Cast: Tessa Thompson, Nina Haas, Tom Bateman, Imogene Poots, Nicholas Pinnock, Katherine Hunter

Written and Directed by: Nia DaCosta

Release Year: 2025

Studio/Streamer: Prime video

Runtime: 107 minutes

Audio Description Produced by: the Media Access group

Written By:

Narrated By:

what is it?: An update to Henry Gibson’s classic work, director Nia DaCosta has decided to take the work from 1890 and move it to the 1950’s, combining the complex character with new undercurrents of racial identity and queerness, in a movie that has characters race swapped as well as gender bent. Hedda seems supportive of her husband, and throws a party to help him network, but ultimately the party becomes a struggle between her, her former lover (Haas), and current object of desire (Poots).

What works: Nia DaCosta once again proves her talents as a director when not forced to try and regurgitate a Marvel film. In her follow up to the Marvels, She looks at how to flip the old Hedda Gobbler story, which has been adapted numerous times, and put a fresh stamp on it. The newly introduced themes on race and sexual identity don’t rewrite Gibson’s work, but instead prove how timeless the concept is, much like our continued adaptations of the works of Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Poe, and other writers long gone. Yes, you can continue to adapt Little women as faithfully as humanly possible, or you can take a work, and figure out what makes your version stand out. Why remake something over and over without any fresh perspective? And in 2025, diversity is just a way of life, and sexuality and the fluidity of it is something we are much more inclined to discuss than gibson in the 1890’s.

Dacosta’s beautifully rendered reimagining allows for some truly stunning performances. Tessa Thompson once again proves why shes such a bright star continuing to rise. She’s likely to miss out on an Oscar nomination, but it is hard to watch this and think she’s far from it. She just needs to continue to pursue challenging and interesting roles like this, and she’ll get there. For me, the true standout was Nina haas, who is such a strong utility player we almost forget she’s there. She can be in things for five minutes, or thirty, and she leaves a mark that suggests she’s one of the most reliable supporting actresses working. she gained a lot of attention after Tar, and she steals every scene in Hedda with her mysterious stoicism, which suggest something is brewing beyond what we’re able to see right away. Her scenes with Thompson are electric, and I wish Haas could enter awards season. she’s near the top of my list. Another favorite of mine, Katherine Hunter, once again is offered her usual nominal screentime and steals her fleeting few moments. I’m coming closer to forgiving her for The Front Room.Just an abomination of a film, made even worse considering how we should be finding much better work for Hunter. She was so terrific in The tragedy Of MacBeth.

Hedda is Amazon’s only hope at Oscar flory as critics and audiences seemed to reject After The hunt. there’s so much here to celebrate, not just as a great picture, but DaCosta as a director, Thompson as an actress, Hass in supporting, an adapted screenplay that keeps the soul of the original work while injecting it with a fresh 2025 sensibility, and a marvelous score. i also assume Costume Design and Production Design are on the table, and this film never lags, which makes it well edited in my book.

if I had one complaint for DaCosta, is to scrap the chapters. This is an annoying new trend, and it does nothing to help the film. Another little thing would be Tom Bateman, who I’ve seen in other things, is fine here, but nothing really stood out. He was so bland I used my pre-blindness to imagine Matthew Macfayden in the role instead (since i can picture him, but not Bateman). It was really easy to make that swap.

The Audio Description: Media Access Group made an excellent track fully aware of the period of the piece, the necessity of pointing out race in an intentionally diversified adaptation, and supporting the more sensual moments as Thompsons’ Hedda comes across as nearly perpetually horny, no matter who she’s talking to. it’s almost always suggested that she knows she’s enticing and works it to her advantage wherever possible. She’s like a Helen Of Troy, trying to launch those ships.

Why you Might Like it: Bridgerton. if you like Bridgerton,this is very much up your alley.

Why You Might Not Like it: If you’re such a purist that the idea of diversifying or gender bending roles bothers you, then this would not be your adaptation. I don’t think that inherently just doing it without purpose makes a film better, but DaCosta really does understand how to weave new themes in with the old without suffering the original intent.

Final thoughts: Wildly inventive, Nia DaCosta’s reimagining of Hedda is full of new life, lead by extraordinary performances from Tessa Thompson and Nina Haas.

Fresh: Final Grade: 8.1/10