If you are a bookworm, chances are that you’re always on the look out for the next novel to read and there are plenty that have received such a warm reception that they are well on their way to being adapted into your next favourite movie or TV show.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
It has been announced that Daisy Edgar Jones is set to star as Elinor in a new adaptation of this Jane Austen classic which tells the story of the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne. While Elinor is sensible and has emotional restraint, Marianne is passionate and romantic, and the pair must navigate life and love after finding themselves in difficult circumstances following their father’s death.
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Kiera Knightley is set to star as Lo Blacklock, a journalist struggling with insomnia who is assigned to cover the maiden voyage of a luxurious cruise ship. However, on her first night, she is convinced that she witnesses a body being thrown overboard from the cabin next door – but the passengers and crew are all accounted for. So who did she see go overboard?
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Set in the future, the story follows Klara, an Artificial Friend who is designed as a companion for children, and learns about human emotions and love after being chosen by a frail little girl named Josie. The movie is set to star Jenna Ortega as Klara, alongside Natasha Lyonne and Amy Adams.
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson are set to star in this psychological thriller. The book follows Lowen Ashleigh, a writer who is hired to complete the work of a bestselling author Verity Crawford, who is now gravely ill following an accident. After moving to Verity’s family home, she discovers Verity’s writings that hint that the accident might not be all as it seems.
Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz
Starring Jennifer Lawrence – and a hit at Cannes Film Festival – make sure you read the book first! The story follows a woman struggling with postpartum depression while living in rural France, and follows her slow downfalls as she struggles to hang onto her sanity in a stream-of-consciousness novel.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley are set to star in the heartbreaking movie adaptation of Maggie’s beloved novel. The historical tale reimagines Shakespeare’s family life, particularly following the death of his young son Hamnet who died of the plague – and how the loss affects William but especially his wife, Agnes.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried are set to star in the bestselling novel adaptation which follows Millie, a young woman who takes a job working for a nanny of a wealthy family, only to be perplexed by the irrational behaviour of the matriarch of the family, the beautiful yet cruel Mrs Winchester – and leans on her husband for support. However, not is all as it seems, and Millie soon discovers that she might be in grave danger.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
The new Hunger Games prequel already has a hugely impressive cast including Ralph Fiennes, Elle Fanning and Kieran Culkin. Set 40 years before Katniss entered the Hunger Games, the story follows Haymitch Abernathy’s journey as a Hunger Games victor during a Quarter Quell, a special anniversary version of the death matches which sees 48 children enter the arena.
Regretting You by Colleen Hoover
The story orbits Morgan and Clara, a mother-daughter duo reeling from a tragic loss that splits their world apart. Told in alternating perspectives, the novel dissects the chaos of grief, betrayal, young love and generational misunderstandings with surgical precision.
The film adaptation is already drawing buzz with a stacked cast that includes Allison Williams, McKenna Grace, Dave Franco and Scott Eastwood.
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Murder. Mayhem. And… retirees? Richard Osman’s clever debut flips the crime genre on its head. In a sleepy English retirement village, four elderly friends meet every Thursday to crack unsolved cases. But when a real murder disrupts their quiet lives, they find themselves in the centre of a whodunit that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt.
The film adaptation is in safe hands, produced by none other than Steven Spielberg, with Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan headlining.
The Running Man by Stephen King
Before The Hunger Games, there was The Running Man. Written under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, King’s dystopian thriller depicts a terrifying future where reality TV is literally a death match. Desperate to save his sick daughter, Ben Richards signs up for a sadistic game show in which contestants are hunted down for sport.
The 1987 adaptation starring Arnold Schwarzenegger took liberties with the plot. But the upcoming version, with Glen Powell leading and Edgar Wright directing, promises to be darker, more faithful, and politically sharper — just as King intended.
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
On paper, Ella Durran has it all: political aspirations, a Rhodes Scholarship, and a one-year stint at Oxford University. What she didn’t plan for was Jamie Davenport — witty, British, and keeping a heartbreaking secret. What begins as a breezy campus romance quietly evolves into something far more profound.
Julia Whelan, herself a former Oxford scholar, infuses this debut with rich observations and real emotional heft.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
t’s not often that a 200-year-old book still feels scarily relevant, but Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein does just that. Far from the campy Halloween version we’ve grown up with, this gothic masterpiece is a meditation on science, guilt, and what it means to be human. Victor Frankenstein’s creation is not a monster, but a misunderstood soul, cursed by his creator’s abandonment.
Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation — long dreamt of, now finally realised — promises to honour the book’s emotional and moral complexity. With Oscar Isaac reportedly starring, this one could be the most thoughtful horror film of the year.
