Baz Luhrmann directed the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
The film uses Shakespeare’s original dialogue while relocating the story to the fictional modern city of Verona Beach. Guns replace swords, cars replace horses, and the rival families are presented as powerful business dynasties. This combination of Elizabethan language and contemporary visual style became the film’s defining feature.
Luhrmann co-wrote the screenplay with Craig Pearce. The production followed the director’s highly stylized approach, including rapid editing, bold costumes, music-video influences, and religious imagery. It introduced the play to many younger viewers while retaining much of Shakespeare’s text.
The film’s title uses a plus sign, “Romeo + Juliet,” rather than the standard ampersand. It is distinct from Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 adaptation and Carlo Carlei’s 2013 film.