21 books you should read before they're turned into movies and TV shows this year

'The Testaments'

Margaret Atwood's sequel to "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Testaments," was published in 2019, 34 years after the first novel.

It takes place 15 years after the events of "The Handmaid's Tale," and follows Aunt Lydia as she educates a new group of young women in the dystopian country of Gilead.

Like "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Testaments" has been adapted into a Hulu series from the same team as the original show. The new generation of handmaids will be played by Chase Infiniti, Lucy Halliday, and Rowan Blanchard, while Ann Dowd will return to play Aunt Lydia.

The series premieres on April 8.

'Margo's Got Money Troubles'

"Margo's Got Money Troubles" is the story of Margo, a college student who begins an affair with one of her professors, only to end up pregnant and alone. To help with escalating childcare costs, Margo turns to OnlyFans to make money and enlists her professional wrestler father to improve her screen presence.

Elle Fanning will play Margo in the Apple TV+ adaptation, with Nick Offerman playing her father and Michelle Pfeiffer playing her mother. Her baby's father, Mark, will be played by Michael Angarano, and their mediator will be played by Nicole Kidman.

The first three episodes drop on April 15.

'Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story'

Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like: "Three Bags Full," a German novel written in 2006 by Leonie Swann, focuses on a flock of sheep who become determined to solve the murder of their beloved shepherd, George.

The adaptation, which has been retitled "The Sheep Detectives," stars Hugh Jackman as George, while his flock of sheep are voiced by Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris O'Dowd, Regina Hall, and Patrick Stewart.

It will be released on May 8.

'Remarkably Bright Creatures'

"Remarkably Bright Creatures" was a sensation among book clubs when it was published in 2022. It's about the bond between a widow who works at an aquarium as a cleaner, Tova, and an octopus at the aquarium, named Marcellus. The story really begins when Cameron, an aimless 30-year-old, also begins working at the aquarium.

In the film, which will drop on Netflix on May 8, Tova will be played by Sally Field, Cameron by Lewis Pullman, and Marcellus, our narrator, will be voiced by Alfred Molina.

'The Deal'

"The Deal" is the first book in Elle Kennedy's mega-successful "Off Campus" series, which follows a hockey team at the fictional Briar University and their various romantic entanglements. "The Deal" focuses on Hannah (Ella Bright) and Garrett (Belmont Cameli), two students who pretend to date — Hannah gets to make her crush jealous, and Garrett gets a free tutor and the help he needs to stay on the team.

You can probably guess what happens next.

"Off Campus" will premiere on Prime Video on May 13, and it's already been renewed for a second season. If you like "The Deal," you'll probably like the second book, "The Mistake," too.

'The Executioners'

This summer marks the third time John D. MacDonald's 1957 novel will be adapted for screens — you might know it better by the name of its big screen adaptations, "Cape Fear."

The latest filmed version of "The Executioners" will be an Apple TV+ series starring Javier Bardem as the recently released convict with a bone to pick, Max Cady; Patrick Wilson as Cady's lawyer with a life-altering secret, Tom Bowden; and Amy Adams as Tom's wife and attorney in her own right, Anna Bowden.

The first two episodes will premiere on June 5.

'Every Summer After'

Another BookTok romance fave is getting the Prime Video treatment this summer, too. "Every Summer After" by Carley Fortune will be turned into "Every Year After," a series that premieres on June 10.

The book — and show — focuses on Persephone (Percy) Fraser, a teenager whose parents buy a house on Barry's Bay, a Canadian lake outside Toronto. She meets and is immediately smitten with her new neighbor, Sam Florek … but his older brother Charlie ain't half bad either.

Our main trio will be played by Sadie Soverall, Matt Cornett, and Michael Bradway, respectively.

'The Odyssey'

Homer's epic poem has been translated from Homeric Greek a great many times since it was first translated in the 1500s.

But director Christopher Nolan told Empire Magazine that he was specifically working off Emily Wilson's translation, published in 2017, so that's the one we'll recommend, too.

If it's been a minute since you dusted off your Greek mythology gap, "The Odyssey" follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, on his decadeslong journey to return home after the Trojan War. Along the way, he meets some of the most iconic monsters, legends, and gods in the Greek canon, including the Cyclops, Circe, the Sirens, Athena, and more.

The film hits theaters on July 17, though tickets at some theaters are already sold out.

'The Dog Stars'

"The Dog Stars," written by Peter Heller, was published in 2012. It takes place in a postapocalyptic society with the survivors of a flu-like pandemic. It follows a pilot living an isolated existence in Colorado with just one other (quite bitter) person for company. But when he hears a mysterious signal over his plane's radio while flying one day, he resolves to seek out its source.

The film adaptation, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, will be released on August 28.

'The Book of Magic'

Maybe you could've guessed from the cover, but "The Book of Magic," written by Alice Hoffman, is the long-awaited sequel to her novel "Practical Magic." The first book was published in 1995, and 26 years later, Hoffman published its follow-up in 2021.

The film adaptations will have a similarly long gap. "Practical Magic" was released in theaters in 1998, and its sequel, "Practical Magic 2," will be released on September 18.

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are back as the witchy Owens sisters, as are Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest as their magical aunts. Newcomers to the cast include Joey King, Xolo Maridueña, Maisie Williams, and Lee Pace.

'Sense and Sensibility'

Thirty years after "Sense and Sensibility" was adapted by Emma Thompson and Ang Lee, the 1811 novel by Jane Austen will once again return to the silver screen, this time starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, and George MacKay, on September 25.

"Sense and Sensibility" is the tale of the Dashwood sisters, who are left penniless after their half-brother and his wife take almost all of their inheritance from their father. While Elinor (Edgar-Jones) tries to be practical, her younger sister Marianne (Creed-Miles) is determined to, as the kids say, romanticize her life.

'Verity'

"Verity" is the second Colleen Hoover adaptation of 2026, though it couldn't be more different from "Reminders of Him."

"Verity," published in 2018, is easily Hoover's darkest book. It follows Lowen Ashleigh, a writer struggling to get by, who by chance gets hired to take over as the ghost writer for the now-comatose Verity Crawford. But when Lowen begins looking over Verity's manuscript, she soon wonders if she's reading a disturbing work of fiction, or a confession of heinous crimes.

The adaptation stars Dakota Johnson as Lowen, Anne Hathaway as Verity, and Josh Hartnett as Verity's husband Jeremy. It will come to theaters on October 2.

'Incidents Around the House'

This one isn't for the faint of heart. "Incidents Around the House," written by Josh Malerman in 2024, is about an 8-year-old girl, Bela, who is terrorized by a mysterious entity she calls Other Mommy.

Fittingly, the adaptation, which comes to big screens on October 9, has a new title: "Other Mommy." It stars Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, Dichen Lachman, and Arabella Olivia Clark as Bela.

'Sunrise on the Reaping'

For years, fans begged "Hunger Games" author Suzanne Collins to tell the story of Haymitch Abernathy's games. In March 2025, she obliged, publishing "Sunrise on the Reaping," a "Hunger Games" prequel that takes place 24 years before the first novel.

It tells the story of the 25th Hunger Games, which Haymitch, the future tribute mentor for District 12, won. As with all "Hunger Games" books, it's devastating.

"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," which boasts an all-star cast of Mckenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Billy Porter, Maya Hawke, Lili Taylor, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Whitney Peak, and newcomer Joseph Zada as Haymitch, will be in theaters on November 20.

'Dune Messiah'

After the two-part adaptation of "Dune," the third film in the series is set to take on Frank Herbert's second novel in the series, "Dune Messiah," published in 1969.

Picking up after the events of "Dune: Part Two," "Dune: Part Three" will follow Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he struggles to control the galaxy, prevent the death of millions, avenge his father, and juggle relationships with Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and his love Chani (Zendaya). It's set to be released on December 18.

'The Love Hypothesis'

We've reached the part of the list where the adaptations don't have official release dates, but it's a safe bet that they'll come out at some point in 2026.

First up is Ali Hazelwood's "The Love Hypothesis," originally published in 2021, after originally being posted on the internet as "Star Wars" fan fiction.

It's about a young PhD student, Olive, who, after a series of mishaps, is forced to fake-date a faculty member at her university: Dr. Adam Carlsen. You can guess what happens.

The film will star Lili Reinhart as Olive and Tom Bateman as Adam — and fans are already frothing at the mouth after Reinhart's TikToks from set went viral.

'The Last Mrs. Parrish'

This 2017 novel written by Liv Constantine tells the tale of Amber Patterson, a scammer with a plan to take over the life of rich, beautiful socialite Daphne Parrish.

The film, directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Isabel May as Amber, Jennifer Lopez as Daphne, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Daphne's husband, Jackson, is expected to hit Netflix at some point next year.

And if that's not enough, there's always the sequel, "The Next Mrs. Parrish."

'You Deserve Each Other'

Sarah Hogle wrote "You Deserve Each Other" in 2020. The novel is about Nicholas and Naomi, an engaged couple who are the furthest thing from soon-to-be-newlywed bliss. In fact, they're in a game of chicken to see who can call off the wedding (and be stuck with the nonrefundable deposits) first.

The film adaptation will star Meghann Fahy and Penn Badgley as Naomi and Nick, with a supporting cast of Natalie Morales, Justin Long, Kyle MacLachlan, and Ana Gasteyer. It's not yet known if it will head straight to Prime Video or get a theatrical run.

'Cry to Heaven'

Nine years after his last directorial effort, Deadline reported that Tom Ford is going to adapt Anne Rice's 1982 novel "Cry to Heaven," with an aimed release date of fall 2026.

The novel follows a student and teacher in 18th-century Italy: Tonio Treschi and Guido Maffeo.

While we don't know who is playing whom yet, the announced cast is already iconic: Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, George MacKay, Paul Bettany, Hunter Schafer, Thandiwe Newton, and, making her acting debut, Adele.

'One Italian Summer'

Paramount acquired the rights to adapt Rebecca Serle's 2022 novel "One Italian Summer" in 2023, per Variety, but for over two years there was no news.

That is until a throwaway line in a December 2025 Hollywood Reporter piece about David Ellison's takeover of Paramount mentioned that the project would be moving forward starring Brie Larson.

The novel is about Katy, a 30-something woman mourning the death of her mother and best friend, Carol. As the two had planned a luxurious Italian vacation before Carol's death, Katy decides to take the trip herself to try to reconnect with her mother's spirit, but she gets a bit more than she asked for when she seemingly meets a younger version of her mom on the beach.

'The Bodyguard'

Netflix announced that Katherine Center's novel "The Bodyguard," published in 2022, will be adapted for the streamer — and while no release date has been set, since the film takes place around the holidays, we can assume a November or December release date is in the cards.

The story follows Jack Stapleton, a famous actor with a stalker, who hires bodyguard Hannah Brooks, to protect him. But since he doesn't want to worry his sick mother, the two instead pretend to date.

The catch with this adaptation? Since there's already a quite famous film called "The Bodyguard," Netflix, along with stars Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki, asked fans to come up with a new name for the film, and they landed on "Guarding Stars."