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If there was one upside to the pandemic, it was having more time at home to read. If your reading list fell by the wayside in 2022, why not start with the books set to become movies and TV series this year? Whether you’re looking for a psychological thriller, a feel-good novel, or a whimsical romance, there’s something for every taste currently being adapted in Hollywood. Even if many of the adaptations still don’t have release dates, you can get a head start on your reading list before these books hit big and small screens in the new year. From The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to Daisy Jones & the Six, here are some of the books that will arrive in movie or TV form in 2023.
Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Similar to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel, which is told as an oral history of a 1970s band, the 10-episode Prime Video adaptation will be a fictional documentary. Riley Keough plays lead singer Daisy Jones, with Camila Morrone, Sam Claflin, and Suki Waterhouse as several of her bandmates. The book is a delight, ultimately revealing the mystery behind the beloved group’s breakup, and it’s the sort of thing you’ll devour on your holiday plane ride home. Reid’s more recent novel, Malibu Rising, is being adapted by Hulu, so add that to your list as well.
On Prime Video on March 3, 2023
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Bloom
Judy Bloom’s seminal 1970 coming-of-age novel is finally getting the on-screen treatment, with writer and director Kelly Fremon Craig at the helm. The book follows the trials and tribulations of sixth grader Margaret Simon, who will be played in the film by Abby Ryder Fortson. It also stars Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie, and Kathy Bates. Although details on the adaptation are scarce, expect lots of preteen drama and poignant growing-up moments. If you somehow missed the novel when you were younger, now is the perfect time to get caught up.
In theaters April 28, 2023
Text for You by Sofie Cramer
Sofie Cramer’s romantic novel will become Love Again, a film starring Sam Heughan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The story follows a grief-stricken woman who is dealing with the death of her fiancé. When she begins texting his old phone, someone new begins to respond. Expect a heartwarming tale about finding love again after a loss — something that always makes for a tear-jerking movie. The novel is an enjoyable, easy read that’s perfect for the holiday season.
In theaters May 12, 2023
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
In Crockett Johnson’s popular 1955 children’s book, young Harold discovers he can create magical things with his purple crayon. It’s a fairly sparse story, so expect the on-screen version to have more narrative heft. The film, from director Carlos Saldanha, stars Zooey Deschanel, Zachary Levi, and Lil Rel Howery. You may not spend a weekend rereading this one, but if you have kids — or nieces or nephews — this is a good one to bring out.
In theaters June 30, 2023
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin
Christopher Nolan’s next film takes on J. Robert Oppenheimer, the so-called “father of the atomic bomb.” The movie is based on Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s 2005 nonfiction tome, which clocks in at more than 700 pages. The film, titled Oppenheimer, stars Cillian Murphy in the titular role and follows the theoretical physicist’s participation in the Manhattan Project. The stacked cast also includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh. Start reading this one now to get through it by next summer.
In theaters July 21, 2023
Dune by Frank Herbert
The on-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi novel Dune will continue in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, which continues the saga of Paul Atreides. Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya return, with a new set of cast members who include Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Léa Seydoux, and Christopher Walken. The first film adhered fairly closely to the novel, and this sequel will cover the book’s second half as Paul seeks revenge against those who destroyed his family.
In theaters November 17, 2023
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games books and movies were extremely successful, so it makes sense that Suzanne Collins’ recent prequel is getting a similar live-action version. Director Francis Lawrence returns for the prequel, which will feature Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman, Peter Dinklage, and Viola Davis. Tom Blyth stars as a young Coriolanus Snow, who becomes involved in the drama of the 10th annual Hunger Games. Expect drama, violence, and backstabbing.
In theaters November 17, 2023
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Alice Walker’s beautiful novel The Color Purple was previously adapted into a film in 1985 with Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg as the leads. It also became a stage musical, which is the source for the latest movie adaptation. Here the story, about a Black woman living in the South during the early 1900s, is told with musical numbers. Fantasia plays protagonist Celie Harris Johnson, while Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo and Taraji P. Henson round out the cast. The original novel is a must-read and worth adding to your library queue immediately.
In theaters December 20, 2023
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Anyone who has read Anthony Doerr’s 2014 World War II novel All the Light We Cannot See has been anxiously awaiting its on-screen treatment. The book, about a blind French girl and a young German boy during the war, has been transformed into a forthcoming Netflix limited series. Directed by Shawn Levy and written by Steven Knight, the series stars newcomer Aria Mia Loberti along with Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie. The book is memorable and emotionally wrought, so be sure to read it before the show premieres.
TBA 2023
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Toni Collette stars as Margot Cleary-Lopez in The Power.
In The Power, a feminist novel that has drawn comparisons to Margaret Atwood’s work, teenage girls mysteriously develop a special power to electrocute people at will. It’s a seriously compelling premise in book form but will be even more riveting as a 10-episode series for Prime Video. Author Naomi Alderman was involved in the series, which stars Toni Collette, Auli’i Cravalho, and John Leguizamo. There are plans to keep the story going over multiple seasons, much like The Handmaid’s Tale, so catch the book now.
TBA 2023
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
Casey McQuiston’s 2019 rom-com centers on a romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States and a British prince, Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor (sigh). The novel is a delightful if sometimes predictable romp that sees the pair navigating a relationship on the world stage. The film version, set for release by Prime Video, will star Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine as the will-they-won’t-they lovers, with Uma Thurman playing the U.S. president.
TBA 2023
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Jennifer Garner stars as Hannah in The Last Thing He Told Me.
Thriller fans have likely already devoured The Last Thing He Told Me, released last year. But for those who may have missed it, the novel centers on a man who disappears and leaves his wife and daughter questioning who he really was. The book was optioned by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and is becoming a limited series for Apple TV+. The on-screen version, written by author Laura Dave, features Jennifer Garner, Angourie Rice, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
TBA 2023
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Lewis Pullman stars as Calvin and Brie Larson stars as Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry.
Set in the 1960s, Lessons in Chemistry follows a female chemist who works with an all-male team at the Hastings Research Institute. Through some twists and turns, she becomes the unlikely star of a TV cooking show. It’s a feel-good novel, which will become a drama series for Apple TV+ with Brie Larson in the lead role. The book makes for a comforting read, especially for women who may not have always fit in. The series will also star Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King, and Thomas Mann.
TBA 2023
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio star in Killers of the Flower Moon.
Originally meant to be released in 2022, Martin Scorsese’s upcoming film is an adaptation of journalist David Grann’s 2017 nonfiction book Killers of the Flower Moon. The book investigates a string of murders of affluent Osage people in the 1920s and chronicles how the recently formed FBI looked into the murders. The movie version, framed as a Western, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, and Robert De Niro, as well as Indigenous actors, like Lily Gladstone and Tantoo Cardinal, as members of the Osage Nation. The film is rumored to be set for a premiere around Cannes.
TBA 2023
The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
Eiza González stars in The Three-Body Problem.
Sci-fi fans shouldn’t miss Liu Cixin’s 2008 novel The Three-Body Problem, the first in a trilogy about the people of Earth encountering an alien civilization in a nearby star system. Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, along with Alexander Woo, are adapting the book into an epic series for Netflix, with production in the U.K. and China. Eiza González, Benedict Wong, Tsai Chin, Rosalind Chao, John Bradley, and Liam Cunningham are featured in the ensemble cast (recognize a few former GoT cast members?). Expect expansive world-building and mysterious plot twists. If you enjoy the first book, continue on to the sequels The Dark Forest and Death’s End.
TBA 2023
Emily Zemler is a freelance writer and journalist based in London. She is a frequent contributor to Shondaland, the Los Angeles Times, Observer, and Rolling Stone, among other outlets. Emily is the co-author of “A Sick Life,” with TLC’s Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, and the author of “The Art and Making of Aladdin” and “Disney Princess: Beyond the Tiara.”
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