Director Nia DaCosta, recognized for her innovative work on Candyman and the energetic Marvel film The Marvels, returns to original storytelling with Hedda. This new adaptation of the classic play Hedda Gabler is set in 1950s London and showcases DaCosta’s signature dynamic style, combining period detail with intense emotional drama. The project represents DaCosta’s first standalone film in some time, highlighting her versatility and creative vision.
A Powerful Performance by Tessa Thompson Amid Secrets and Tension
In the lead role, Tessa Thompson portrays Hedda, a complex character caught between past heartbreak and present constraints. The trailer reveals a night filled with intrigue where hidden desires and long-suppressed conflicts come to the surface during a party. Alongside Thompson, Nina Hoss and Imogen Poots contribute to a compelling cast, enhancing the film’s potent atmosphere.
“Hedda (Tessa Thompson) finds herself torn between the lingering ache of a past love and the quiet suffocation of her present life. Over the course of one charged night, long-repressed desires and hidden tensions erupt — pulling her and everyone around her into a spiral of manipulation, passion, and betrayal.”
—Official Synopsis
Release Details and Anticipated Impact
Hedda will premiere in cinemas on 22 October and become available for streaming on Prime Video a week later, on 29 October. The film is also set to be featured at the BFI London Film Festival, signaling confidence in its artistic significance. Given DaCosta’s emerging track record and the film’s promising trailer, Hedda may well solidify her continued rise in contemporary cinema, offering a fresh interpretation of a classic work infused with modern energy and emotional depth.
