13 books you should read before they're turned into movies and TV shows this year

Release date: October 16 in theaters

Daniel Kraus published "Whalefall" in 2023. It's a beautiful 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 movie 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 entire logic he dives in the archetypal place; he's diving to discover his father's remains.

Release date: October 23 in theaters

Stop-motion studio LAIKA's latest film, "Wildwood," is according to the 2011 novel of the identical name, written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis.

Both the movie and the publish prosecute Prue, a teenager, whose baby brother, Mac, is taken by a group of birds and taken into a mystical forest. She, alongside alongside her classmate Curtis, ventures into the woods to rescue Mac and perchance preserve 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 additionally star.

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 publish takes location in a not-too-distant dystopian forthcoming anywhere affluent children can be gifted "Artificial Friends" to assistance them socialize, since now all schooling is done at home, online. Klara, the narrator, is purchased for a ill female named Josie.

In the film, which was cowritten and directed by Taika Waititi, Klara volition be played by Jenna Ortega, Josie volition be played by Mia Tharia, and Josie's mom, Chrissie, volition be played by Amy Adams.

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 whenever their mother was murdered and their begetter was traumatized. Now, as adults, Charlotte has followed in her dad's footsteps and tried to be the ideal daughter. Samantha chose to agreement alongside her sorrow in a, shall we say, distinct way.

In the Peacock series, Rose Byrne plays Samantha and Meghann Fahy plays Charlotte.

Release date: November 13 on Apple TV+

Director Siân Heder's follow-up to finest image victor "CODA" is "Being Heumann," a biopic concerning Judith Heumann, who is known as the "Mother of the Disability Rights Movement." It's according to her 2020 memoir of the identical name.

The movie 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 newsman who covers Judith's protests.

Release date: November 13 in theaters

"Victorian Psycho" was written by Virginia Feito and published in 2025.

The narrative follows Winifred Notty, a governess sent to Ensor House (a gothic dream), who seems additional akin Patrick Bateman than Maria von Trapp.

Maika Monroe volition perform Winifred.

Release date: November 13 in theaters

Yet another adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," initially published in 1843, is hitting theaters this year.

This period 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 deceased endeavor partner Marley, Sam Claflin as Scrooge's nephew Fred, and Daisy Ridley as Fred's spouse Clara.

This type of the narrative volition be helmed by director Ti West, so it power be a additional horror-forward type of the classic.

Release date: November 18 on Netflix

Netflix archetypal announced that Katherine Center's novel "The Bodyguard," published in 2022, volition be adapted for the streamer in September 2025.

The narrative follows Jack Stapleton, a celebrated performer alongside a stalker, who hires bodyguard Hannah Brooks to defend him. But since he doesn't desire to concern his ill mother, the two alternatively feign to date.

The capture alongside this adaptation? Since there's already a quite famous movie called "The Bodyguard," Netflix, alongside alongside stars Leighton Meester (Hannah) and Jared Padalecki (Jack), asked fans to arrive up alongside a new name for the film, and they landed on "Guarding Stars."

Release date: November 20 in theaters

For years, fans begged "Hunger Games" author Suzanne Collins to inform the narrative of Haymitch Abernathy's games. In March 2025, she obliged, publishing "Sunrise on the Reaping," a "Hunger Games" prequel that takes location 24 years before the archetypal novel.

It tells the narrative of the 25th Hunger Games, which Haymitch, the forthcoming tribute mentor for District 12, won. As alongside all "Hunger Games" books, it's devastating.

"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" boasts an all-star mold 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.

Release date: November 20 on Disney+

Season three of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" is set to premiere on November 20. This period consists of eight episodes and concludes on December 11.

This period is according to the third installment in Rick Riordan's books: "The Titan's Curse." It sees Percy (Walker Scobell) go on a goal to rescue his friend, Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries), and the goddess Artemis (Dafne Keen) following they're kidnapped by mysterious forces.

Release date: December 2 on Netflix

Romance powerhouse duo Christina Lauren published their archetypal holiday love narrative in 2020, called "In a Holidaze."

This is a classic time-loop story that follows Mae (Maddie Ziegler) as she returns residence for Christmas, resolute to inform her longtime crush Andrew (Graham Phillips) how she really feels. But whenever everything goes wrong, alternatively of dealing alongside the fallout, she relives the identical day complete and over.

Release date: December 3 on Netflix

"Sense and Sensibility" wasn't the lone Jane Austen novel getting adapted this twelvemonth — complete 20 years following Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen played Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, there's a new duo in town that's prepared to perform these iconic yearners.

In this Netflix miniseries, adapted by Dolly Alderton, Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden volition perform the two. They'll be joined by Olivia Colman, Rufus Sewell, Daryl McCormack, Louis Patridge, Jamie Demetriou, Fiona Shaw (who was additionally in "Sense and Sensibility" this year), and Freya Mavor.

Release date: December 18 in theaters

After the two-part adaptation of "Dune," the third movie in the sequence is set to modify Frank Herbert's second novel, "Dune Messiah," published in 1969.

Picking up following the events of "Dune: Part Two," "Dune: Part Three" volition prosecute Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he struggles to authority the galaxy, forestall the death of millions, avenge his father, and juggle relationships alongside Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and his affection Chani (Zendaya).

Editor's Note: This narrative was archetypal published in December 2025 and was final updated in October 2026.