When is 'Hamnet' streaming? Here's our best guess

"Hamnet" is a guaranteed contender for Best Picture (at least) at the next Oscars. It's an incredible movie that's a masterpiece in emotionally manipulative storytelling, centered around a likely Best Actress-winning performance from Jessie Buckley as Agnes Shakespeare, wife of the legendary playwright William (Paul Mescal). It's the second-best movie of the year I've seen so far, and there are some days when I consider putting it in the top spot. It's that good.

However, if you want to watch this historical fiction drama adapted from Maggie O'Farrell's award-winning 2020 novel, you'll have to head to your local cinema. That's sometimes a tall task. Movie tickets aren't cheap, and you're likely spending money on holiday gifts. Chances are, even if you desperately want to watch it, you might be waiting to stream "Hamnet" at home.

Lucky for you, there's good news. While "Hamnet" is not available to stream on one of the best streaming services yet, we can make an educated guess about when you'll be able to stream it, as well as where you'll be able to stream it. We can also make a good guess as to when you'll be able to buy or rent it to watch at home. So here's when we think you'll be able to watch "Hamnet" at home, and our best guess for when you can stream it on Peacock.

Where can you stream 'Hamnet'?

As of right now, "Hamnet" is still playing in theaters following its Nov. 26 U.S. release (it won't come to the U.K. until 2026). But if you’re waiting to watch it from home, you'll have a couple of options.

First, once "Hamnet" has been in theaters for a bit, it'll then enter its premium video on-demand (PVOD) window. At that point, you'll be able to buy or rent it digitally from digital storefronts such as Amazon, Apple and Fandango at Home.

Then, a few months after that, you'll be able to stream "Hamnet" at home on Peacock as part of your subscription. That's because the movie is distributed by Focus Features in the U.S. and Universal everywhere else, both of which are owned by Comcast, which also owns Peacock.

When can you stream 'Hamnet'?

Since "Hamnet" is a Focus Features film, we can make an educated guess as to when you'll be able to stream it on various platforms. "Hamnet" should be available to buy or rent digitally starting around Dec. 30 on PVOD services like Amazon, Apple and others. That would give it a theatrical window of about four weeks before being available at home, which would be just a bit longer than what we saw for fellow Focus Features movie "Bugonia" and its PVOD streaming release schedule.

As for when "Hamnet" will hit streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms, where you can watch with a subscription you might already have, that's something we can also predict with some certainty. Like we already mentioned, Focus Features sends its movies to Peacock after they finish their theatrical and PVOD runs, as both Focus and Peacock are owned by Comcast. The window for that is usually around two months from the theatrical release date, sometimes a little less.

If "Hamnet" follows the same track as "Bugonia," then "Hamnet" should be able to stream on Peacock around the end of January 2026. Given its Oscar buzz, Focus might keep this movie in theaters and on PVOD a bit longer than normal, but in most instances, these are the streaming release date patterns that Focus Features films tend to follow.

What is 'Hamnet' about?

HAMNET - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters This Thanksgiving - YouTube

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Billed as a historical drama, "Hamnet" is really a historical fiction, adapted from a novel of the same name by Maggie O'Farrell (who co-wrote the screenplay with Zhao). It begins as a more typical romantic drama, where we're immediately thrust into Agnes (Buckley) and William's (Mescal) whirlwind romance. But what starts as lighthearted love turns all too quickly to tragedy for their budding family.

In my review of "Hamnet," I declared it a masterpiece, transcendent and a clear Best Picture contender. Buckley's performance as Agnes is impressive both in her ability to deliver with emotional range and the surprising physicality she brings. This movie is an absolute must-watch, whether you see it in theaters or wait to stream it a home.

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