One of the ‘greatest rom-coms of all time’ now streaming on Channel 4

A ‘perfectly executed’ teen romantic comedy that was a modernisation of a Shakespeare play is now streaming for free in the UK.

Released in 1999, 10 Things I Hate About You marked the break-through for actors Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, it was inspired by Shakespeare’s comedy The Taming of the Shrew.

Retold in a late-1990s American high school setting, it followed new student Cameron James (Gordon-Levitt) who becomes smitten with Bianca Stratford (Oleynik) and attempts to get bad boy Patrick Verona (Ledger) to date her unsocial sister Kat (Stiles) in order to get around her father’s strict rules on dating.

In the years since it was released, the film has become a cult classic and is often referred to as one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. This week it was added to Channel 4.

‘As satirical as it is romantic, this is one teen film that is wise enough to span generations in its appeal,’ The Los Angeles Times wrote in its review at the time of the film’s release.

‘Takes an old story and proves the themes are timeless by applying them to a modern setting,’ Movie Views shared.

‘Smartly paced, fun and funny, this is just as enjoyable for adults as it is for its intended teenage market,’ Radio Times added.

Reflecting on the film’s cultural impact, Teen Vogue once ranked it the number one movie on its list for best teen romance movies, and GQ included the film on their list of the best 90s movies, while Harper’s Bazaar had it on their list of the best movies that defined the 90s.

‘One of, if not the best romance-comedy movie of all time,’ viewer John recently posted on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Hands-down one of my all-time favourite movies. It’s the perfect blend of wit, charm, and heart, all wrapped up in a late ‘90s high school setting that still holds up today,’ Hannah wrote.

‘The writing is refreshingly sharp for a teen comedy, offering a modern twist on Shakespeare. It’s not just the clever dialogue – it’s the strong cast and killer soundtrack that really make it stand out,’ Julian added.

In 2012 it was announced that a standalone sequel to the film, titled 10 Things I Hate About Life, was in development – with director Gil Junger set to return.

Evan Rachel Wood and Thomas McDonell were cast in the lead roles, and although filming began on the project, it was eventually halted and the movie was shelved indefinitely.

More than a decade later, in May last year, it was announced another sequel was in development – this time called 10 Things I Hate About Dating.

That film will again see Junger serve as director, while this project will be based on Jean-Baptiste ‘Molière’ Poquelin’s The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover.

When the movie was announced, Junger said he would love to see the cast from the original movie reprise their roles, either with cameos or as supporting cast members.

‘I would love to work with Julia again. She shaped the lives of millions of women. That Kat character really spoke to young women in a very powerful way,’ he told People.

‘If it resonates with [the original cast] and I can have some cameos or even real parts, I’d love [that],’ he added.

The movie is set to be the first in a trilogy of sequels, with the additional projects tentatively titled: 10 Things I Hate About Marriage, and 10 Things I Hate About Kids.

Following Ledger’s death in 2008, Junger also said the new film will also pay tribute to him.

‘I think that’s a beautiful idea, and the answer is now going to be yes…he deserves to be loved.’

10 Things I Hate About You is now streaming on Channel 4.

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