By Jen Craven
Not all book lovers are film buffs, and not all moviegoers are avid readers…BUT, when the two collide, it hits a sweet spot for the person who loves both. Some of my all-time favorite book-to-film adaptations include Little Women (any and all, but especially the 1994 version), Atonement, Harry Potter, and Room (okay, wow…that’s a diverse group).
This year saw some new adaptations on both the big and small screen based on bestselling books. A few notable ones: A Man Called Otto (motion picture), Dear Edward (Apple TV), Daisy Jones and the Six (Prime), and The Last Thing He Told Me (Apple TV).
Admittedly, I tend to favor the book over the movie in almost all instances; however, there are times I’m pleasantly surprised by a film and the way the story is adapted. I’m always eager to see who is cast in the roles and watch the story come to life off the page. It’s such a skill to take an 80K+ word novel and trim it down into a digestible movie or series. Kudos to screenwriters!
Here are some adaptations that are creating buzz for the end of 2023 and into 2024:
Lessons in Chemistry
Already filmed and set to release its first episode on October 13, 2023 on Apple TV+. Based on the 2022 novel by Bonnie Garmus, the series stars Brie Larson, who plays Elizabeth Zott, a highly-skilled research chemist whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a TV cooking show.
Cr: Slate Magazine
Killers of the Flower Moon
An epic Western, this film releases October 6, 2023 and centers on a series of Oklahoma murders in the Osage Nation during the 1920s. Directed by Martin Scorsese, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser to name a few. Warning: It’s 3 ½ hours long!
Cr: IMDB
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Calling all Hunger Games fans! This new film, which premieres November 17, 2023, is the prequel to everyone’s favorite kill-or-be-killed adventure. Actor Tom Blyth plays Panem future President Coriolanus Snow, and the movie takes followers to the origin of everything before Katniss came onto the scene.
Cr: YouTube
Turtles All the Way Down
Based on John Green’s 2017 bestseller, this film centers on 16-year-old Aza Holmes as she attempts to solve the mystery of a fugitive billionaire, deals with her grief over losing her father, and navigates her relationship with best friend, Daisy, all while dealing with the complexities of mental illness (whew!). It is scheduled to run on HBO with an as yet to be determined date.
Cr: The Hollywood Reporter
Black Cake
Two estranged siblings dive into their mother’s mysterious past after her death in this family saga that spans the Caribbean. A story of secrets, betrayals, and identity affect relationships between family members. Set to release late 2023 as a series on Hulu.
Cr: Deadline
Leave the World Behind
Two families on a weekend vacation gone wrong—that’s the premise of this upcoming psychological thriller. With a star-studded cast including Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Bacon and more, it’s promised to be a hurricane of crises and tension. Releases December 8, 2023 on Netflix.
Cr: Netflix
The Color Purple
Everyone knows the 1985 film, but did you know Alice Walker’s classic novel was also made into a musical? Now the musical is being adapted into a film, starring Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson and more. It’s set to release on Christmas Day 2023 nationwide. Bring your tissues!
Cr: Variety
A Gentleman in Moscow
Based on the 2016 novel by Amor Towles, this film stars Ewan McGregor as a Russian man ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel as 1920s Bolshevik Revolution unfolds outside. No set date for this one, but will premiere on Paramount+ in late 2023 or early 2024.
Cr: The Handbook
We Were the Lucky Ones
From Georgia Hunter’s bestselling novel comes a story of a Jewish family separated at the start of WWII and desperately trying to reconnect. This Hulu limited miniseries will star Joey King, and is set to release in late 2023.
Cr: Deadline
Wicked
I heard the announcement of this 2-part feature film what feels like ages ago, and it will finally make its way to the screen November 27, 2024 (part 1). If it’s anything like the stage production, it’s bound to be great—Ariana Grande and Cynthia Arivo lead the cast. Based on the smash Broadway hit and Gregory Maguire’s novel. I think it’s going to be “Popular”!
Cr: YouTube