From Dune: Part Two to One Day, this year has already begun with several book adaptations to the screen. Yet, the excitement isn’t quite over, considering that other notable page-turners are getting turned into films and TV shows. For instance, The Idea of You, which is based on a novel by Robinne Lee, is already breaking records with the most viewed trailer from a streaming service ever. Another anticipated release, the cinematic version of Wicked, has been a long time in the making, and it will finally hit theaters by the end of this year. With so many upcoming page-to-screen projects coming out, here is a curated list filled with must-sees.
Ripley
Release Date: April 4, 2024 | Book: “The Talented Mr. Ripley” by Patricia Highsmith
Cast: Andrew Scott, Johnny Flynn, Dakota Fanning, Eliot Sumner
After Matt Damon played Mr. Ripley in the 1999 film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith‘s novel, Andrew Scott will take on the role of the grifter in an upcoming miniseries. Similarly to the film and the book it is based on, the Netflix original will follow Tom Ripley, a con man in the ’60s that often gets by in his schemes. After a wealthy man hires him to retrieve his son from Italy, the protagonist becomes obsessed with the person he is supposed to take back home. As the character becomes exposed to the luxurious lifestyle in Italy, he slowly gets entangled in murder, deceit, and fraud.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Release Date: April 19, 2024 | Book: “Churchill’s Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII” by Damian Lewis
Cast: Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Eiza Gonzalez, Hero Fiennes Tiffin
After leaving The Witcher in Season 3, Henry Cavill has been busy with other cinematic ventures, including Argylle and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. The latter title is set to be released next month, and it will be centered on a top secret group that fought the Nazis during World War II and were commanded by Winston Churchill. Although the film is based on Damian Lewis‘ book, it is inspired by a real-life motley crew that used some unconventional fighting techniques to change the course of the war.
The Sympathizer
Release Date: April 19, 2024 | Book: “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Cast: Hoa Xuande, Sandra Oh, Robert Downey Jr. Ky Duyen
HBO isn’t done with book-to-series adaptations, and their next anticipated release is The Sympathizer. Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, the series will follow a North Vietnamese spy (played by Hoa Xuande) who settles in Los Angeles amid the end of the war in Vietnam. As he lives in America within a refugee community, the main character secretly continues to spy and report his findings to the Viet Cong. The project is executive produced by recent Oscar winner, Robert Downey Jr. who will also star in the series as multiple characters.
The Idea of You
Release Date: May 2, 2024 | Book: “The Idea of You” by Robinne Lee
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumulo
As previously said, the excitement from fans over The Idea of You has been unreal. The film premiered at SXSW earlier this month, and it received primarily positive reviews from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Based on Lee’s novel of the same name, the adaptation follows a divorced woman in her 40s called Sólene (Anne Hathaway), who falls head over heels for a much younger and charming, boyband lead singer (Hayes played by Nicholas Galitzine). Despite the significant age gap, the two have a heated romance that defeats society’s expectations.
The Watchers
Release Date: July 14, 2024 | Book: “The Watchers” by A.M. Shine
Cast: Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Alistair Brammer, Hannah Howland
A.M. Shine’s bestseller, The Watchers, will be adapted to the screen later this year. The project will mark Ishana Shyamalan‘s feature directorial debut, after years working alongside her father (M. Night Shyamalan) in the Apple TV + series The Servant and in Old. The film will follow Mina (Dakota Fanning), a 27-year-old artist who embarks on a trip to the Western Irish countryside. As she travels on foot, the protagonist soon gets lost in the forest and entrapped in a concrete bunker alongside three other strangers. During the nighttime, various creepy-looking creatures watch these people in the bunker from the outside, making it nearly impossible to know what their intentions are. As this group of people plan to escape during the daytime, they become fearful of whether they will make it out of the forest before the creatures come after them at night.
The Amateur
Release Date: November 8, 2024 | Book: “The Amateur” by Robert Littell
Cast: Rami Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Julianne Nicholson, Caitriona Balfe
Rami Malek is ready to tap into CIA territory again, this time not as the villain. Based on Robert Littel‘s page-turning thriller, the film will follow Charles Heller (Malek), a CIA cryptographer who is stricken by grief after his wife dies in a London terrorist attack. As the character seeks to avenge his wife’s death, Charles begs the agency to train him so that he can be more active on the field. The film will be directed by James Hawes, who directed One Life and Black Mirror. It will also star The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s alum Rachel Brosnahan and Outlander‘s lead actress, Caitrona Balfe.
Wicked
Release Date: November 27, 2024 | Book: “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregorie Maguire
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh
There is still a while left before Wicked lands in theaters. Yet, compared to the 20-year wait for the musical to even be adapted to the screen, a few months isn’t too far ahead. The film will have Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande playing the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, much before the events that unfold in The Wizard of Oz. The two witches used to have a tight-knit friendship, whose bond goes through various ups and downs until they ultimately head their separate ways. The movie musical will be split into two films, meaning that there will still be more material to cover even after Part I comes out on Thanksgiving.
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