These Page-Turning Books Are Becoming TV Shows or Movies This Year
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Whether you're an avid reader or not, it's worth noting that many of the movies and TV shows you love today are actually based on books. The year 2024 alone has seen a number of new movie releases and television series that were adapted from best-selling page-turners, with plenty of more on the way. It sort of makes sense when you think about it: A film needs to be written out first before any of the production can come to life—and books already have that part down. So, if you're curious to see which of this year's best movies and shows were originally novels, then read on for a list of book-to-screen adaptations in 2024!
If you're looking for a romance movie or show, then you'll love the series One Day. Just be sure to bring some tissues, because it's every bit as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. If you're into more historical dramas (or even movies and shows based on true stories), then look no further than the Apple TV+ series, Masters of Air. Just be careful, you might fall in love with each and every actor on the screen. There are also other long-awaited and highly-anticipated films on this list, like the musical Wicked and the adaptation of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us. Though, instead of spoiling the entire list, just go ahead and read on to see what else there is in store.
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Masters of Air
Release Date: January 26, 2024
Cast: Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Barry Keoghan, and Isabel May.
If you're looking for an inspirational and historical watch, this is certainly it. The series, which was adapted from the book by Donald L. Miller, tells the true story of a group of men in the Mighty Eighth Air Force during World War II. The friendships that were formed and dangers that were faced will all be exhibited.
Argylle
Release Date: February 2, 2024
Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, John Cena, and Ariana DeBose.
An author thinks that she's simply writing fictional stories in her espionage novels. When her plots begin to replicate real life events, things start to get a little tricky—and now, she's at the forefront of a high-stakes investigation. Fun fact: While the author of the book is deemed to be Elly Conway (also the name of the main character in the story), the real writers are Terry Hayes and Tammy Cohen.
One Day
Release Date: February 8, 2024
Cast: Ambika Mod, Leo Woodall, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jonny Weldon, and Amber Grappy.
David Nicholls sent readers for an emotional doozy when he wrote this book back in 2009. The Netflix series will leave you teary-eyed as it follows two students who don't officially meet until the night of their graduation. Falling in love instantly, they struggle with the fact that the next day they'll have to leave each other for good.
Lisa Frankenstein
Release Date: February 9, 2024
Cast: Kathryn Newton, Cole Sprouse, Liza Soberano, and Paola Andino.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley has been adapted into many different series, movies, and plays. This time around, the story is being turned into a comedy horror about a gal who wishes to bring Frankenstein back to life. Why? Well, because he's her true love, apparently!
Spaceman
Release Date: February 23, 2024
Cast: Adam Sandler, Paul Dano, Carey Mulligan, Kunal Nayyar, and Isabella Rossellini.
This one is for the sci-fi privy folks out there. The Adam Sandler led movie is based off the book by Jaroslav Kalfař. You'll watch as Sandler's character flees earth for Venus, which is where he discovers an abnormally sized spider who he can somehow communicate with. If it sounds weird... it is! But it's also one fascinating watch.
Dune 2
Release Date: March 1, 2024
Cast: Timotheé Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Rebecca Ferguson.
If you loved the first movie in this sci-fi series, then just wait 'til you see the second one. Dune 2 still covers the bases of the first book in the Frank Herbert original—so it'll pick up right where the first film left off. Basically, you'll see Paul Atreides win the Arrakis people over, while the leaders of Harkonnen begin their plot of regaining power.
The Sympathizer
Release Date: April 14, 2024
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Hoa Xuande, Scott Ly, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, and Tien Pham.
Robert Downey Jr. helped create (and acted in) this HBO series which was ultimately constructed from a book of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen. You'll watch as a North Vietnamese mole tries to figure out secrets by being sent to the United States with the South Vietnamese army.
Turtles All the Way Down
Release Date: May 2, 2024
Cast: Isabela Merced, Felix Mallard, Cree Cicchino, Hannah Marks, John Green, and Debby Ryan.
John Green is sort of a master at young adult novels with plenty of his books becoming screen-adaptations, including his most recent page-turner Turtles All the Way Down. It's a peculiar but riveting story of a teenage girl (who suffers from OCD), and the journey she ventures on to find her neighbor's missing billionaire dad. The catch: if she does find him, she gets a whopping prize of $100,000.
Bridgerton Season 3
Release Date: May 16, 2024 and June 13, 2024
Cast: Nicola Coughlan, Simone Ashley, Jonathan Bailey, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, and Hannah Dodd.
The Bridgerton novel series written by Julia Quinn have been transformed into an aesthetic Netflix series filled with fictional English romances and drama, made modern only by the classic covers of pop songs that play in the background. Season 3, which is split up into two parts, will focus on a blossoming connection between fan-favorites Colin and Penelope.
The Watchers
Release Date: June 7, 2024
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Siobhan Hewlett, Alistair Brammer, and Oliver Finnegan.
Horror fans, rise up. The Watchers, a gothic and suspenseful book composed by by A.M. Shine, will come to life on the big screen in June. It tells the eerie chronicles of a supernatural game of hide and seek. Basically, a group of people are trapped in an enclosed space, and have to try to escape the mystic creatures looming in the shade.
It Ends With Us
Release Date: August 9, 2024
Cast: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Brandon Sklenar, Isabela Ferrer, and Jenny Slate.
If you know anything about author Colleen Hoover, it likely has to do with her smash hit of a book, It Ends With Us. The screen adaptation will focus on the same plot as the novel, which follows a woman named Lily and her struggling love life and niche career. There are heavy themes within this one, so keep that in mind before watching.
Wicked
Release Date: November 27, 2024
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater, and Jonathan Bailey.
Gregory Maguire's Wicked scored two power vocalists as its cinematic leads: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. They'll play Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (Glinda the Good) in the musical story of two friends with opposite personalities. It's essentially the unofficial origin story of the two characters from The Wizard of Oz.
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