{"id":272140,"date":"2025-12-18T09:30:42","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T22:30:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.russh.com\/?p=272140"},"modified":"2025-12-18T09:30:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T22:30:03","slug":"book-adaptations-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.russh.com\/book-adaptations-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Every book being adapted into film and TV in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there\u2019s one thing we never get tired of, it\u2019s watching our favourite reads take on a second life. And 2026 is shaping up to be another stacked year for book lovers, with both film and television turning to novels old and new for their next big stories.<\/p>\n

From modern cult favourites to classic literature with a twist, these are the book-to-screen adaptations set to define the next year. Consider this your reminder to get reading.<\/p>\n

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1. People We Meet on Vacation<\/em> by Emily Henry<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> January 9, 2026<\/p>\n

Emily Henry\u2019s cult-favourite friends-to-lovers romance is officially getting the Netflix treatment. The story centres on Poppy and Alex, two opposites who are somehow best friends \u2014 until a disastrous holiday ended their annual summer trips. Two years later, Poppy convinces Alex to give it one more go, hoping the getaway will fix whatever broke between them. Emily Bader stars as Poppy, with Tom Blyth as Alex, joined by Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Molly Shannon and Lukas Gage.<\/p>\n

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2. Wuthering Heights<\/em> by Emily Bront\u00eb<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> 14 February, 2026<\/p>\n

Oh we’ve been waiting<\/em> for this one. Emerald Fennell is taking on Bront\u00eb\u2019s stormiest masterpiece, with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi cast as Catherine and Heathcliff. Produced by Robbie’s company LuckyChap, the film promises a modern, sensorial take on the doomed lovers who haunt the Yorkshire moors \u2013 just listen to Charli XCX’s original score for proof. If Fennell\u2019s track record (Saltburn<\/em>, Promising Young Woman<\/em>, the list goes on) means anything, this will be lush, provocative, and rich in symbolism.<\/p>\n

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3. Sense & Sensibility<\/em> by Jane Austen<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> September 11, 2026<\/p>\n

A new generation is getting its own Sense & Sensibility<\/em><\/a>. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esm\u00e9 Creed-Miles and George MacKay, this adaptation promises a sharper, more youthful lens on Austen\u2019s story of love, restraint and social pressure \u2013 particularly considering the screenplay was written by Australia’s own Diana Reid<\/a>. We can’t wait to be re-introduced to the Dashwood sisters.<\/p>\n

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4. Verity<\/em> by Colleen Hoover<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> October 2, 2026<\/p>\n

Colleen Hoover\u2019s psychological thriller is stepping into the spotlight at last. Verity<\/em> is heading to the big screen with Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, and Josh Hartnett in the lead roles \u2014 perfect casting for this twisted trio, if we do say so ourselves. The plot centres on Lowen, a struggling writer hired to complete a bestselling author\u2019s unfinished novels, only to uncover something darker in the family home. Expect a twisty adaptation that leans into the book\u2019s most unsettling turns.<\/p>\n

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5. Sunrise on the Reaping<\/em> by Suzanne Collins<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> November 20, 2026<\/p>\n

The Hunger Games<\/em><\/a> is looking back \u2014 this time through the eyes of a young Haymitch Abernathy. Suzanne Collins\u2019 newest prequel traces the brutal events of the 50th Hunger Games, long before Katniss ever stepped into the arena. With a teaser trailer already here<\/a>, expect a darker, more political origin story that deepens the mythology of Panem.<\/p>\n

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6. Narnia: The Magician\u2019s Nephew<\/em> by C.S. Lewis<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> November 26, 2026<\/p>\n

Greta Gerwig\u2019s next major literary adaptation is a return to Narnia \u2014 but not the version we\u2019ve seen on screen before. The Magician\u2019s Nephew<\/em>, the origin story of the entire Chronicles, follows the creation of Narnia, the first appearance of the White Witch, and the earliest magic that shaped the world. With Netflix backing it and a late-2026 release planned, it\u2019s set to be one of the year\u2019s biggest fantasy events.<\/p>\n

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7. Heartstopper Forever <\/em>by Alice Oseman<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> TBC<\/p>\n

Nick and Charlie\u2019s story isn\u2019t ending quietly. The final instalment of Alice Oseman\u2019s graphic-novel series is being adapted as a feature-length film, set to close the Heartstopper<\/em> universe with one last chapter in 2026. Expect tenderness, growing pains and a heartfelt send-off to one of the most beloved queer love stories of the decade.<\/p>\n

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8. Margo\u2019s Got Money Troubles<\/em> by Rufi Thorpe<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> TBC<\/p>\n

Rufi Thorpe\u2019s novel is heading to television with an A-list cast to match. The series follows Margo Millet \u2014 a young single mum trying to stay afloat after dropping out of college \u2014 who turns to OnlyFans as a last-ditch attempt to make rent. When her estranged father, a washed-up pro wrestler, reappears, Margo\u2019s life becomes even more chaotic (and unexpectedly funny). Elle Fanning is set to lead the series, with Michelle Pfeiffer playing her mother and Nicole Kidman attached in a still-unknown role.<\/p>\n

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9. Scarpetta<\/em> by Patricia Cornwell<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> March 11 2026, on Prime Video<\/p>\n

Another Nicole Kidman-centric masterpiece, though this one falls into the crime thriller category. Scarpetta<\/em> borrows its plot from Patricia Cornwell’s novels, charting the highly skilled Dr. Kay Scarpetta (played by Kidman), who resolves to uncover the identity of a serial killer, while at the same time proving her career-making case from 28 years prior isn\u2019t also her undoing.<\/p>\n

There are some equally big names rounding out the cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Simon Baker, Ariana DeBose, and Bobby Cannavale.<\/p>\n

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10. The God of the Woods <\/em>by Liz Moore<\/h3>\n

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Release date:<\/strong> TBC<\/p>\n

This New York Times best seller is heading to Netflix, as an hour-long series. There’s no word on casting yet, but allow us to catch you up on the plot. It’s described as “a multi-generational drama series set in the Adirondacks, exploring the Van Laar family\u2019s dark secrets, class tensions, and the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of 13 year old Barbara Van Laar from her family\u2019s summer camp\u2014in the wake of an earlier family tragedy that may be related. As the past and present collide, the Van Laars\u2019 wealth and influence unravel, revealing the damaging consequences of privilege and the abuse of power.\u201d We’re listening.<\/p>\n

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