15 Books to Movies I’m Excited to Read and Watch Next

As a lover of stories, it is always a great pleasure to witness some of my favourite books adapted onto the big screen. In this post, I wanted to share 15 books to movies that I’m incredibly excited to read and watch next.

Please note that most of the release dates follow the international release date for 2025-2026, which means that some of these movies might come out earlier or later than listed.

You can also find a video version of this post on YouTube, linked here.

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1. Steve 

Release Date: October 3^rd, 2025

Steve is adapted from the novella titled “Shy” by Max Porter. The story follows a headteacher (played by Cillian Murphy) who is trying to keep his reform school open while battling with his own mental health. Meanwhile, one of his troubled students named Shy is dealing with his own violent tendencies and past. 

2. The Woman in Cabin 10

Release Date: October 10^th, 2025

“The Woman in Cabin 10” is adapted from the thriller book with the same title by Ruth Ware. The story follows a journalist (played by Keira Knightley) who during a yacht assignment sees a passenger being thrown overboard but no else on the ship believes her. She’s forced to risk her life in order to uncover the truth.

3. Regretting You

Release Date: October 24^th, 2025

“Regretting You” is adapted from the book by Colleen Hoover. The story follows the tense relationship between a young mother (played by Allison Williams) and her teenage daughter (played by Mckenna Grace) following the tragic passing of her father. As is the case for most of Colleen Hoover’s novels, this book-to-movie will also revolve around romance.

4. Die, My Love

Release Date: November 7^th, 2025

“Die, My Love” is adapted from the novel by the Argentinian writer Ariana Harwicz. The story follows Grace (played by Jennifer Lawrence), a writer and young mother, who is sinking into madness as she’s locked away in an old house in the countryside while her husband (played by Robert Pattinson) is left helpless at her demise. This one also has to do with motherhood if they are faithful to the original text.

5. Frankenstein

Release Date: November 7^th, 2025

It is no surprise that Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is at the top of my list. Anything Mary Shelley, I’m in. Finally, we are getting a modern take on creator and creation and the price of Promethean power. The cast is also composed of insanely talented actors, such as Oscar Isaac who plays Victor Frankenstein, Jacob Elordi plays the creature, and Mia Goth plays Elizabeth.

6. The Running Man

Release Date: November 7^th, 2025

“The Running Man” is based on the book with the same title by the famous horror-thriller novelist, you guessed it, Stephen King. We follow Ben Richards (played by Glen Powell) who joins a deadly game show, one in which contestants get to escape poverty and go anywhere in the world but the catch is that they are haunted by ‘hunters’ that are hired to kill them. This movie sounds incredibly thrilling and action-packed!

7. Wicked For Good  

Release Date: November 21^st, 2025

Wicked For Good is the second part of the Wicked movie that came out in 2024. It is based on the retelling by Gregory Maguire. We follow Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West (played by Cynthia Erivo) and the tensions between her and Glinda, the Good Witch of the North (played by Ariana Grande.) Last year, I read “Wicked” the book which differs quite a bit from the movie, which has been adapted from the Broadway Musical. Irregardless, “Wicked” was show-stopping and had me crying, smiling, and singing along. I can’t wait to watch this sequel!

8. Hamnet

Release Date: December 5^th, 2025

“Hamnet” is based on the book with the same title by Maggie O’Farrell. This is a fictional reimagining of the loss of Shakespeare’s son, which prompted his masterpiece, Hamlet. In this movie, Paul Mescal plays Will and Will’s wife Agnes is played by Jessie Buckley. I’m not looking forward to the tears I will shed in this one but I trust anything by Maggie O’Farrell and I have a feeling that this adaptation will be quite faithful and moving.

9. The Housemaid

Release Date: December 25^th, 2025

“The Housemaid” is based on the psychological thriller with the same title by Freida McFadden. The story follows Mille (played by Sydney Sweeney) who becomes the young housemaid of an elite couple; Nina (played by Amanda Seyfried) and her husband Andrew (played by Brandon Sklenar.) All I can gather from the trailer is that both women seem to be hiding secrets and are at odds with each other.

10. People We Meet on Vacation

Release Date: January 9^th, 2026

“People We Meet on Vacation” is based on the romcom with the same title by Emily Henry. I just recently read this book not too long ago and it’s my favourite of the four Emily Henry books I’ve read. The story follows Poppy (played by Emily Bader) and Alex (played by Tom Blyth) who are best friends and total opposites of each other. They live apart from each other but every summer, for the last decade, they spend one week of summer vacation together – until something happened to their friendship two summers ago.

11. Reminders of Him

Release Date: February 6^th, 2026

“Reminders of Him” is based on the novel with the same title by Colleen Hoover. Yes, a second Colleen Hoover book to movie on this list. We follow Kenna (played by Maika Monroe – one of my favourite horror actresses actually) as she builds her life after prison. She incidentally happens to work at the bar of the man who has custody of her young daughter that she wants to reconnect it, but everyone around her is ensuring that does not happen. Obviously, it’s Colleen Hoover and it looks like that there will be a will they won’t they romance between Kenna and Ledger the bar owner (played by Tyriq Withers.)

12. Wuthering Heights

Release Date: February 13^th, 2026

Already creating massive buzz and backlash, this adaptation of the gothic classic “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë stars Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine. Set on the bleak Yorkshire moors, we uncover a story about passion, destructive love, vengeance, and betrayal. Please do me a favour and read this book no matter what happens with this adaptation!

13. Project Hail Mary

Release Date: March 20^th, 2026

“Project Hail Mary” is based on the sci-fi novel with the same title by Andy Weir. The story follows Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling) the sole survivor tasked to save Earth while he’s up alone in space, much like Andy Weir’s previous book-to-movie adaptation “The Martian.”

14. The Odyssey

Release Date: July 17^th, 2026

I think “The Odyssey” might be Christopher Nolan’s most ambitious film as he went straight to the source with Homer’s ancient Greek poem. We follow war hero Odysseus (played by Matt Damon) as he faces a dangerous voyage back home to Ithaca after the events of the Trojan War. The cast is insane: we have Mia Goth, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Robert Pattison, Jon Bernthal – you thought I was finished – we also have the Superman lovebirds, Tom Holland and Zendaya.

15. Verity

Release Date: October 2^nd, 2026

And finally, we come to a third Colleen Hoover adaptation with “Verity.” This one is Colleen Hoover’s psychological thriller. From what I gathered, Lowen Ashleigh, a ghostwriter (played by Dakota Johnson,) gets hired by Jeremy Crawford (played by Josh Hartnett) to ghostwrite novels for his bestselling author wife Verity (played by Anne Hathaway), who’s unable to do so after an accident. Lowen moves into the Crawford home to undertake this task but she uncovers an unfinished autobiography that Verity kept secret.

Honourable Mentions

Here are two honourable mentions, since I’m unsure when these movies will make it to the Canadian screen!

In the Hand of Dante

Potential Release Date: December 2025

I’m really not sure when “In the Hand of Dante” is coming out. The movie is based on the book by Nick Tosches. The story follows a Vatican priest who finds a handwritten manuscript of Dante’s “The Divine Comedy” penned by the author himself. Shortly afterwards, this highly valuable manuscript is taken by a mob boss in New York City. Oh, and it says that Oscar Isaac plays Dante, yes, the Dante.

The Chronology of Water

Potential Release Date: January 9^th, 2025

“The Chronology of Water” is based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir by the same title. It tackles

issues of gender, sexuality, and violence during Yuknavitch’s upbringing as a lifelong swimmer turned artist-writer. I’ve listened to a lot of memoir podcasts featuring Yuknavitch and I simply love the way she expresses herself. In this movie, Lidia Yuknavitch is played by Imogen Poots and this film is also Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut. Anything featuring Kristen Stewart is bound to be stellar. All around, I’m excited to pick up the memoir and watch the movie whenever it is released.

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I hope you enjoyed this post! Every year, I look forward to seeing how some of my favourite books and authors are adapted onto the big screen. Do let me know if you have any book-to-movie recommendations for the coming year! 🍿🎬📚

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