Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley explore the life of William Shakespeare and wife Agnes Shakespeare in the teaser trailer for Chloé Zhao’s feature Hamnet.

The new trailer teases audiences with footage of Mescal playing Shakespeare as he writes Hamlet. Set during the Black Plague in 1580s England, Hamnet mixes actual history with reimagined circumstances. In real life, Shakespeare’s wife was named Anne Hathaway; the couple shared three kids, one of whom was named Hamnet and died at a young age.

Focus Features has officially released the first trailer for Hamnet ahead of the film’s December 12 release date, showing Gladiator II star Paul Mescal stepping into the shoes of William Shakespeare.