This year has seen an abundance of book adaptations. Some were highly anticipated, while others may have slipped under your radar.
Starting with Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, which has been adapted many times. However, this time it fell into the hands of Guillermo del Toro, a director renowned for his creature-centered stories, such as The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth. Rather than retelling the story exactly the way it was written, he presents his own distinctive vision. In fact, he has spoken about his lifelong fascination with the book and his dream of bringing it to the screen. Well, the result does not disappoint, and I do urge you to watch it if you get a chance.
Next is Mickey 17, an adaptation of Edward Ashton’s Mickey 7 (a slight name change). Despite their similar names, the film and the book differ significantly. The story centers on Mickey, a disposable worker in a dangerous experiment, who is cloned every time he dies. While the filmmakers took inspiration from the concept, it wasn’t their plan to stick precisely to the plot. Still, a strong idea is an integral part of a film, and Bong Joon Ho’s work has received a lot of positive reviews.
The Running Man, directed by Edgar Wright, is another adaptation of a Stephen King novel. While there is already a 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new version sticks closer to King’s original text. Starring Glen Powell, Running Man is a deadly show in which you have to survive for 30 days and avoid being killed by assassins. Desperate for money, Ben enters the competition.
And of course, we can add Wicked: For Good to the list, as it is currently dominating the box office. As the second half of what is now the biggest musical film adaptation ever made, and following the massive success of Wicked (2024), which charmed audiences, I think this one was certainly worth a mention. It also ties back to literature as a prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), the beloved children’s novel by L. Frank Baum.
Moving on to films that premiered at the London Film Festival and are slowly making their way to wider release, one standout is Hamnet (yes, this isn’t a typo). The film arrives in UK cinemas in January and is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel about Shakespeare’s family life and the inspiration behind Hamlet. The book touched many readers, and the film adaptation, directed by Chloé Zhao and starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, has already generated significant interest. It has also won the LFF Audience Award.
Another notable mention goes to Die My Love by Lynne Ramsay, which is an adaptation of a book by Ariana Harwicz, who is an Argentine writer. Both, the film and the book, are about motherhood and the struggles that come with it, including mental health. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, with Martin Scorsese as a producer, and is rather haunting. So if you do decide to watch it, make sure you are emotionally ready for the ride.
While there are many more book adaptations, I would simply run out of space to talk about them all. So here are a few more in brief: H is for Hawk, 100 Nights of Hero, The Ballad of a Small Player, The Thing with Feathers, The History of Sound, Train Dreams.
Finally, here are a few films perfect for casual viewing. The Thursday Murder Club, now streaming on Netflix, is based on Richard Osman’s bestselling series. The story is about four residents in a retirement village that meet up to try and solve murder cases. With a stellar cast and direction by Chris Columbus (whom you may know from Home Alone), it’s an ideal Friday-night watch.
My Oxford Year and The Life List, also on Netflix and both starring Sofia Carson, fall exactly into the kind of easy-to-watch, Netflix-style romantic dramas she often appears in. Both are book adaptations, one by Julia Whelan and the other by Lori Nelson Spielman.
And finally, there’s Regretting You, adapted from Colleen Hoover’s book and starring Dave Franco. Hoover’s novels are famously popular and often spark a range of opinions, and the film has received a similarly mixed reception. Despite the varied reviews, both her books and their adaptations continue to attract a large audience, highlighting her strong appeal in contemporary romance.
