Any booklover knows that news of an adaptation can be complicated: Can we trust the directors, screenwriters, and actors to bring our favorite stories to life?
This year’s movie slate is filled with books that are near and dear to thousands of readers, including classics that are decades (or centuries) old, like “Pride and Prejudice, “A Christmas Carol,” and “Dune Messiah.”
There are also some new classics set to be adapted this year, including “Klara and the Sun” and “Sunrise on the Reaping.”
We’ve compiled a list of 13 must-read books that you should crack open before they’re adapted this year.
‘Whalefall’
Release date: October 16 in theaters
Daniel Kraus published “Whalefall” in 2023. It’s a pretty self-contained, if wild, story: What would happen if you got swallowed by a whale? And not in a biblical, Jonah sense — in a literal, swallowed-while-scuba-diving sense.
The film stars Austin Abrams as Jay (get it? J as in Jonah?) and Josh Brolin as Mitt, Jay’s deceased father, from whom he was estranged. That’s the whole reason he dives in the first place; he’s diving to find his father’s remains.
‘Wildwood’
Release date: October 23 in theaters
Stop-motion studio LAIKA’s latest film, “Wildwood,” is based on the 2011 novel of the same name, written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis.
Both the film and the book follow Prue, a teenager, whose baby brother, Mac, is stolen by a pack of birds and taken into a mystical forest. She, along with her classmate Curtis, ventures into the woods to rescue Mac and perhaps save this magical land.
Prue is voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Curtis is voiced by Jacob Tremblay. Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Angela Bassett, Charlie Day, and Amandla Stenberg also star.
‘Klara and the Sun’
Release date: October 23 in theaters
Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel “Klara and the Sun” was longlisted for the Booker Prize upon its publication.
The book takes place in a not-too-distant dystopian future where rich children can be gifted “Artificial Friends” to help them socialize, since now all schooling is done at home, online. Klara, the narrator, is purchased for a sick girl named Josie.
In the film, which was cowritten and directed by Taika Waititi, Klara will be played by Jenna Ortega, Josie will be played by Mia Tharia, and Josie’s mom, Chrissie, will be played by Amy Adams.
‘The Good Daughter’
Release date: November 12 on Peacock
Karin Slaughter’s “The Good Daughter” is a bestselling thriller that was published in 2017.
It follows two sisters, Charlotte and Samantha, whose lives were shattered as kids when their mother was murdered and their father was traumatized. Now, as adults, Charlotte has followed in her dad’s footsteps and tried to be the perfect daughter. Samantha chose to deal with her grief in a, shall we say, different way.
In the Peacock series, Rose Byrne plays Samantha and Meghann Fahy plays Charlotte.
‘Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist’
Release date: November 13 on Apple TV+
Director Siân Heder’s follow-up to best picture winner “CODA” is “Being Heumann,” a biopic about Judith Heumann, who is known as the “Mother of the Disability Rights Movement.” It’s based on her 2020 memoir of the same name.
The film stars Ruth Madeley as Judith, Mark Ruffalo as United States Health and Human Services Secretary Joseph A. Califano Jr., and Dylan O’Brien as a reporter who covers Judith’s protests.
‘Victorian Psycho’
Release date: November 13 in theaters
“Victorian Psycho” was written by Virginia Feito and published in 2025.
The story follows Winifred Notty, a governess sent to Ensor House (a gothic dream), who seems more like Patrick Bateman than Maria von Trapp.
Maika Monroe will play Winifred.
‘A Christmas Carol’
Release date: November 13 in theaters
Yet another adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” originally published in 1843, is hitting theaters this year.
This time it’s called “Ebenezer” and stars Johnny Depp as Scrooge. He’ll be joined by Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s long-suffering employee, Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Ian McKellen as Scrooge’s dead business partner Marley, Sam Claflin as Scrooge’s nephew Fred, and Daisy Ridley as Fred’s wife Clara.
This version of the story will be helmed by director Ti West, so it might be a more horror-forward version of the classic.
‘The Bodyguard’
Release date: November 18 on Netflix
Netflix first announced that Katherine Center’s novel “The Bodyguard,” published in 2022, will be adapted for the streamer in September 2025.
The story follows Jack Stapleton, a famous actor with a stalker, who hires bodyguard Hannah Brooks to protect him. But since he doesn’t want to worry his sick mother, the two instead pretend to date.
The catch with this adaptation? Since there’s already a quite famous film called “The Bodyguard,” Netflix, along with stars Leighton Meester (Hannah) and Jared Padalecki (Jack), asked fans to come up with a new name for the film, and they landed on “Guarding Stars.”
‘Sunrise on the Reaping’
Release date: November 20 in theaters
For years, fans begged “Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins to tell the story of Haymitch Abernathy’s games. In March 2025, she obliged, publishing “Sunrise on the Reaping,” a “Hunger Games” prequel that takes place 24 years before the first novel.
It tells the story of the 25th Hunger Games, which Haymitch, the future tribute mentor for District 12, won. As with all “Hunger Games” books, it’s devastating.
“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” boasts an all-star cast of Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Billy Porter, Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Whitney Peak, and newcomer Joseph Zada as Haymitch.
‘The Titan’s Curse’
Release date: November 20 on Disney+
Season three of “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is set to premiere on November 20. This season consists of eight episodes and concludes on December 11.
This season is based on the third installment in Rick Riordan’s books: “The Titan’s Curse.” It sees Percy (Walker Scobell) go on a mission to rescue his friend, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), and the goddess Artemis (Dafne Keen) after they’re kidnapped by mysterious forces.
‘In a Holidaze’
Release date: December 2 on Netflix
Romance powerhouse duo Christina Lauren published their first holiday romance in 2020, called “In a Holidaze.”
This is a classic time-loop story that follows Mae (Maddie Ziegler) as she returns home for Christmas, determined to tell her longtime crush Andrew (Graham Phillips) how she really feels. But when everything goes wrong, instead of dealing with the fallout, she relives the same day over and over.
‘Pride and Prejudice’
Release date: December 3 on Netflix
“Sense and Sensibility” wasn’t the only Jane Austen novel getting adapted this year — over 20 years after Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen played Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, there’s a new duo in town that’s ready to play these iconic yearners.
In this Netflix miniseries, adapted by Dolly Alderton, Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden will play the two. They’ll be joined by Olivia Colman, Rufus Sewell, Daryl McCormack, Louis Patridge, Jamie Demetriou, Fiona Shaw (who was also in “Sense and Sensibility” this year), and Freya Mavor.
‘Dune Messiah’
Release date: December 18 in theaters
After the two-part adaptation of “Dune,” the third film in the series is set to adapt Frank Herbert’s second novel, “Dune Messiah,” published in 1969.
Picking up after the events of “Dune: Part Two,” “Dune: Part Three” will follow Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he struggles to control the galaxy, prevent the death of millions, avenge his father, and juggle relationships with Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and his love Chani (Zendaya).
Editor’s Note: This story was first published in December 2025 and was last updated in October 2026.
Read the original article on Business Insider
The post 13 books you should read before they’re turned into movies and TV shows this year appeared first on Business Insider.
