9 Best Shakespeare-Inspired Rom-Coms, Ranked

It wouldn’t be a Swooon ranking without a DCOM in the mix, but unfortunately, Motocrossed just barely made the cut. Following Andrea (Alana Austin), a twin sister who takes her brother’s spot in a Motocross competition, so that he doesn’t miss his chance at a corporate sponsorship.

With so many fantastic Shakespeare adaptations to choose from, this Twelfth Night adaptation comes in at number 10. Don’t get us wrong, we think Shakespeare would be proud to see his work featured on a stage as iconic as the Disney Channel, we just know there are adaptations with more rewatch-ability.

By far the most camp movie on our list, Warm Bodies mixes Shakespeare and zombies, which are (dare we say) everyone’s two favorite things.

With a plot best described as Romeo and Juliet meets Twilight, Warm Bodies tells the story of Julie (Teresa Palmer), a human who falls in love with a heartless zombie (Nicholas Hoult). If you like your Shakespeare served with a side of supernatural comedy, this is the movie for you. If you’re looking for a straightforward rom-com, keep scrolling.

Of course, Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney made our list! Set at an intimate destination wedding in Australia, Anyone But You follows the enemies-to-lovers arc of Much Ado About Nothing, a comedy that revolves around family members trying to set up two foes (and make them think it was their idea).

While Anyone But You was so much fun, and we will never listen to “Unwritten” the same way again, the dating rumors that followed the film proved to be more exciting (and low-key, more Shakespearean) than the film itself.

One of two Taming of the Shrew adaptations to make our list, Deliver Us From Eva stars LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union. When a group of married guys pay a “master player” (Cool J) to date their partners’ overly involved sister (Union), it’s safe to say a domino effect of drama ensues (and it’s all their fault). Delivering on a wildly fun plot and two phenomenal romantic leads, there’s a lot to like about this adaptation. However, many fans believe the story grows a little stale by the end, and unfortunately, we’d have to agree.

Based on a lesser-known Shakespeare play, The Merry Wives of Windsor, John Tucker Must Die is for all the girlies who support women’s rights— and women’s wrongs. In the movie, rom-com royalty Sophia Bush, Arielle Kebbel, and Ashanti play teenagers who all find out they’re dating the same guy: John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe). Naturally, the girls enlist Kate (Brittany Snow) to make him fall in love with her and then break his heart into smithereens. Oh, and did we mention that a young Penn Badgley plays John Tucker’s brother? Honestly, the cast alone makes this movie a must-watch.

Okay, maybe this one isn’t a direct adaptation, but we couldn’t make a list of Shakespeare-inspired romances without Shakespeare in Love! Giving The Bard his very own main character moment, Shakespeare in Love features Joseph Fiennes as a young William Shakespeare, who is currently writing Romeo and Juliet, and Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola, a merchant’s daughter who dresses as a man to audition for one of his plays.

For any of the big-time Shakespeare fans out there, Shakespeare in Love is the perfect mix of an original story and Shakespeare lore, including nods to his plays, rival playwrights, and other historical figures.

Is third place really high for a Romeo and Juliet adaptation about garden gnomes? Yes. Will we be taking notes? Absolutely not.

We’ll be the first to say that society moved on too quickly from the most original Shakespeare-inspired animated movie. With a star-studded cast including Emily Blunt (Juliet), James McAvoy (Gnomeo), Maggie Smith (Lady Bluebury), and Dolly Parton (Dolly Gnome), the sweeping backyard romance Gnomeo and Juliet proves that there was never a story of more woe than that of the lawn you mow. Shakespeare lovers, if you haven’t seen Gnomeo and Juliet, what are you waiting for?

Amanda Bynes is not a name often associated with Shakespeare; however, Bynes’ 2006 rom-com proves that the actress and playwright are better together.

Based on Twelfth Night, She’s the Man follows teenage soccer player Viola (Bynes) who attends a boys’ prep school impersonating her brother. Why? The soccer coach at her school refuses to let her join the boys’ team when the girls’ team is cut. While the Shakespeare classic didn’t have any mention of soccer (or Channing Tatum, who plays Viola’s hunky roommate Duke), we have a feeling The Bard would be proud of this epic sports romance.

Ask just about anyone, and they’ll tell you that Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger gave us a movie that isn’t just *the* quintessential Shakespeare adaptation, but one of the greatest rom-coms of all time.

10 Things I Hate About You brings the drama of The Taming of the Shrew to the halls of Padua High School as new student Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) falls for Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), a popular girl who isn’t allowed to go on any dates until her loner older sister Kat (Stiles) does. Naturally, Cameron pays their school’s notorious bad boy, Patrick (Ledger), to convince Kat he’s the guy for her. Given Heath Ledger’s electric performance of Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes off You” accompanied by an entire marching band alone, 10 Things I Hate About You is the Shakespeare-inspired rom-com to beat.