Tom Holland will star as Romeo in “Romeo & Juliet,” in the West End this Spring, debuting on May 11 at Duke of York’s theater. Jamie Lloyd will direct the play, which is being described as “a pulsating new vision of the immortal tale of wordsmiths, rhymers, lovers and fighters.”
This will be the first major theater role for the “Spider-Man” actor since his debut in Billy Elliot: The Musical. Holland, 27, first debuted in the 2008 show as Billy’s friend Michael. He then took on the lead role, before leaving the role to jump to Hollywood.
Holland’s take on the tortured lover will certainly be one to watch for the 12 weeks it will be running. With the actor’s upcoming portrayal of one of the most iconic characters in theater and film, here is where you can watch the three most recent adaptations of the play.
Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Available to watch on: Fubo, Paramount+, Kanopy, Showtime.
Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (1968) (IMDb)
To many, this is the definitive adaptation of the iconic play. Directed by Franco Zefirelli, the film stars Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey as the star-crossed lovers. It won Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design; it was also nominated for Best Director and Best Picture.
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Available to watch on: Fubo, Paramount+, Showtime.
Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Romeo + Juliet’ (1996) (IMDb)
This film is one of Baz Luhrmann’s classics, with outstanding performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Daines as the titular characters. The movie is set in a contemporary US, but it retains the original dialogue of the play. Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo, Miriam Margolyes, Harold Perrineau, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino and Diane Venora also star in supporting roles.
Romeo and Juliet (2013)
Available to watch on: Prime Video, Peacock, Pluto.
Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (2013) (IMDb)
This version of the play was directed by Carlo Carlei and adapted by Julian Fellowes. It stars Douglas Booth as Romeo and Hailee Steinfeld as Juliet. The rest of the cast consists of Damian Lewis, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ed Westwick, Stellan Skarsgård and Paul Giamatti.While it’s faithful to the original plot and setting, the dialogue is mostly new. This didn’t help the film get a warm reception.
