Much Ado About Nothing modern-day studios of Wessex Tonight, a fictional regional news programme, as part of the "ShakespeaRe-Told" season, with Damian Lewis, Sarah Parish, and Billie Piper. The first cinematic version in English may have been the 1913 silent film directed by Phillips Smalley. Martin Hellberg's 1964 East German film Viel Lärm um nichts was based on the Shakespeare play. In 1973 a Soviet film adaptation was directed by Samson Samsonov which starred Galina Jovovich and Konstantin Raikin. The first sound version in English released to cinemas was the highly acclaimed 1993 film by Kenneth Branagh. It starred Branagh as Benedick, Branagh's then-wife
Much Ado About Nothing (1993 film) of the humor, the performances, and Branagh's lively direction, of which he wrote, "This film cements Branagh's status as a great director of Shakespeare, and perhaps of film in general, as well." Conversely, Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" wrote the film a negative review, praising some moments as "invigorating fun", but ultimately calling it "overripe." Most of the negative criticisms focused on particular casting choices, notably Keanu Reeves as Don John, and Michael Keaton as Dogberry. For his performance in the film, Reeves was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor, where he lost to Woody Harrelson