British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed stars as the titular character in a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, directed by Aneil Karia. Ahmed, who identifies with Hamlet's sense of being an outsider, shares his journey of discovering the play through an inspirational English teacher. He highlights the film's contemporary setting in multicultural London, where he delivers the iconic 'To be or not to be' soliloquy while driving on a high-speed highway. Ahmed believes that making Shakespeare relatable is crucial for its survival, stating, 'In order to keep this canonical, British text alive, we have to pass the baton in terms of where it’s set.' The film, which also features actors like Morfydd Clark and Joe Alwyn, will premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and is set to release in theaters on April 10, 2025. Ahmed continues to lead various projects, including the limited series Bait and the film Digger with Tom Cruise.