The book's contributors use the latest thinking from cultural studies, communications, and comparative media, in dialogue with literary, theatrical, and filmic approaches, in order to push the field forward. They consider Shakespeare on screen not only as a set of finished products but also as a process. For this reason, the volume is organized around topics such as authorship and collaboration, theatricality, sex and violence, globalization, and history.

The Concise Companion offers readers a variety of accessible routes into Shakespeare on screen and supports further study of the subject through the inclusion of a bibliography, a chronological chart, and a thorough index. At the same time, it serves as a focal point for exploring fundamental issues in the study of literature and culture more broadly, such as the relationships between elite and popular culture, art and the marketplace, text, image, and performance.