How Hedda brings complex storytelling to global audiences

All great art asks its audiences to confront hidden truths about themselves—and there's an abundance of that psychological complexity in Amazon MGM Studios’ and Orion Pictures’ bold new film Hedda. The movie, which is a provocative reimagining of Henrik Ibsen's classic 1890 play Hedda Gabler, transforms the enigmatic newlywed Hedda (Tessa Thompson) into a modern exploration of power, desire, and a woman's refusal to be confined. Written and directed by Nia DaCosta, this daring adaptation finds its characters navigating the dangerous waters of manipulation, lust, jealousy, and betrayal over the course of a single, raucous party.

But beyond the visual style and the enchanting performances, it’s the internal drama that audiences truly connect with.

“Hedda is an example of somebody who does all of these sort of extraordinary, sometimes bad and malicious things,” Thompson says. “But I think what she points us to is our own shadow selves that we all contain.”

Stars and creators of Hedda discuss adapting the classic play for modern audiences

For DaCosta, what drew her to Hedda Gabler was its enduring mystery. "It's like a puzzle box that no one solved and that no one's really meant to solve, but in the solving you start to ask questions that I think are vital for our experience of aliveness," DaCosta explains.

Tom Bateman, who plays George Tesman, was immediately struck by how the director managed to honor Ibsen while creating something entirely new.

"She has such a love and respect and fascination with the original text, but she's really brought her own unique vision to it," Bateman says.

Bringing complex storytelling to millions of audiences

With a vision for the project in mind, DaCosta set out to work with Amazon MGM Studios to bring the story to life. "The biggest thing when I choose collaborators, producers, a studio is, am I going to be supported to bring my vision to life?" she says. "I've been so supported by the studio to bring this movie to life. We had people fighting for us inside the studio."

For Thompson, it was particularly important to work with a studio capable of introducing complex content to millions of audiences. "You really need to be with people that understand what that is and understand how to introduce it to audiences," she says. "A lot of that has to do with how you market the thing, how you introduce it to audiences, and where you take it."

Bateman sees how this support helps create good art. "When studios like Amazon, who have power and resources, truly get behind and support someone's vision, it creates so many more interesting films," he says.

Thompson also appreciates Amazon's collaborative approach to bringing films to market. "We've had the chance to have Amazon MGM take the movie out and travel with it places and respond to it real time with audience members," she notes. "It's just been incredible to work with a team that really knows how to do that."

For Thompson, there's also the exciting opportunity to introduce Ibsen to a new generation: "There are plenty of young people, especially that haven't had the chance to encounter Ibsen—I didn't read Ibsen in school. So, it feels really exciting that we might be catalysts to introduce folks and women, especially young women, to this piece."

Hedda premieres during an exceptionally robust year for premium original content on Prime Video. Series like Reacher and The Summer I Turned Pretty have captivated audiences and driven the cultural conversation in 2025. With an exciting lineup of forthcoming original shows and movies from Prime Video, there are endless opportunities for brands to reach millions of viewers through streaming TV ads in Prime Video content. With the powerful ad tech solutions of Amazon Ads, it's easier than ever to help brands connect with audiences through premium original content.

This is particularly important for brands wanting to reach consumers through premium content. According to the 2025 Beyond the Buy report from Amazon Ads, 50% of consumers see entertainment as part of their shopping journey.

In an era where audiences are craving immersive entertainment, Hedda represents exactly the kind of storytelling that gives brands an opportunity to meaningfully connect with consumers.