Upcoming Book-To-Screen Adaptations: What To Read Before The Movie Or TV Show

Do you love reading the book before the movie or TV show? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Maybe this is the year you make the resolution to read more books attached to theatrical and streaming releases. And, there’s plenty of page-turners getting adaptations soon among upcoming 2026 movies and the 2026 TV schedule!

From a new adaptation of Cape Fear to Greta Gerwig’s Narnia movie, there are a lot of great adaptations to get to first in your TBR. Browse this bookshelf, and pick up the titles that make you want to say ‘I read that book’ before they become a major movie or TV show.

Bridgerton - An Offer from a Gentleman (Julia Quinn)

It’s tradition for each Bridgerton season to focus on a new book from Julia Quinn’s series, and Season 4 is based on Benedict Bridgerton’s love story An Offer From A Gentleman. The book has been likened to a Cinderella story, as it introduces the daughter of an earl, Sophie Beckett, who has become a servant at the hands of her mean stepmother. During Lady Bridgerton’s famed masquerade ball, Sophie and Benedict get the chance to meet, and she sweeps the Bridgerton man off his feet. After Part 1 left us in a disappointing place regarding Benedict and Sophie, we’re excited to see the second half of the season.

Vladimir (Julia May Jonas)

Julia May Jonas’s 2023 debut novel is about a pair of professors working at a small liberal arts college whose open marriage get more complicated when the titular character starts getting investigated for inappropriate relationships with former students and our narrator (his wife) becomes obsessed with a young and celebrated novelist when he steps comes to the campus. The series stars Rachel Weisz, Leo Woodall, Jessica Henwick, and John Slattery and was created by the author of the novel herself. When the series’ first poster came out, the internet declared it the “horniest poster” ever.

Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone (Diana Galbaldon)

The end of Outlander is near with the final season of the main series that started back in 2014 coming to a close this spring. It’s primarily based on Diana Galbaldon’s ninth novel from the Outlander novel series, Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone, where Jamie and Claire continue their lives in North Carolina in 1779, amidst the American Revolution.

While reading this novel will certainly cover Season 8, it should also be noted that the final season of Outlander will also feature an adaptation of Gabaldon’s tenth and last book for the series, called A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out, which reportedly comes out sometime this year. You can check out the Outlander final season trailer ahead of the upcoming premiere.

Postmortem: A Mystery Introducing Dr. Kay Scarpetta (Patricia Co

Patricia Cornwell’s best-selling Scarpetta crime novels, which started in the 1990s and remain ongoing, is getting a TV series starring Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana DeBose, Bobby Cannavale and Simon Baker. The novel series (which has had 29 entries) centers on a chief medical examiner residing in Virginia named Kay Scarpetta who solves crimes with advanced forensic technology.

Reminders Of Him (Colleen Hoover)

The era of Colleen Hoover adaptations will continue this year with Reminders Of Him, after It Ends With Us and Regretting You came out over the past two years. In the novel, Kenna has just served five years in prison when she returns home to reconnect with her four-year-old daughter, which proves to open old wounds in her community. Amidst Kenna trying to regain trust with her community, a romance grows in a risky direction. Scream queen Maika Monroe stars along with Him’s Tyriq Withers and Gilmore Girls’ Lauren Graham.

Imperfect Women (Araminta Hall)

Imperfect Women is a mystery novel that gets its start when one member of a trio of longtime friends, Nancy Hesnnessy, who is a wealthy wife and mother, is murdered. Following her death, her besties Eleanor and Mary stumble upon secrets about Nancy and her untimely demise. Kate Mara plays Nancy, while Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington play her grieving friends.

Project Hail Mary (Andy Weir)

One popular science fiction bestseller in recent years has been Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, which is now getting a movie adaptation. The book comes from the same author who previously wrote The Martian, which was adapted into a blockbuster by Ridley Scott and starred Matt Damon. Project Hail Mary is the journey of a school teacher who becomes an astronaut, with the story picking up as he comes out of a coma while in space. The movie version will star Ryan Gosling as the protagonist, with Phil Lord and Chris Miller of the Spider-Verse movies serving as directors.

The Testaments (Margaret Atwood)

Following Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale inspiring a hit six-season Hulu series, the author’s sequel The Testaments is getting adapted, too. The Testaments takes place in the same dystopian world over 15 years later with a new story told through three female narrators. It comes from the same creator of The Handmaid’s Tale and stars One Battle After Another’s Chase Infiniti, Ann Dowd and Rowan Blanchard.

Margo's Got Money Troubles (Rufi Thorpe)

Along with Elle Fanning starring in Sunrise on the Reaping later this year, she’s also starring in a much different book adaptation. The actress fronts the Apple TV miniseries, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, from Rufi Thorpe. The best-selling novel is about a young woman who becomes pregnant via her college English teacher and turns to OnlyFans to support herself. Fanning is joined by Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman, who play her parents, along with Nicole Kidman, Greg Kinnear, Marcia Gay Harden and Rico Nasty being in the cast.

Animal Farm (George Orwell)

For some time, we’ve been waiting for Andy Serkis’s take on Animal Farm and the new animated film finally has a theatrical release date for May. It boasts a big-name cast including Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Laverne Cox, Jim Parsons, Glenn Close and Kieran Culkin. The movie, which previously had Netflix rights before the streamer dropped it, has been in development since 2011. The classic 1945 novel is an allegorical dystopian tale about farm animals who start to rebel against their human master.

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns (Lauren Weisberger)

We’ve been excited for the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, but did you know there’s a book that could give away clues for where the movie is going? While we don’t necessarily expect the book and movie to be similar in this case, there are definitely some jumping off points in Lauren Weisberger’s Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns that the film could take note from. In the novel, we pick up with Andy Sachs years after her decision to quit her job at Runway. As she rises to success with her own bridal magazine with Emily, she ends up entangled in the life of Miranda Priestly once again.

Remarkably Bright Creatures (Shelby Van Pelt)

Ever since Remarkably Bright Creatures reached bookshelves in 2022, it has been consistently one of the most popular books. The novel from Shelby Van Pelt follows the friendship between a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus and a 70-year-old widow who cleans the aquarium he lives in at night named Tova Sullivan. The movie from Netflix has cast Sally Field as Tova along with Lewis Pullman and Kathy Baker. We’re happy to see this on the 2026 Netflix release calendar.

Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story (Leonie Swann)

Leonie Swann’s novel, Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story was published in 2005. The detective story about a flock of anthropomorphic Irish sheep out to solve the murder of their shepherd became an international bestseller after originally being written in German. Amazon is set to release a movie version starring Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Hong Chau, Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall and Patrick Stewart.

Is God Is (Aleshea Harris)

If you’re looking to get into a play-turned-movie, look no further than Aleshea Harris’s “Is God Is,” which has twin sisters pursuing a revenge plot on their abusive father (who gave each of them burn scars) after their bedridden mother asks them to. The movie, which will be directed by its playwright, has a star-studded cast including Sterling K. Brown, Vivica A. Fox and Janelle Monáe.

Cape Fear (John MacDonald)

John D. MacDonald’s famed 1957 thriller has been the subject of two movies in the past – in 1962 with Gregory Peck and in 1991 with Robert De Niro. Now, the story is being adapted into a limited series with Javier Bardem, Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson. It’s about a freshly out of prison convicted rapist who seeks revenge on the public defenders who hid evidence that could have potentially helped his case. Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese are producers on the new adaptation.

Girls Like Girls (Hayley Kiyoko)

Hayley Kiyoko is a pop singer known by her fans as “Lesbian Jesus.” In 2023, she published her debut novel, Girls Like Girls, inspired by her breakout hit of the same name. The book is a coming-of-age romance among upcoming LGBTQ+ movies about a 17-year-old girl named Coley, who’s just moved to rural Oregon shortly after losing her mom. When she meets Sonya, both of them learn a lot about themselves and self acceptance as their mutual attraction heats up. Kiyoko co-wrote the screenplay and helmed the movie as well.

Lucky (Marissa Stapley)

Lucky is about a con artist named Lucky Armstrong who finds herself in trouble after pulling off a heist. When she finds out she owns a lottery ticket that is worth millions, she has to decide what to do while on the run at the same time. The series stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant and Drew Starkey.

The Odyssey (Homer)

After Christopher Nolan’s last film, Oppenheimer, became a box office success and the 2024 Best Picture winner, his next movie is reportedly adapting Homer’s The Odyssey next with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron. The source material is one of two Ancient Greek epic poems from Homer (the other is The Iliad) that follows the king of Ithaca and Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the Trojan war.

The Dog Stars (Peter Heller)

Ridley Scott’s next movie (and book adaptation) is a movie version of Peter Heller’s 2012 dystopian book, The Dog Stars. In the book, a man named Hig has survived a deadly pandemic that has killed off everyone he knows, and resides in a small abandoned airport with his dog and a man named Bangley. The movie will star Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Guy Pearce and Benedict Wong.

Sense & Sensibility (Jane Austen)

Jane Austen’s first published novel, Sense and Sensibility is getting another movie adaptation this fall with Daisy Edgar-Jones, Caitriona Balfe, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw. The classic is about the Dashwood sisters, Elinor (who signifies sense) and Marianne (who signifies sensibility) as they deal with being young women in Regency-era England. Emma Thompson was previously in a 1995 movie version.

The Book of Magic (Alice Hoffman)

Following Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman starring in Practical Magic in 1998 to adapt Alice Hoffman’s beloved novel about witches, the pair of movie stars have reunited for the sequel that is said to be based on the 2021 sequel, The Book Of Magic. Three generations of Owens women come together to break their family’s curse that has plagued their ability to love for generations. The movie’s cast also features Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Joey King, Xoli Maridueña, Maisie Williams and Lee Pace, and wrapped filming in September.

Verity (Colleen Hoover)

Another one of Colleen Hoover’s top sellers on the way to becoming a movie is Verity. The movie will star Anne Hathaway, Josh Hartnett, Dakota Johnson and Ismael Cruz Córdova. The title is the name of the character, Verity Crawford, who is a bestselling author herself who has been having trouble finishing her book series. Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer with financial issues who strikes gold when she’s hired by Verity’s husband to help complete the remaining books. While attempting to work on it, Lowen finds a manuscript for Verity’s autobiography that brings to attention a terrifying secret she’s hiding.

Incidents Around The House (Josh Malerman)

Josh Malerman’s horror novel, Incidents Around The House has only been around since summer 2024, but the author of Bird Box has already caught the eye of Hollywood for a Universal/Atomic Monster movie called Other Mommy. In the story, an eight-year-old girl becomes haunted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy.” The cast is set to include Jessica Chastain, Dichen Lachman, Jay Duplass and Karen Allen, and director Rob Savage, who has done recent movies like Host and The Boogeyman. Sounds like a perfect movie for Halloween!

Whalefall (Daniel Kraus)

After Daniel Kraus’s novel Whalefall was named one of the best books of 2023 by many critics, it’s becoming a movie with Austin Abrams, Josh Brolin and Elisabeth Shue. A man named Gardiner travels to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California to find his father’s remains… in the ocean, and is exposed to all sorts of dangers underwater in the thrilling process.

Wildwood (Colin Meloy)

Stop-motion studio Laika, which has previously adapted Coraline, is putting their own take on the fantasy middle grade novel, Wildwood. The book has friends Prue and Curtis uncovering a hidden magical forest and becoming intertwined with its world. The movie features the voice talents of Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, and Jake Johnson and is helmed by ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings filmmaker Travis Knight.

The Cat In The Hat (Dr. Seuss)

Who can forget Dr. Seuss’ beloved 1957 children’s book, The Cat In The Hat, where the titular cat in the hat pays a girl and her brother a visit on a rainy day when her mother is away to entertain them as his friends Thing One and Thing Two wreck the house. It was previously adapted for live action in 2003, but the latest version will be an animated movie starring Bill Hader as the cat along with Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang and Xochitl Gomez also among the voice cast. Ahead of the The Cat in the Hat release date, the first trailer may have just won us over on the reboot.

A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens)

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a very famous holiday novel that has had many iterations over the years, with movies like 1992’s The Muppets Christmas Carol, and the Jim Carrey-led motion-capture version from 2009. This tradition is continuing this holiday season with a movie from horror director Ti West. It will star Johnny Depp as Ebenezer Scrooge, with Rupert Grint, Daisy Ridley, and Sam Claflin also in the cast.

Way of the Warrior Kid (Jocko Willink)

In 2017, United States Navy SEAL Jocko Willink wrote a children’s novel called Way of the Warrior Kid. It’s about a fifth-grader named Marc whose life turns around when his Uncle Jake, a Navy SEAL, comes to stay for the summer and makes a plan to turn his nephew into a “warrior.” The movie stars Chris Pratt as Uncle Jake and is helmed by McG, best known for the 2000s Charlie’s Angels movies.

Sunrise On The Reaping (Suzanne Collins)

After the success of the first Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, both as a novel in 2020 and movie in 2023, Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate are diving back into Panem to tell another story from the dystopia. As announced over the summer, a novel called Sunrise on the Reaping will tell the backstory of Haymitch Abernathy’s Hunger Games. The book was just released on March 18, 2025, less than two years before the movie’s planned release date. The cast that has been announced for the production is already making fans’ dreams come true.

The Magician’s Nephew (C.S. Lewis)

After Greta Gerwig brought back Barbie in a big way with 2023’s smash hit, her next passion project is adapting the Narnia books for Netflix. She’s reportedly starting with a novel from C.S. Lewis’s series that has never become a movie before, The Magician’s Nephew. While the 1955 book is technically the sixth Narnia book that was published, it’s often thought of as the first in the series due to the timeline it's set in, and how it explains the origins of many of the world’s characters and elements. Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan and Emma Mackey lead the movie’s cast.

Dune Messiah (Frank Herbert)

After Denis Villeneuve adapted the first Dune book across two films, the filmmaker is getting ready to continue the saga with book 2, Dune Messiah. The sci-fi sequel book continues the story of Paul Atreides 12 years after his rise to power. He’s emperor, but the weight of the war he has caused begins to weigh on him.Dune is coming out the same day as Avengers: Doomsday, making for a big weekend at the movies.

The Children of Blood and Bone (Tomi Adeyemi)

In January 2025, it was announced that Paramount is adapting Tomi Adeyemi’s beloved YA novel, The Children of Blood and Bone, and the cast is stacked. Viola Davis, Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Chiwetel Ejifor and Amandla Stenberg are among the stars in the fantasy film that blends West African mythology and the Yoruba culture with fantastical elements inspired by the likes of Harry Potter. The director of The Old Guard and The Woman King, Gina Prince-Bythewood is set to write and direct the adaptation.

Remain (Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shymalan)

In an unlikely pairing, thriller filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan and romance author Nicholas Sparks, have collaborated on a novel/movie called Remain. The book sees a New York architect, Tate, venturing to Cape Cod to get a fresh start in life after being in a psychiatric facility for acute depression following the loss of his sister. She had a revelation to Tate on her deathbed: the ability to see spirits still tethered to the living world runs in their family. When Tate strikes up a connection with a woman named Wren in his new dwelling, he’s challenged to face his family secret.

The Nightingale (Kristen Hannah)

We’ve been hearing for years about the Fanning sisters wanting to collaborate on the book adaptation for Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, with THR originally announcing the project in 2019. It was finally made official with a release per a Deadline report in July 2025, with filming starting in late March.The story of the novel is about sisters who are separated in France during World War II and have their own epic journeys to survive.

The Lunar Chronicles (Marissa Meyer)

Marissa Meyer’s bestselling YA fantasy series The Lunar Chronicles is getting an exciting animated adaptation from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Locksmith Animation, per Deadline. Each one of The Lunar Chronicles are science fiction twists of classic fairytales for Cinderella in Cinder, Little Red Riding Hood for Scarlet, Rapunzel for Cress and Snow White for Fairest. There are not enough book adaptations that get the animation treatment, so we’re especially hyped for this one.

Upcoming Book Adaptations Without A Release Date

• Book Lovers movie (by Emily Henry)
• The Chain TV show (by Adrian McKinty)
• A Court Of Thorns And Roses TV show (by Sarah J. Mass)
• Dark Matter Season 2 (by Blake Crouch)
• The Dark Tower TV show (by Stephen King)
• Fairy Tale TV show (by Stephen King)
• Fourth Wing TV show (by Rebecca Yarros)
• Funny Story movie (by Emily Henry)
• Harry Potter TV show (by J.K. Rowling)
• Little House on the Prairie TV show (Laura Ingalis Wilder)
• The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo movie (by Taylor Jenkins Reid)
• The Love Hypothesis movie (by Ali Hazelwood)
• Recursion movie and TV series (by Blake Crouch)

Anyone else ready to head to the library and the bookstore to get caught up on these? There are so many upcoming book-to-screen adaptations on the way, and following along with what's next via your reading list is a great way to enjoy these movies and TV shows even more!