Books have been adapted into films and television series for years. A few of your favorites may be based on books and you don’t even know it. What makes book-to-screen adaptations so anticipated and marketable is the audience of readers eager to see how their perceived version of the book aligns with the screen version. Your mind creates ways that characters look and act while reading, so of course you’d be excited to see if your imagination reflects reality.
We are three months into 2024 and already there are released projects surrounding books. One Day by David Nicholls was originally turned into a film starring Anne Hawathay in 2011 and is now a hugely popular limited series under the same title, streaming on Netflix. The limited series reignited excitement from fans of the book and original adaptation while reaching new audiences through the streaming platform.
Book-inspired films become increasingly popular when recognizable names and rising stars are attached to the projects. A book series that brings its massive fanbase into the theaters is Dune, written by Frank Herbert. Dune: Part Two is in theaters now and covers the second half of Herbert’s novel where the first Dune installment left off. Dune: Part Two stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh. (The latest Dune films are also a remake of the original 1984 screen adaptation).
With the rest of this year ahead of us, there are many new movie and television series adaptations to be launched. Here are some projects to look out for in 2024:
- Ripley
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No, not the 1999 movie starring Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Matt Damon. A new reimagined series based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley, is to be released on Netflix on April 4, 2024. Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers) stars as Tom Ripley, a con artist whose plans turn dark when hired by a wealthy family for a job in Europe.
- It Ends With Us
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Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us is expected to theatrically release on June 21, 2024. The film stars Blake Lively as Lily, a young woman caught in an unexpected love triangle amidst a new phase in her life. Lily is forced to confront past traumas while her romantic interests are at play.
- We Were the lucky ones
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Joey King and Logan Lerman (Bullet Train co-stars) reunite for this Hulu mini-series beginning March 28, 2024. Based on Georgia Hunter’s New York Times bestseller, it tells the story of the Kurcs, a Polish family separated during World War II, and their determination to reunite.
- the amateur
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Based on the espionage thriller by Robert Littell, The Amateur stars Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) and Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Malek plays a CIA cryptographer with no pull at the intelligence agency, when his wife is murdered in London and the CIA decides not to pursue her killers. Malek’s character takes matters into his own hands to avenge his wife’s death. Expect this release on Nov. 8, 2024.
- the watchers
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Based on the gothic horror book by A.M. Shine, The Watchers follows Dakota Fanning as Mina, a young artist who finds herself trapped in an unfamiliar forest with strangers. Creatures lurk outside the bunker where they find shelter, and dangers await those who stray into the forest. The film is expected to release on June 14, 2024.
- uglies
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Adapted from Scott Westerfeld’s bestselling novel, Uglies portrays an alternative world where surgical procedures are administered to remove physical differences and make everyone attractive. Joey King as Tally weighs her options for the procedure as her best friend goes missing. The film is expected to release on Netflix later this year.
- 3 body problem
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Liu Cixen’s sci-fi novel adaptation is dropping on Netflix on March 21, 2024. The story follows a secret military operation that tries to contact aliens in space during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. With an impending alien invasion on Earth, there’s a split between those who welcome the aliens’ arrival and those who fight back.
That’s just a few of the book to big-screen adaptations to get excited for in 2024; which one are you most looking forward to?