2019 has some promising series or movies based on books, great news for book lovers and film alike. Of course, while most semi-popular books are getting adapted into movies and TV series nowadays, actually seeing them make it to the screen is another issue (as opposed to lingering in developmental limbo).
Here’s a list of books with movie or TV adaptations that have actual release dates in 2019, have been filmed or have stated that they will affirmatively be released in 2019. Read them now! :)
Also see the list of Books to Movie and TV Adaptations coming in 2020 to find out what’s in store for 2020!
A Dog’s Way Home (IMDB)
Release Date: January 11, 2019
A Dog’s Way Home is by W. Bruce Cameron (he’s also the author of A Dog’s Purpose and A Dog’s Journey). It’s about a dog named Bella that has to find her way home.
Wounds / Visible Filth (IMDB)
Release Date: January 19, 2019
Wounds, a horror flick starring Arnie Hammer and Dakota Johnson, is coming out soon, and is based on the novella Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud.
Visible Filth is a modest 68-page-long novella. It’s a dark and twisted story set in New Orleans about a guy whose life descends into a nightmare after he finds a cell phone.
Update: It sounds like this movie was kind of terrible and isn’t really being distributed anywhere.
Native Son (IMDB)
Release Date: January 24, 2019
Native Son by Richard Wright is a coming of age story about Bigger Thomas, an African American kid in the South Side of Chicago (yay! this was my hood during grad school!), growing up in the 1930’s. It’s available on HBO.
Polar (IMDB)
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Watch It On Netflix
Polar is based on the action noir graphic novel Polar: Came from the Cold by Victor Santos. “The world’s top assassin, Duncan Vizla, aka The Black Kaiser (Mads Mikkelsen), is settling into retirement when his former employer marks him as a liability to the firm.”
The Sunlit Night (IMDB)
Release Date: January 26, 2019
I’ve never heard of this book and it seems to have pretty mediocre reviews, but apparently The Sunlit Night by Rebecca Dinerstein is being adapted into a movie starring and being produced by Jenny Slate.
Update: It was released but doesn’t seem to be distributed anywhere yet.
The ABC Murders (Amazon Prime Series)
Release Date: February 1, 2019
Watch It On Amazon Prime Video
The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie (one of her many Poirot mystery novels) is getting a miniseries adaptation via Amazon Prime Video (30-day trial). John Malkovich stars as Hercule Poirot and Rupert Grint (Ron in Harry Potter) is in the cast, too.
I love Agatha Christie, so I’ll be watching this, though I’m not enthusiastic about the casting or the tone of it. Malkovich is a little dark and intense for Poirot, I think. Poirot has always been more of a good-humored and likeable character, even if overly meticulous and boastful. He’s a good listener with a keen eye for detail, but a sunny disposition and a twinkle in his eye. I’m not sure this series captures the spirit of Poirot, which don’t tend to be dark books.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (IMDB)
Release Date: March 1, 2019
Watch It On Netflix
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is based on a book of the name name by William Kamkwamba. The movie will be available on Netflix and is Chiwetel Ejiofor’s directorial debut. It is the true story of a boy (Kamkwamba) who helps to save his village in Malawi by building a wind turbine after reading about them in a library book.
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix Series) (IMDB)
Release Date: February 15, 2019
Watch It On Netflix
The Umbrella Academy, a new superhero series soon to hit Netflix, is based on a comic book series of the same name by Gerard Way. It’s about a dysfunctional family of superheroes who reunite after their adoptive father dies.
The Aftermath (IMDB)
Release Date: March 15, 2019
The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook is set in post-WWII Germany. Kiera Knightly plays a woman who is newly reunited with her husband after the war, ready to move into a new home. He husband decides to allow the previous owner (Alexander Skarsgård) and his daughter remain in the home, igniting an emotional drama about loyalties and betrayal.
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (IMDB)
Release Date: March 15, 2019
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, a movie adaptation of the second Nancy Drew book, is done filming and due to be released 2019. It stars Sophia Lillis (Sharp Objects) as Nancy Drew.
Five Feet Apart (IMDB)
Release Date: March 22, 2019
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott is a YA romance about a boy and girl who both have cystic fibrosis and fall in love. Due to their weakened immune systems, they must stay five feet apart at all times. The film adaptation stars Cole Sprouse, Haley Lu Richardson, and Claire Forlani.
After (IMDB)
Release Date: April 12, 2019
After by Anna Todd is mostly notable because the author started off her book series on the online platform Wattpad as a One-Direction fanfic and ended up with over 1.5 billion reads. It’s about the nice girl who falls for the bad boy, etc.
It stars Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin (he played the kid version of Tom Riddle and he’s the nephew of Ralph Fiennes).
The Best of Enemies (IMDB)
Release Date: April 5, 2019
The Best of Enemies by Osha Gray Davidson is based on the true story of the unlikely friendship between a KKK leader and a civil rights activist in Durham, North Carolina. The movie adaptation will star Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell.
Pet Sematary (IMDB)
Release Date: April 5, 2019
This has been adapted before, but Stephen King Adaptations are running rampant right now. It’s a good time to be a King fan, and the people behind the movie have said that they are planning to make this adaptation truer to the original book.
Pet Sematary is about a family who moves to a town in Maine where they discover a cemetery just for pets. But the cemetery holds certain secrets, as the family is about to discover…
Pet Sematary on B&N
Breakthrough / The Impossible (IMDB)
Release Date: April 21, 2019
Breakthrough is a faith-based movie that is based on the book The Impossible: The Miraculous Story of a Mother’s Faith and Her Child’s Resurrection by Joyce Smith. It stars Chrissy Metz (from This is Us), Topher Grace and Josh Lucas.
Catch-22 (Hulu Limited Series) (IMDB)
Release Date: May 17, 2019
Watch It On Hulu
The problem with adapting a classic like Catch-22 is that, let’s face it, the show will always be worse. Even if George Clooney and Hugh Laurie are in it. I’m looking forward to the show, but the book will always be OG.
It’ll be a 6-episode series on Hulu (two-week free trial here). And of course there’s no time like the present to crack open Joseph Heller‘s classic World War II satire.
Catch-22 on B&N
A Dog’s Journey (IMDB)
Release Date: May 17, 2019
A Dog’s Purpose is by W. Bruce Cameron, and the adaptation, which was directed by Lasse Hallstrom, came out in 2017. The sequel is called A Dog’s Journey was released in 2019.
The Sun is Also a Star (IMDB)
Release Date: May 17, 2019
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (Everything, Everything) is done filming and will be coming out in 2019. This YA adaptation stars Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton. Natasha is a science geek who is facing possible deportation when she falls in love with Daniel. Get ready for adolescents everywhere to swoon.
Sun is Also a Star on B&N
Good Omens (Amazon Prime Series) (IMDB)
Release Date: May 31, 2019
Watch It On Amazon Prime Video
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and the late Terry Pratchett, is pretty much the funniest book about the apocalypse that you’ll find. The show will be available on Amazon Prime (30-day trial available here). It’s got David Tennant and Michael Sheen as the main characters, and John Hamm will play Gabriel, the primary messenger of God.
I love Good Omens. It’s in my top five books of all time. As a sidenote, here’s a wonderful article about Terry Pratchett that Neil Gaiman wrote for the Guardian, for any Pratchett-Gaiman fans out there.
NOS4A2 (AMC Series) (IMDB)
Release Date: June 2, 2019
Watch It On AMC
NOS4A2 (pronounced Nosferatu) is a supernatural suspense/horror novel by Joe Hill that’s being adapted by AMC. It’s about a woman who has the power to open portals to other places. She was the only kid to escape from a killer with supernatural powers who targets children. Now, many years later, is trying to protect her son from the the same killer, who has set his sights on her son.
Very Valentine (IMDB)
Release Date: June 8, 2019
Adriana Trigiani’s romance novel Very Valentine has been adapted by Lifetime.
Tempting Fate (IMDB)
Release Date: June 15, 2019
Tempting Fate by Jane Green is a Lifetime summer movie. It stars Alyssa Milano.
To Have and to Hold (IMDB)
Release Date: June 22, 2019
To Have and to Hold by Jane Green is a Lifetime summer movie. It stars Erika Christensen.
The Rook (IMDB)
Release Date: June 30, 2019
The Rook is a series adaptation of The Rook by Daniel O’Malley.
From IMDB: “This London-set series centers on a young woman pursued by shadowy paranormal adversaries while grappling with extraordinary abilities of her own.”
V.C. Andrews’ Heaven (IMDB)
Release Date: July 27, 2019
V.C. Andrews’ Heaven is the first movie in Lifetime’s adaptation of V.C. Andrews’s Casteel Family saga.
P.S. I disagree with their punctuation of “Andews'” but whatever.
Otherhood / Whatever Makes You Happy (IMDB)
Release Date: August 2, 2019
Otherhood is based on the book Whatever Makes You Happy by William Sutcliffe. “Three suburban moms who have long been friends decide to show up unannounced at the homes of their thirty-something layabout sons. Their goal: to swoop in and set things right.”
The movie will be released on Netflix, and the cast includes Patricia Arquette, Felicity Huffman, Heidi Gardner and Jake Lacy. The release date was pushed following Felicity Huffman’s legal troubles, but Netflix has confirmed they’ll still be airing it.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (IMDB)
Release Date: August 9, 2019
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz is a collection of scary short stories that have been scaring children (and some adults) for decades, myself included. I made the mistake of reading this collection when I was at home by myself at night when I was a kid, which was probably the most scared I’d ever been in my life at that point.
Guillermo Del Toro is directing an adaption of this book, which will be about a group of teens in a town where a series of horrific murders are taking place.
The Kitchen (IMDB)
Release Date: August 9, 2019
The Kitchen is a DC comic about a group of women in Hell’s Kitchen (NYC) in the 1970’s whose mafia husbands have been locked up in prison. They continue to operate their husband’s rackets and end up being both better and more vicious at it.
The movie adaptation will star Elizabeth Moss, Tiffany Haddish and Melissa McCarthy.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette (IMDB)
Release Date: August 16, 2019
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple is a story about a woman who is a genius shut-in who lives with her family in Seattle. Her daughter attends private school nearby and her husband works at Microsoft. When her neuroses get the best of her, Bernadette disappears, leaving her daughter to embark on a search for her whereabouts.
I liked the book. I love Cate Blanchette, who will play Bernadette. Kristin Wigg (fantastic) and Judy Greer (also great) star as well. Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Before Sunrise) is directing. The book is funny and heartwarming, and hopefully the movie will be too.
Where’d You Go on B&N
The Informer / Three Seconds (IMDB)
Release Date: August 16, 2019
The Informer is based on the novel Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström. It’s a crime thriller about an ex-con who goes undercover to infiltrate a prison.
It: Chapter 2 (IMDB)
Release Date: September 6, 2019
The It adaptation released in 2017 was a huge hit, but it actually only adapted part of the book. In the sequel, the first film’s childhood friends return home as adults to confront the supernatural killer Pennywise the Dancing Clow. Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy star in It: Chapter 2.
IT on B&N
The Goldfinch (IMDB)
Release Date: September 13, 2019
The pulitzer-prize winning novel The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is hitting the big screen with a cast that includes Sarah Paulson, Nicole Kidman, Ansel Elgort and Luke Wilson.
The novel is a bildungsroman about a boy, Theo Decker, who steals a famous painting during a bombing at a museum. It’s an eventful Dickensian-type story, which I found accessible, intelligent and entertaining when I read it many years ago.
The Goldfinch on Amazon
The Goldfinch on B&N
The Art of Racing in the Rain (IMDB)
Release Date: September 27, 2019
There are so many movies for dog-lovers coming out in 2019! The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein has been a popular book for a long time and is finally getting a big-screen adaptation starring Amanda Seyfried, Kevin Costner and Milo Ventimiglia.
It’s a touching story about a dog and his race car driver owner and their lives together, as told from the dog’s point-of-view.
Looking for Alaska (IMDB)
Release Date: October 18, 2019
John Green’s Looking for Alaska is being adapted into a Hulu limited series. Stars Sofia Vassilieva, Uriah Shelton and Charlie Plummer.
Motherless Brooklyn (IMDB)
Release Date: November 1, 2019
Motherless Brooklyn is a classic detective novel by Jonathan Lethem. Lionel Essrog is an orphan with tourettes who works for a small-time mobster and makeshift detective agency owner Frank Minna. When Frank is killed, all hell breaks loose among his men.
Ed Norton is directing and starring, along with Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe and Alec Baldwin.
Motherless Brooklyn on B&N
Doctor Sleep (IMDB)
Release Date: November 8, 2019
Doctor Sleep, Stephen King’s sequel to The Shining, is getting its own screen adaption. It picks up many years after The Shining. “A now-adult Dan Torrence meets a young girl with similar powers as his and tries to protect her from a cult known as The True Knot who prey on children with powers to remain immortal.”
Like its predecessor, expect horror, murder and general creepiness. Stars Rebecca Ferguson, Jacob Tremblay and Ewan McGregor as Danny Torrance.
Doctor Sleep on B&N
The Good Liar (IMDB)
Release Date: November 15, 2019
The Good Liar by Nicholas Searle adaptation will star Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen. It’s a psychological thriller about a man who meets a wealthy widow online and spins a web of lies to try to woo her.
The Good Liar on B&N
The Rhythm Section (IMDB)
Release Date: November 22, 2019
The Rhythm Section by Mark Burnell is getting a star-studded adaption with Blake Lively, Jude Law and Sterling K. Brown. It’s a spy thriller about a woman who joins a covert intelligence agency and dons a new identity to seeks revenge after her family dies in a plane crash. Trailer hasn’t been released yet, but I’ll update when it’s out!
Cats (IMDB)
Release Date: December 20, 2019
Cats: The Musical! is getting a star-studded movie adaptation with Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift and James Corden in the mix. (Originally, Wicked was slated for this date, but it’s getting pushed to 2020.)
What people sometimes forget, but book lovers tend to remember is that Cats: The Musical is originally based off a T.S. Elliot collection of poems, Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. I’ve never read it, but if you want to check out the source material, it’s by one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century.
Practical Cats on B&N
Little Women (IMDB)
Release Date: December 25, 2019
Greta Gerwig is directing an adaptation of Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott which began filming this month (October) in Boston. You can see Emma Watson walking around as Meg. Plus there’s other videos from the set roaming around as well. Meryl Streep is in it, too, as Aunt March! Plus, Timothée Chalamet.
I’m guessing the movie will be decent at least given how much star-power is there. Gerwig’s version will focus on the character’s lives as adults moreso than the 1994 adaptation. I’m still attached to the Winona Ryder version, but we’ll see. This one is slated for a Christmas release.
Little Women on B&N
Let it Snow (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
No release date has been announced, but it’s in post-production, which means filming is done and everything, and it’s almost sure to be a winter/holiday movie.
Netflix is releasing this adaptation of John Green’s Christmas romantic comedy novel of the same name, which consists of three holiday romances by three authors.
Let It Snow on B&N
Color Out of Space (IMDB)
Release Date: Late 2019
H.P. Lovecraft’s short story The Color Out of Space is being adapted into a movie to be released sometime in late 2019.
See it on B&N
His Dark Materials (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials is being adapted by HBO into a multi-season series. It plans to start airing in 2019.
Dark Materials on B&N
The Irishman / I Heard You Paint Houses (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
This highly anticipated movie directed by Martin Scorsese will have a short cinematic run, followed by Netflix availability sometime in 2019. (Netflix reportedly paid $105 million to buy this movie.) It’s based on the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. It tells the story of the killing of Jimmy Hoffa.
“I Heard You Paint Houses” (in mob-speak it means to kill someone because of the blood on the walls) were the first words he reportedly spoke to the man who would later kill him. This movie has a lot of big names (Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Ray Romano, etc.) and is almost sure to generate a lot of buzz as it gets closer to being released.
The Last Thing He Wanted (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
Joan Didion‘s novel The Last Thing He Wanted is being adapted into a movie starring Ben Affleck, Wilem Dafoe and Anne Hathaway. There’s no release date yet, but it’s marked as being in post-production. The movie will be released on Netflix.
The Last Thing He Wanted is a (fictional) crime/suspense thriller about a reporter who walks off her job as a reporter covering the 1984 election to take care of her father. However, in a turn of events, ends up working for a covert agency as an arms dealer for the U.S. Government in Central America.
The Laundromat / The Secrecy World (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
Netflix will be releasing a movie about the Panama Papers called The Laundromat, based on the book The Secrecy World by Jake Bernstein. Steven Soderbergh is directing and Meryl Streep is starring.
If you’re not familiar with it, the Panama Papers were a trove of leaked documents that revealed a lot about offshore financial arrangements, politicians, etc — basically a lot of financial information about wealthy individuals.
Lovecraft Country (HBO Series) (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
I’d actually never heard of the book Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff before, but this looks like it’ll be fantastic. Jordan Peele (of Get Out fame) is directing this adaptation for HBO. The book is a melange of Lovecraftian horror and fantasy about a road trip to find a missing person, set in 1950’s Jim Crow-era America.
This is definitely on my reading list. I’m hopeful I’ll get to it before the show comes out!
Death Comes as the End (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
Agatha Christie’s Death Comes as the End is one of her few novels that isn’t set in a modern day setting. Instead, it’s about an Ancient Egyptian family. The father, Imhotep, returns from the north with his new concubine, Nofret. When Nofret is found dead, suspicions abound regarding who may be responsible.
The BBC’s adaptation is planned for a late 2019 release.
Death Comes on B&N
All the Bright Places (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven has been tugging at YA hearts everywhere since it was released. It’s the story of two unhappy teens in a small town who find each other. The Netflix movie adaptation will star Justice Smith and Dakota Fanning.
P.S. Many thanks to Sophia Ismaa who alerted me that this was missing from this list!
All the Bright Places on B&N
David Copperfield / The Personal History of David Copperfield (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
David Copperfield is getting yet another movie adaptation. Ben Whishaw, Gwendoline Christie, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie will all be in this 2019 update of the famous Dickens novel, though Dev Patel will be starring as our titular character.
The movie is being described as a “modern retelling” of the story. If you’ve been meaning to read or re-read this, no better time than the present to cross this off your TBR!
The Watchmen (HBO Series) (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
A TV-series version of The Watchmen comic has been announced as part of HBO’s 2019 slate. Alan Moore’s The Watchmen features a slate of costumed superheros in the 1950’s. It’s part of the DC comic universe. HBO’s release on the new show is here, including casting details, etc.
Dracula (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
The creators of Sherlock are taking a stab at adapting Dracula into a mini-series. Three episodes. Lots of sharp teeth. It’s a joint BBC and Netflix project.
Dracula on B&N
The Earthquake Bird (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
Netflix seems to be making lots of bets on book adapations. This one stars Alicia Vikander and is an adaptation of The Earthquake Bird by Susanna Jones. It’s a crime/mystery drama — “a young ex-pat living in Tokyo is suspected of murder, which uncovers a mysterious love triangle.”
The Nightingale (IMDB)
Release Date: 2019
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is the story of two sisters in German-occupied France during World War II. It’s a story of survival and love and the strength of the human spirit. (There’s another movie called The Nightingale that came out in 2018 which is totally different.)
The info on this one seems to be a bit fuzzy. It’s listed as being in pre-production, but has been like that for a while, so unsure if this’ll arrive in 2019.
The Nightingale on B&N
What do you think about the movie and TV book adaptations coming in 2019?
Also see the list of Book to Movies and TV Adaptations Coming in 2020 for more upcoming adaptations!
There’s also a bunch of stuff that didn’t make the list because it’s not clear they’ll actually come out in 2019. If something changes I’ll update. These include adaptations of: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie, and 1984 by George Orwell. There’s also a TV series adaptation of The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee starring Nicole Kidman being released by Amazon Video that’s been ordered but it seems iffy as to when it’ll come out.
Updated 12/14/18: Added trailers and a bunch of stuff. Death on the Nile was previously listed here, but looks like it’s been pushed to October 2020.
Updated 4/19/19: Lots of updates. Note that the Tom Hanks Greyhound/The Good Shepherd adaptation has been pushed to 2020.
Updated 7/13/19: Updated everything and posted the list of Book to Movies and TV Adaptations Coming in 2020. Also note that The Woman in the Window is officially pushed to 2020.
Which one of these adaptations are you guys looking forward to the most? See anything missing here? Drop me a line below!
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I’m not exactly looking forward to Death on the Nile,oh ,I’m sure the setting is going to be outstanding but Kenneth Branagh as Poirot with a gun(!)just doesn’t work for me. As for the rest,well adaptions are sometimes a wonderful surprise but not very often ☺
I used to be pretty wary of adaptations, but I think they’ve grown on me. I think at the end of the day, they generate a lot of interest in books among non-book readers which I think is a good thing. I agree that I’m also a little wary of the next Christie adaptation, but I’m I’m trying to keep an open mind!
Great article 👌
thank you! and thanks for reading!
You’re most welcome!
Thanks for the info! I look forward to NOT being disappointed in the movies, especially Where’d You Go…
Thanks for reading! I hopeful for that one since the cast looks solid, but we’ll see — I think that’s a story that really needs to hit exactly the right tone to be a good mix of funny/heartwarming which could be tough. Thanks for dropping by!
My thoughts as well.
I’ve never been very happy with adaptations. They never hold up to my expectations because of my reading experience. I would love, for once, that the production companies read the books thoroughly and do it right.
I think they’ve gotten better about not straying as far from the source material. I think it helps that authors seem to be more involved nowadays than before, which is a big plus. To be fair though, every once in a while, they diverge and it works. Crazy Rich Asians for example, I think the changes they made for the movie version made a lot of sense. Thanks for your thoughts!
I’m very much looking forward to Good Omens. But I didn’t know that the goldfinch and artemis fowl was being adapted!! I’m shocked, honestly. I read the goldfinch for the first time this year and loved it, but it was very much chaotic and surreal in how fast things develop – going from one place to an entirely different one multiple times – and it’s going to be really interesting to see how they solve that on screen. I’m less enthusiastic about Artemis Fowl, it’ll be a very hit or miss, depending on the aesthetic and how smart they are able to make it, while still keep it targeted towards kids.
Yay more Good Omens fans! I’m so excited for the show, though there’s no way it’ll be better than the book. Goldfinch has a great cast so I’m hopeful. So much stuff happens in the Goldfinch though, so I’m guessing there’s going to be some major deviations from the book to screen in order to fit everything in. As for Artemis Fowl, adaptation of children’s series can be a little hit-or-miss, but I’m hoping they’ll release a trailer or something soon!
I had no idea they were doing an adaption of Catch 22, it’s one of my all time favorites! Though you’re totally right, it’ll never live up to the book, but I’m still excited to see it in another form. What a great list, I’m so excited for some of these!
Thank you! I’m curious about it too, and if it’s good, I hope it’ll get more people who are generally non-readers reading the book. Thanks for dropping by!
Wow! I finally broke down and started getting NetFlix. Now I see I’m behind….again. So many good adaptatons coming out. I’ll have to spring for Prime. Thanks for the countdown!
Haha, I held out for a long time, but then my sister wanted to get a NetFlix subscription and it’s cheaper on a family plan split between people so I caved, too! Thank you for reading and sharing, I really appreciate it! :)
You write great reviews…and everything else.
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe there’s an Artemis Fowl movie coming out! I’ve waited so long for this. I’m excited for The Goldfinch, too.
Yeah, I was surprised there’d never been an adaptation, it seems like those books would have been an obvious choice! Hope they do right by the fans! Thanks for reading!
Good roundup! I really enjoyed the GOOD OMENS trailer, looking forward to that one. This has also reminded me I need to bump up Chaos Walking on my TBR stack……
Thank you! And yes, I’m always in a mad rush to read stuff before it gets adapted, too, haha — happy reading!
Great article! So excited for all these books, but I’m really looking forward to The Nightingale becoming adapted. I loved the book, so I hope this really happens!
Thank you! I’m curious about that one, and the same production company also has the rights to The Great Alone so it’ll be interesting to see what they do with these adaptations!
I am very interested to see too! It’s always nerve racking to wait. I just hope they do the books justice by making a good adaption. *fingers crossed*
Loved The Goldfinch.
Oh yay, glad to hear you liked it as well! :)
Wow! I didn’t know so many of books I’ve read and loved are being adapted to TV and film! Thank you for that! And I’m VERY relieved to hear that Manchee won’t be in Chaos Walking for obvious reasons!
Thanks for the note about Chaos Walking! I hadn’t heard about that. It’s understandable of course, I appreciate the info! And thank you for dropping by!
Good Omens! Can’t wait for that – but need to reread the book first :)
Haha, I re-read it not too long ago and it was as good as I remembered it. Happy reading!
Thank you :)
I’m so excited for Good Omens, it’s one of my top 5 favorite books ever. I have high hopes since Neil is involved.
Yes, definitely — I can’t imagine he’d permit them to muck it up. I think no matter what it’ll have a hard time comparing with the book, but I think I’ll enjoy it either way as long as it’s not contradicting the spirit of the book!
These all look so amazing, especially looking forward to The Goldfinch and I will happily watch anything Amy Adams stars in. All the Bright Places is filming now starring Justice Smith and Elle Fanning and should be releasing next year so I cannot wait for that. 🙂
Thanks so much for the note! I’ve added All the Bright Places to the list (with a link to you, too!) — cheers!
That so sweet, thank you! 🙂
Thank you so much for researching all this and putting it one easily accessible place it’s really useful. I love Amy Adams so much, I have yet to read the woman in the window, but now I absolutely have to. I also didn’t enjoy the Murder on the Orient Express all that much, which is a shame, because like you said it was beautiful and with one exception had a fantastic cast. Maybe the next one will improve upon the last.
Thanks so much for reading Carolina! And yes, I’m totally an Amy Adams fan as well! She was fantastic in Sharp Objects (and so many other things). The Woman in the Window is a pretty standard psychological-thriller-mystery, but I think one of the more solid ones out there. I don’t think it’ll blow you away or anything, but if you like the genre, you’ll probably enjoy the book. I’m not sure I’d recommend it to non-mystery-thriller lovers. Hope you like it if you get a chance to read it!
She was great in Sharp Objects, it made me like the tv show more than the book, which almost never happens. But I think the performance of hers I enjoyed the most was on Arrival. I love everything about the movie, but she was just on another level, she should have won the Oscar. I do love thrillers and I read them all the time, I haven’t picked up Woman in the Window yet because it gave me the girl on the train vibes, which didn’t leave much of an impression. But maybe I’ll find it on sale somewhere and give it chance, because I’ll know I’ll watch the movie for sure, and it will bother me not to have read the book first.
Good Omens looks great.
I’m little worried to watch IT. Pennywise still freaks me out.
Would it help if I reminded you that Pennywise actually looks like this without the makeup?
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/902484789395062785/F_Zi5Lar_400x400.jpg
Yes. That family was blessed by the gods.
hahaha so true :)
Have you seen him in Castle Rock? He’s so good!
yes! I’m still deciding how I feel about the show overall, but I thought he was really good :)
Same. I enjoyed his scenes the most!
Wow! So much great stuff! I will be looking for Motherless Brooklyn. It looks great. Thanks for the post.
Thank you for reading Rosi! I’m looking forward to it, too. I actually really liked the previous movie Ed Norton directed, Keeping the Faith, but that was a very different movie (rom com) of course. So, we’ll see. Thanks for your thoughts!
I’m honestly looking forward to Artemis Fowl because I LOVED the series growing up (even if I never finished it, so that’s more books added to my TBR)! But I’m refusing to see anything else until I read the books! But I’m definitely skipping the Cats movie adaptation – I loved it on Broadway and I still have the VHS somewhere in my apartment, but I’m not really excited about the cast.
However, I’m super excited to watch the “Five Feet Apart” movie (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6472976/) even though the book is still on my TBR list, and “The Sun is Also a Star” movie adaptation because I love Yara Shahidi!
PS – LOVING THE HALLOWEEN THEME ON YOUR BLOG.
I love Broadway musicals, but have never seen Cats, so I’ll probably watch the movie just to see it, but I’m guessing it’ll be kind of a mess.
Thank you for the heads up about those other two titles! Will add with a link back to you!
I’ve been meaning to read Good Omens.. very excited for a Gaiman/Tennant production. I haven’t heard anything lately about the upcoming tv adaptation of Octavia Butler’s book Dawn… I really hope that gets some buzz soon! Would love a 2019 release.
Yeah, sometimes it can take a few years between the rights getting acquired and the show coming out, but I’d rather wait a little longer and have a well done adaptation! Good Omens is a fantastic book, I highly recommend reading it. A lot of the humor is in the narration, so it definitely deserves to be read!
I’m looking forward to Good Omens, even though I’ve not read it, just because I love both authors who have written it (so I really will have to read the book first ;) ) And Artemis Fowl is going to be a movie? That’s cool!! And I have a copy of women in the window- I really need to read it before the movie comes out! And I’m up for watching a movie adaptation of catch 22 too! :D
Omg you totally have to read Good Omens! I’m looking forward to the show, but it’s definitely a book where a lot of the humor is in the narration so I’d be surprised if the show manages to capture it. Hope to see a review of good omens on your blog at some point! :) Thanks for dropping by!
Oh I definitely want to read it! (just waiting for an available copy at the library/on overdrive ;) ) Thank you! You’re welcome!
This was a really great article! I love book adaptations and actually didn’t even realize that a lot of the books you mentioned were going to be getting adaptations for this upcoming year. That’s so awesome! So this article was super informative for this nerd, LoL. I’m looking forward to the Catch 22 adaptation for Hulu, Where’d you go Bernadette?, and Good Omens. Definitely hope to read the books before the adaptations come out.
I’m currently reading the sequel to You by Caroline Kepnes. So far the Lifetime series adaptation is pretty perfect. Small changes here and there but they still really work in well for the story.
Hoping to maybe read Picnic at Hanging Rock or Alias Grace next, cause the TV adaptations look really well done.
Thank you Jodi! Appreciate the note! I watched the Alias Grace adaptation and it’s really good. Unfortunately, I started watching when I was about half-way done with the book and then I sort of had a harder time reading the book since I already knew what was going to happen. :/ I hadn’t heard about the Picnic at Hanging Rock adaptation but it looks interesting. Thanks for the tip!
Love the article! Very thorough :) it seems I have a lot of books to read for these movies :)
I’m so excited that they are finally adapting Artemis Fowl – I hope they do it well because there have been whispers flying about for years.
I feel a little lukewarm towards the idea of Death on the Nile. Orient express is possibly Christie’s best book and they didn’t manage to do that well, so I’m wary of adapting another one. (Plus although Death on the Nile has a fantastic name and backdrop, it was not as compelling as some of Christie’s other stuff).
All The Bright Places…how can the movie be as good? I’ll be watching, though.
so true! thanks for dropping by!
I was hoping The Wife Between Us would have made a movie, I’ve just been curious how that would be! But I’m excited to see The Woman In The Window!
Ooo, I think The Wife Between Us would make a fun movie as well. I’m glad Amy Adams is in it, I think she’ll be fantastic!
Quite an impressive list. Thank you for compiling it!
You’re so welcome! Thanks for taking the time to say so! :)
I didn’t know about catch 22- that’s cool! And I’m especially excited for woman in the window, artemis fowl and good omens :D
Artemis Fowl released a teaser trailer recently and it looks awesome, I’m excited!
Really great and informative post. Can’t wait for ‘The Woman in the Window’!
Thank you! I love Amy Adams so I’m excited to see it as well! Thanks for dropping by!
The Woman in the Window and the Knife of Never Letting Go sound like they might be the ones to see.
I think the Knife of Never Letting Go could be really good — plus I’m curious to see Tom Holland in more stuff. Thanks for your thoughts!
I’m so excited for Good Omens and Where Did You Go Bernadette? I’m also looking forward to IT Chapter 2 but I loved the kids so much I don’t know if I’ll enjoy it as much with the adults! Lots of good ones here though!
Yes, me too! I actually still haven’t watched the first It but maybe I can wait till the next one is out and then do a marathon! Thanks for dropping by!
WOW. That’s one heck of a list — exhaustive, impressive and insightful. Thanks for all the hard work. That probably took days, and it shows. The Goldfinch, a book I almost threw across the room but it was too heavy and would have damaged too many things with its bulk, is the title I least look forward to. Just sayin’.
Haha, thanks, Chris! I could see a movie adaptation of the Goldfinch being a lot more fun than the book, so maybe you’d still like the movie? Thanks for your thoughts! :)
I am shocked they are now doing Death on the Nile with Branagh who is the exact opposite of Poirot in every single way. I keep hearing that these films will produce book-appreciators and lovers, but that should never be an excuse to produce a bad film – Murder on the Orient Express (2017) was one of the worst films I have ever seen. Another book campaign will generate as many new classic book readers only no one is going to do it. Those people who watch movies will continue watching movies, and those who read books will continue reading books. In fact, disastrous films like that undermine Agatha Christie and tarnish her vision and reputation. Agatha Christie deserves the best movie made on her books, and what is going now (with all those superfluous visuals and no faithful content) is simply beyond disrespectful.
Yeah, I’m not sure I noticed much of an uptick in Christie after Orient Express came out, probably because people weren’t impressed by the movies. I would hope people realize the books are separate and often quite different from their adaptations though. Thanks for your thoughts, always nice to hear from fellow Christie fans!
What a useful and comprehensive post. Some lovely tempting snippets.
Thank you! Thanks for dropping by!
This was a great post! Thanks!
Thank you and thanks for reading!
Wow, there are a ton of movies coming out. Thanks for this!
Thanks for dropping by!
Brilliant article, I will definitely be looking out for some of these (and possibly avoiding a few more). Thank you for grouping all these releases in one place.
Glad to be of service, happy reading and thanks for dropping by!
Colin Firth was not in the 1993 version of the Secret Garden. He was in the 1987 tv movie version. But I cant wait to see it!!!
ooo thank you heather for the correction! no wonder I didn’t actually have any recollection of him in it, haha :)
Thank you for writting and mantaining this article, it was a good read with my book-loving wife. I’m most excited about Lovecraft Country and The woman on the window accross the street or something.
House of NIght books should be made into series or movies ……… Has it even been thought. I really think Netflix should do it! Think it would be amazing!
Wow, what a great list! Thanks for putting it together. I always get excited when good books get adapted. By the way, I think Tana French’s books are coming to Starz. The series is called Dublin Murders and is in post-production. I’m a big fan so I’m excited about that too. Cheers.
Nice list!! I often come to your page to check on updates.
Chaos Walking has probably moved to 2020…that is one of the movies i am really looking forward to…
All I have to say is that they had better not stuff up Good Omens!
Hello there – Witness for the Prosecution just came out in 2017 – are they making another version? This was very good. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/agatha-christies-witness-prosecution-review-970225
yup ben affleck is directing the new version https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5981922/
This is GREAT! I’m looking forward to the Secret Garden… Thanks for this post.
I’m very excited for The Watchmen and His Dark Materials — those two just have so much potential to be beautifully adapted in a way that could be so interesting and amazing to see on screen. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for them! I’m also looking forward to Good Omens and The Rook because those concepts sound really cool for that media format. :)
I’m disappointed in this list. There were maybe 3 that looked worth seeing… I guess because I’m not a young adult, but a grown adult, I just can’t connect with young teenage characters, and too many of these books to movies are YA. I was hoping to see some of the books I’ve read on here, and I saw none. They were mostly- though there were some outliers- YA, horror, or crime. I don’t like any of those genre’s, unless there are other elements involved (eg. crime with a supernatural twist, or horror/psychological thrillers that are from the ‘villains’ perspective- My favorite of those is ‘The Mindfvck Series). Sarah J. Maas has an odd mix of YA/NA in her books, but as popular as they are, there have only been rumors about hers being a movie.
I realize it’s on Starz, but Outlander is still my favorite adaptation.
interesting!