This year, many acclaimed books are being adapted for film and television, bringing its characters to life and recreating its captivating stories for a widespread audience on the big screen. Books from nearly every genre, including comics, thrillers, romance, fiction, and nonfiction are being transformed into scripts for the big and silver screens. We’ve rounded up 10 of the most anticipated book-to-big-screen adaptations we are looking forward to in 2019 and 2020. Before these projects are released, pick up one of these books and read the stories before you see it on screen.
1. The Aftermath | Rhidian Brook
Fox Searchlight’s adaptation of Rhidian Brook’s 2013 story focuses on love and betrayal. From director James Kent, the film centers around Rachael Morgan (Keira Knightley), who relocates to Hamberg, Germany, from England with her husband to help rebuild the city that the British military destroyed. During the couple’s tenure in the city, they allow a widower named Stefan (Alexander Skarsgård) and his daughter to stay with them. Stefan and Rachael begin a love affair, with conflicting allegiances and home countries threatening to pull them apart. Ridley Scott executive produced the film. The Aftermath will be in theaters on March 15.
2. The Goldfinch | Donna Tartt
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel focuses on orphan Theo Decker, who steals a famous painting during a bombing at a museum after he’s thrust into this new underground world of art. As an adult, Theo navigates his job at an antiques store, alienated from the one he loves, and finds himself in the midst of a dangerous circle. The tale of survival and reinvention stars Sarah Paulson, Nicole Kidman, Ansel Elgort, and Luke Wilson. The Goldfinch will hit theaters on October 11.
3. The Umbrella Academy | Gerard Way
In the comic series “The Umbrella Academy,” 43 babies were born on the same day to women who were not pregnant the day before. A millionaire adopts seven of the babies and creates an academy for his kids to save the day. The dysfunctional family of superheroes teams up to solve their father’s mysterious death and the impending apocalypse. The Netflix Original series stars Ellen Page, Mary J. Blige, Cameron Britton, Tom Hopper, David Castañeda, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Robert Sheehan, Aidan Gallagher, Colm Feore, Adam Godley, John Magaro, Ashley Madekwe, and Kate Walsh. The series debuted on Netflix on February 15.
4. The Knife of Letting Go | Patrick Ness
The first book in Patrick Ness’ “Chaos Walking” trilogy, “The Knife of Never Letting Go” focuses on 12-year-old Todd Hewitt, the only boy in a town full of men in which everyone can hear each other’s thoughts. He flees the town with his dog, but not before he realizes something is not right. He then meets a girl, who somehow managed to survive whatever wiped out the female population. The film adaptation, titled Chaos Walking, stars Tom Holland as Todd Hewitt. Todd meets Viola Eade (Daisy Ridley), whose presence may be the key to unearthing the New World’s secrets. The film also stars Mads Mikkelsen, Demián Bichir, Kurt Sutter, David Oyelowo, and Nick Jonas. Directed by Doug Liman, the film’s screenwriters include Charlie Kaufman, Gary Spinelli, Lindsey Beer, John Lee Hancock, and Ness. The big-budget adaptation is slated for a release in 2020.
5. Hellboy | Mike Mignola
The long-running comic book series returns to the big screen with a new film adaptation starring David Harbour as the red demon. Each issue of the original comic series is typically focused around a series of one-shot stories or miniseries that either advance the ongoing plot or offer standalone stories. This new, darker version of Hellboy’s origin story will pull from the original series with more horror and mythological elements than previous filmed iterations. Hellboy will hit theaters on April 12.
6. The Woman in the Window | A.J. Finn
The best-selling thriller became popular for its story focusing on a woman who believes she sees a crime committed in a house across the street through a window. The film stars Amy Adams as child psychologist Anna Fox, who notices something alarming while spying on her neighbors and then begins a crusade into crime and darkness as she discovers the truth. Julianne Moore and Gary Oldman also star in the film adaptation. The Woman in the Window will be released in theaters on October 4.
7. It | Stephen King
The successful 2017 film adaptation from Stephen King’s novel IT was only adapted from half of the book. The sequel film, IT: Chapter Two, follows the childhood friends returning to Derry, Maine, as adults to confront the supernatural killer Pennywise the Clown. Pennywise is back to terrorize the next generation of kids, and it’s up to this group of friends to battle him once more. Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Chastain, and James McAvoy star in the follow-up. IT: Chapter Two is slated for release on September 6.
8. Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman | Lindy West
The Hulu adaptation of Lindy West’s memoir, “Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman,” stars Saturday Night Live’s Aidy Bryant. West’s personal essay collection focuses on fat-shaming, body acceptance, and working in journalism in New York City. The limited series tackles the subject matter from the best-selling book in six episodes. Lorne Michaels and Elizabeth Banks optioned the book rights and serve as producers on the series. Shrill is available to stream on Hulu beginning on March 15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVA7lfEGKkQ
9. Five Feet Apart | Rachael Lippincott, with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis
This recently published YA romantic drama focuses on love interests Stella and Will, who meet—and subsequently fall in love—while both battling cystic fibrosis and getting treatment in the same hospital. While Stella and Will find comfort in each other’s presence, they must stay at least five feet apart to avoid possible infections that could keep Stella from receiving a lung transplant. The CBS Films adaptation stars Haley Lu Richardson as Stella and Cole Sprouse as Will, and will be directed by Jane The Virgin’s Justin Baldoni. Five Feet Apart is slated for a March 15 theatrical release.
10. The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the South | Osha Gray Davidson
The upcoming film starring Taraji P. Henson is based on the 1996 book “The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the South.” It centers around civil rights activist Ann Atwater (Henson), her unlikely friendship with local KKK leader C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell), and their battle over school desegregation in North Carolina. While at first the two have different perspectives, they soon bond upon realizing the depths of the South’s power dynamics. Babou Ceesay, Anne Heche, Wes Bentley, Bruce McGill, John Gallagher Jr., and Nick Searcy also star in the drama, written and directed by Robin Bissell. The Best of Enemies is slated for a theatrical release on April 5.
This article was originally published in the Pop Insider’s Winter 2019 Issue No. 2, click here to read more!
