10 Movies You May Not Realise Are Based On The Work Of Shakespeare
8. Kurosawa + King Lear = Ran
Even one of the all-time greats, Akira Kurosawa, turned to William Shakespeare for his epic 1980 release, Ran, which loosely adapts the story of King Lear.
Set in Japan, Ran replaces the traditional story featuring the King, with a powerful warlord, who divides his empire for his three sons, before everything goes to hell. Kurosawa is one of the best at updating these stories, adding his own epic spin, without straying too far from the source material.
Of course this isn't the only time Kurosawa updated the playwright's work, having done so previously to great effect with both Throne of Blood, which is based on Macbeth, and The Bad Sleep Well, which updates Hamlet.