Hawking is a biographical drama that tells the story of renowned physicist and cosmologist Professor Stephen Hawking, from his early years as a student at the University of Cambridge in the early 1960s, through his groundbreaking work in the field of theoretical physics, to his struggles with the debilitating motor neuron disease that would ultimately lead to his death in 2018.
The film opens in 1963, as a young Hawking celebrates his 21st birthday with friends and colleagues at the University of Cambridge. It is here that he meets Jane Wilde, a fellow student who is immediately drawn to his brilliant mind and charismatic personality. However, their budding romance is threatened when Hawking is suddenly diagnosed with motor neuron disease, a degenerative illness that gradually robs him of his ability to speak, move, and even breathe.
As the years pass, Hawking becomes increasingly dependent on the support of his wife and colleagues, including his mentor and close friend Roger Penrose, as he struggles to make sense of the complex theories and mathematical equations that define his work. Along the way, he earns worldwide acclaim for his groundbreaking research on black holes, the origins of the universe, and the nature of time itself, while also becoming a popular figure in popular culture thanks to his wit, charm, and indomitable spirit.
Despite facing overwhelming odds, Hawking remains fiercely committed to his work, his family, and his belief in the power of the human mind to unlock the secrets of the universe. In the end, his life serves as an inspiration to all who knew him, and to future generations of scientists and thinkers who will carry on his legacy.