Shakespeare's plays have been adapted for the screen since the early days of cinema, and continue to thrive within today's global cine-market. This book engages with current debates on Shakespeare on screen in relation to King Lear and the varied array of film adaptations it continues to generate. The study widens the circle of debate by replacing value judgements based on notions of literary pedigree with meaningful discussion about the process of adaptation from text to screen, and the significance of cinematic genre. It offers new ways of reading canonical and art house screen adaptations of King Lear, and brings into the critical fold a number of long-neglected mainstream genre films that make intriguing connections with Shakespeare's revered tragedy.