Read These Books Before Pressing Play on the Upcoming Adaptation
It’s not time to press play just yet.
Among the many movies and shows set to debut in the coming months, a whole lot of them are ripped from the page—of beloved novels, that is. So, it’s the perfect time to get reading for a tease of what you’ll see on the big (or small) screen.
After all, come July, fans will return to Cousins Beach one last time with the third and final season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on Jenny Han’s novel We’ll Always Have Summer, set to premiere in July. As for whether Belly (Lola Tung) will finally choose between brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and (Gavin Casalegno), the answer may not be as clear as it is in the novel.
"There are surprises,” Han recently told Entertainment Weekly. “And there are things that aren't exactly like the books."
Another YA favorite making its way to TV this summer? We Were Liars, which will debut on Prime Video in June. Brought to life by The Vampire Diaries’ Julie Plec, the series—based on E. Lockhart’s book—follows teen Cadence Sinclair as she returns to her family’s private island two years after an accident left her with amnesia.
As the memories begin to flood back, the twist and turns take over from there.
And there are plenty more twists and turns to come. BookTok phenomenon The Housemaid by Freida McFadden will soon come to life with Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar.
“I went to places I never thought I’d go to," Seyfried revealed at CinemaCon in April. "The surprises in my own experience in playing this character were life-affirming and career affirming. We reached places I never could go as an actor. We played some wacky s--t. And weren’t expecting to.”
Meanwhile, three of Colleen Hoover’s books are set to become movies over the next year, with Regretting You hitting theaters in October followed by Reminders of Him and Verity.
And that's just a little taste of the adaptations to come. For more books to add to the TBR list before their Hollywood adaptions, keep reading…
Based On: E. Lockhart’s 2014 YA novel
Starring: Emily Alyn Lind, Subham Maheshwari, Esther McGregor, Joseph Zada, Mamie Gummer, Candice King, Caitlin FitzGerald and Rahul Kohli
Premieres: June 18 on Prime Video
Why We’re Excited: This YA thriller dominated social media long before BookTok dictated TBR lists. And with good reason as it centers on wealthy teen Cadence Sinclair, who returns to her family’s private island two years after an accident left her with amnesia. Once she’s on the island, memories of the summer where her life changed forever start to come back—and the twists don’t end there. And with Family of Liars also getting the adaptation treatment, our time with the Sinclair family is only getting started.
Based On:Jenny Han's 2011 book We’ll Always Have Summer
Starring: Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, Gavin Casalegno, Sean Kaufman, and Rain SpencerPremieres: July 16 on Prime Video
Why We’re Excited: After spending Summer 2024 away from Cousins, viewers are clamoring for another trip to check in on the ever-evolving love triangle between Belly Conklin and brothers Conrad and Jeremiah Fisher. While Team Jeremiah is currently feeling the love, the 11-episode third installment may just reveal which Fisher brother is Belly’s end game.
Based On: The 1973 book of the same name by Lois Duncan
Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt,Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers, Jonah Hauer-King, Lola Tung, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Austin Nichols and Gabbriette
Premieres: In theaters July 18
Why We’re Excited: The fourth installment of the beloved horror franchise will be thefirst to feature OG cast members in more than two decades. The new film, a follow-up to the 1998 sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, follows a new set of teens terrorized over an incident in their past. Though, with Prinze and Hewett reprising their roles as perennial survivors Ray Bronson and Julie James this next generation has a better shot at making it out alive. Suffice to say, we know what we’re doing this summer.
Based on: Julia Whelan’s 2018 bookStarring: Sofia Carson, Corey Mylchreest, Dougray Scott, Catherine McCormack, Harry Trevaldwyn, Esmé Kingdom, Nikhil Parmar and Poppy Gilbert.Premieres: On Netflix Aug. 1 Why We’re Excited: Who doesn’t love a sweeping love story set at one of Britain’s most prolific institutions? In this case, it’s Carson’s Anna, an American who arrives at Oxford to fulfill a lifelong dream only to quickly meet local Jamie (Mylchreest), with whom she embarks on a life-changing romance.
Based On: Richard Osman's 2020 novel
Starring: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Naomi Ackie and Jonathan Pryce
Premieres: August 28 on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: The books themselves, following four retirees who have an eye for solving crimes, are simply delightful. Add this cast into the mix and we’re in for a cozy mystery for the ages.
Based On: London Rules, book five of Mick Herron’s Slow Horses series
Starring: Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden and Kristin Scott Thomas
Premieres: TBD Fall 2025 on Apple TV+
Why We’re Excited: Once again, Jackson Lamb and his ragtag crew of MI-5 misfits out of Slough House are on the case as they’re assigned to protect the prime minister from a series of threats while juggling a threat to one of the team. But as this is the Slow Horses we’re talking about, prepare for many blunders, Lamb to consume a series of disgusting snacks and hopefully few casualties.
Based On: Colleen Hoover’s 2019 Book Starring: Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave Franco, Mason Thames, Willa Fitzgerald, Scott Eastwood and Clancy Brown.Premieres: In theaters Oct. 24Why We’re Excited: Hoover has already taken BookTok by storm and now her work is continuing to make a splash on the screen. The romantic drama follows Morgan and Clara, whose already-fraught dynamic is put to the test after a shocking event leaves them picking up the pieces of their broken family.
Based On: Stephen King’s 1982 novel (writing as Richard Bachman)
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Lee Pace, Katy O'Brian, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra and William H. Macy
Premieres: In theaters Nov. 21
Why We’re Excited: Let the season of Glen Powell continue. The Hit Man star takes on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role in the remake, which follows a man’s quest to survive a game show that sees people chased around the world by murderous “Hunters” for money. Making this all the more sinister? The film, like its release date, is set in a rapidly approaching 2025. We’re absolutely on board for this one—although a bit terrified, tbh.
Based On: The Broadway play of the same name and Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory MaguireStarring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Bowen Yang, and Keala SettlePremieres: Nov. 21Why We’re Excited: Look no further than the cast list, for starters. Add in that it’s the iconic Broadway musical—based, of course, off the Wizard Of Oz prequel tome—was split into two rousing parts and we are booked and busy for the next two Thanksgiving weekends.
Based On: Ruth Ware’s 2016 novel of the same name
Starring: Keira Knightley, Guy Pierce, Hannah Waddingham, Daniel Ings, Kaya Scodelario, David Adala and Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Premieres: TBD 2025 on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: Being trapped on a cruise is already a nightmare for many but imagine witnessing someone get tossed overboard—only to not be taken seriously when trying to raise the alarm. That and a whole lot of danger is what Knightley is facing in the Netflix adaptation of one of Ware’s earlier thrillers.
Based On: Mary Shelley’s iconic 1818 gothic horror
Starring: Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Christoph Waltz
Premieres: November 2025 on Netflix
Why we’re excited: Knowing Isaac is starring as Victor Frankenstein and Elordi will play the monster himself is enough to have us seated already. Still, while there have been countless works based on the iconic novel, Guillermo Del Toro—whose vision will come to life at Netflix after nearly two decades—has proven time and time again that when it comes to gothic horror, nobody does it better.
Based on: Maggie O’Farrell 2020 NovelStarring: Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Joe Alwyn and Emily Watson.Premieres: In theaters December 12 Why We’re Excited: A fictional account of the tragic death of William Shakespeare’s 11-year-old son in the mid-16th century, this book flew off shelves with good reason: it’s utterly engrossing. And with an all-star cast being directed by bold name Chloé Zhao—who co-wrote with O’Farrell—this film will be a devastating can’t miss.
Based On: Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar and Michele Marrone
Premieres: December 25
Why We’re Excited: The cast alone is enough to have us seated for the adaptation, which follows a maid to a wealthy family with some very sinister secrets bubbling under the surface. But Paul Feig, who is no stranger to a twisty story with A Simple Favor—and its sequel—is at the helm so it’s safe to say we’re in for quite a ride.
Based On: Hoover’s 2022 novelStarring: Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford, Lainey Wilson and Nicholas Duvernay.Premieres: February 13, 2026Why We’re Excited: After five years, Kenna returns to her hometown looking to reunite with her daughter. Instead, she finds solace in a local bar owner who remains one of the few who is willing to give her another chance. While the next few years see several of the best-selling novelist’s books hitting the screen, she’s a big part of bringing this book to life as she co-wrote the script with Lauren Levine.
Based On: Emily Henry's 2021 novelStarring: Tom Blyth, Emily Bader, Lucian Laviscount, Jameela Jamil, Lukas Gage and Sarah Catherine Hook
Premieres: TBD on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: Henry has already taken women’s literature by storm in recent years, so it was only a matter of time before her novels got the big screen treatment. And after major turns in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and My Lady Jane, respectively, Blyth and Bader have proven they may just be the perfect Alex and Poppy.
Based on: Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel
Release Date: February 13, 2026
Starring: Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie
Why We’re Excited: Cue the Kate Bush classic, we’re heading back to the moors. Filmmaker Emerald Fennell is reteaming with her Saltburn collaborators—Elordi starred and Robbie produced—for a take on Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliffthat we’ve surely never seen before.
Based On: Andy Weir’s 2021 novel of the same name
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller and Milana Vayntrub
Release Date: March 20, 2026
Why We’re Excited: Sure, Gosling’s been to space as the first man, but his latest mission takes him out of this galaxy as he wakes up from a coma as the sole survivor in an expedition to the Tau Ceti solar system—a cool 12 light-years away from Earth. Things only get worse now that he’s solo and must continue his mission to reverse solar dimming and save humanity from extinction. NBD!
Based on: Hoover's 2021 book
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett
Premieres: May 15, 2026
Why We're Excited: For starters, we can look no further than Anne, Dakota and Josh. The book—which follows a struggling writer who is asked to complete a best-selling series after the author's mysterious accident—is already a wild, twisty ride. And with this trio at the center, seeing it brought to life on screen is all the more exciting.
Based On: Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel
Starring: Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jesse Plemons and Ralph Fiennes.Premieres: November 20, 2026
Why We’re Excited: On the same day Collins’ latest trip to Panem was announced, Lionsgate confirmed it would be adapting the much-anticipated story following a young Haymitch Abernathy—Peeta and Katniss’ famously haunted mentor in the 74th Hunger Games—during his winning battle in the 50th Games.
Based On: Julia Quinn's 2001 Bridgerton novel An Offer From A Gentleman
Starring: Luke Thompson, Yerin Ha, Jonathan Bailey, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Katie Leung, Michelle Mao and Isabella Wei.
Release Date: TBD 2026 on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: After three seasons trying to cement a place in his family and discovering himself, fan-favorite Benedict Bridgerton at last finds love in the upcoming installment. And newcomer Ha is joining the Netflix hit’s ever-growing ensemble as his love interest Sophie Baek.
Based on: Rufi Thorpe’s 2024 novelStarring: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman
Premieres: TBD 2026 on Apple TV+Why we’re Excited: Is it really a limited series if it doesn’t have Kidman popping up in it? Thorpe’s book—following the daughter of a former Hooters waitress and a onetime pro-wrestler who turns to OnlyFans after becoming a single mom at 20—is already excellent on its own. But this casting has certainly placed this eight-episode series at the top of the must-watch list.
Based On: Holly Gramazio’s 2024 novelStarring: Juno TemplePremieres: TBD on Apple TV+Why We’re Excited: Prepare to meet more than one hundred husbands. Indeed, the story follows Lauren, who arrives home to be greeted by her husband Michael—only she has never seen him before in her life. A different husband soon takes his place, and she soon learns a seemingly-endless supply of spouses are coming from her attic. As she navigates this complicated romantic journey, key questions emerge, namely, what does she want from life and will she take the reins to get it?
Based On: Patricia Cornwell's mega-popular series of the same name that has 26 books in totalStarring: Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana DeBose, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker and Jake CannavalePremieres: TBD on Amazon Prime VideoWhy We're Excited: If it's based on a book and Kidman stars in it, we will binge the s--t out of it. (See: Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing and the fact that this is her second appearance on this list.) Add in that the Oscar winners will be playing crime-fighting sisters and it's already become our favorite new show of the year.
Based On: Elin Hilderbrand’s 2023 novelStarring: Jennifer GarnerPremieres: TBD on PeacockWhy We’re Excited: Hilderbrand is the queen of Nantucket beach read. Add in a megastar like Garner and its place in our queue is solidified. The Alias alum stars as Hollis, a food blogger whose life is turned update down by tragedy. As part of her healing journey, she resolves to host a “five-star” weekend with her closest pals—only for it to go awry as the cracks in her friendships deepen and game-changing secrets emerge. Yep, we are firmly seated.
Based On: Stephanie Meyer’s 2020 novelStarring: TBDPremieres: TBD on NetflixWhy We’re Excited: While fans had to wait more than a decade for Meyer to release the retelling of Twilight from Edward Cullen’s POV, viewers will soon see an animated version of the story coming to their screens. And it’s safe to say catching a glimpse of an animated killer’s sparkly skin will be must-see TV.
Based On: Marissa Stapley's 2021 bookStarring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Drew Starkey, Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Premieres: TBD on Apple TV+Why We’re Excited: If seeing Anya and Drew leading the cast isn’t enough of a draw—and it should be!—the story itself is pretty thrilling, a young woman returning to the con artist life she was raised in an attempt to secure her future. And with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine producing and a stellar supporting cast, we are already seated.
Based on: Alice Feeney’s 2020 Novel
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Jon Bernthal, Pablo Schreiber, Crystal Fox, Sunita Mani, and Rebecca Rittenhouse
Premieres: TBD on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: A twisty thriller that brings a recluse back to their hometown is always an immediate yes, and in this limited series, it’s Thompson’s Anna whose return following a murder captivates a local detective (new Emmy winner Bernthal) who is also investigating the crime.
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