What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedMacbeth
Justin Kurzel · Film · 2015
If you loved Macbeth, start with Throne of Blood (Akira Kurosawa, 1957) — a film from the same story. Below: 3 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Macbeth across media.
If Macbeth hooked you, it is because you are fascinated by the brutal cost of unchecked ambition and power.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Throne of Blood
Akira Kurosawa · Film · 1957
Adaptation
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Joel Coen · Film · 2021
Books on the same thread
The Guinness book of records 1988
Alan Russell, Norris D. McWhirter · Book · 1987
Explores: World Records, Human Achievement, Extraordinary Feats.
If Macbeth hit, The Guinness book of records 1988 shares the thread.
King Lear
William Shakespeare · Book · 2009
Shares 2 threads with Macbeth: Tragedy, Historical Drama.
Like Macbeth, this tragedy explores the catastrophic descent into madness and the destructive power struggles that arise when authority is challenged and moral boundaries are violently pushed aside.
Julius Caesar
William Shakespeare · Book · 2011
Shares 3 threads with Macbeth: Ambition, Power, Fate vs. Free Will.
This masterpiece mirrors the political intrigue of Macbeth, focusing on the heavy price of betrayal and the psychological burden carried by those who conspire to seize supreme authority.
Series on the same thread
House of Cards
Beau Willimon · Series · 2013
Shares 2 threads with Macbeth: Power, Ambition.
The ruthless ambition displayed by the Underwoods in this drama echoes the manipulative partnership found in Macbeth, showing how partners stop at nothing to conquer the political landscape.
The Hollow Crown
Series · 2012
Shares 2 threads with Macbeth: Historical Drama, Shakespearean Adaptation.
These adaptations capture the same visceral intensity of Shakespearean kingship and succession struggles that define the core conflict of Macbeth, grounding historical power plays in complex human emotion.
Shōgun
Rachel Kondo · Series · 2024
Shares a thread with Macbeth: Historical Drama.
The high-stakes survival and intricate power struggles depicted in this samurai drama provide the same tension found in Macbeth, where every move is calculated to ensure one's own survival.
The Last Kingdom
Stephen Butchard · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Macbeth: fate vs. free will, Historical Drama.
This epic series shares the thematic depth of Macbeth by blending brutal warfare with the personal identity crisis that occurs when individuals are caught in historical power struggles.
Podcasts on the same thread
Mahabharat
Fever FM - HT Smartcast · Podcast
Explores: Ancient History, Indian Epic, Moral Lessons.
Much like the legendary narrative of Macbeth, this epic tale explores the weight of moral choices and the grandeur of historical conflicts that shape the fate of empires.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
These deep dives into history examine the same moral ambiguity and consequences of power that define Macbeth, offering an analytical lens on how leaders grapple with their actions.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is the 2015 Macbeth adaptation by Justin Kurzel the only version available?
No, there are other notable adaptations of the Scottish play. If you enjoyed the 2015 film, you should watch The Tragedy of Macbeth from 2021, which also covers the story of the general and his wife as they scheme to seize the throne from King Duncan.
Are there other films that adapt the story of Macbeth?
Yes, Throne of Blood is a 1957 film that adapts the narrative of Shakespeare's Macbeth. It presents the story of a general driven by ambition and his wife to take power from the sitting king, offering a different cultural perspective on the classic play.
Is Lady Macbeth a book I can read after watching the Macbeth movie?
Yes, Lady Macbeth is a book that shares the title of the central character in Shakespeare's play. It provides an alternative way to engage with the themes of ambition and power found in Macbeth, where a wife urges her husband to use wicked means to gain the throne.
What is the plot of the 2015 Macbeth movie?
The 2015 Macbeth movie is a feature film adaptation of Shakespeare's play. It follows General Macbeth, whose ambitious wife encourages him to use wicked means to seize the throne from the sitting king, Duncan, ultimately leading to a struggle for power.