‘What do you think it’s about?,’” Boyle said. “It won’t necessarily end up being about this because films change, but I said, ‘What do you think it’s about?’ And she said, ‘Well, I think the first one is about the nature of family. The second one’s about the nature of evil. And the third one is about the nature of redemption.’”
“Hedda” will have its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Afterwards, Amazon MGM will release the film in select theaters on Wednesday, October 22 and then globally on Prime Video on Wednesday, October 29. Watch the trailer below.