Hollywood is taking a page out of famous authors’ books.
In 2026, Studios and streamers alike are leaning into book-to-screen storytelling, adapting everything from literary classics and modern romances to thrillers and sci-fi epics. Authors like Emily Henry, Emily Brontë, Suzanne Collins, and Homer are the brains behind some of the novels that inspired highly anticipated movies releasing this year.
Here are the film and TV adaptations coming out in 2026, from Wuthering Heights and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping to Scarpetta and Margo’s Got Money Troubles.
1. His & Hers (January 8)
Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson co-star in His & Hers, a new Netflix limited series based on Alice Feeney’s twisty psychological thriller of the same name. The six-episode show centers on estranged spouses Jack Harper (Bernthal), a detective, and Anna (Thompson), a news reporter, as they try to solve a small-town murder and become suspects in each other’s cases.
2. People We Meet On Vacation (January 9)
MORE FOR YOU
Netflix adds to its vast assortment of romantic comedies with People We Meet on Vacation, based on Emily Henry’s popular friends-to-lovers novel of the same name. The movie follows Poppy (Emily Bader) and Alex (Tom Blyth), two best friends with wildly different personalities who agree to take a vacation together every summer.
3. Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Mystery (January 15)
Queen of Crime Agatha Christie inspires Netflix’s new three-part series Seven Dials Mystery, based on Christie’s novel The Seven Dials Mystery. Mia McKenna-Bruce stars as Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent, a young aristocrat who doggedly pursues the truth after a murder occurs during an elaborate house party. The murder mystery series also stars Helena Bonham Carter, Martin Freeman and Corey Mylchreest.
4. Bridgerton Season 4 (January 29 And February 26)
The swoon-worthy fourth season of Bridgerton is adapted from Julia Quinn’s novel An Offer from a Gentleman, which is focused on Benedict Bridgerton’s (Luke Thompson) love story. The new season premieres on Netflix with four episodes on January 29, followed by the remaining four episodes releasing on February 26.
5. Wuthering Heights (February 13)
Writer-director Emerald Fennell (Saltburn, Promising Young Woman) brings Emily Brontë’s literary masterpiece Wuthering Heights to the big screen in a film starring Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw. The movie releases in theaters on February 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
6. Crime 101 (February 13)
Marvel stars Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo reunite not as superheroes, but as characters on opposite sides of the law in Crime 101. The movie is adapted from Don Winslow’s novella of the same name and focuses on a skilled jewel thief who’s hunted by a detective determined to take him down. The action thriller also stars Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte and Halle Berry.
7. Scarpetta (March 11)
Nicole Kidman’s latest project, Scarpetta, is adapted from Patricia Cornwell’s best-selling crime book series about the fictional character Dr. Kay Scarpetta. The Prime Video series follows the medical examiner as she uses her expertise to expose a serial killer and get justice.
8. Reminders of Him (March 13)
The Colleen Hoover film adaptations continue with Reminders of Him, a drama about Kenna (Maika Monroe), a woman who returns home after serving a seven-year prison sentence and attempts to start anew, while also fostering a relationship with her daughter. The movie hits theaters on March 13.
9. Project Hail Mary (March 20)
In Project Hail Mary, based on Andy Weir’s 2021 sci-fi novel of the same name, Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a sixth-grade teacher with a doctorate in molecular biology. A space agency recruits him to help solve the mystery of why the sun and other stars are dying, and ultimately save the world from extinction. The movie releases in theaters on March 20.
10. Margo’s Got Money Troubles (April 15)
Apple TV’s upcoming series Margo’s Got Money Troubles is based on Rufi Thorpe’s heartfelt and entertaining novel of the same name. The series follows Margo (Elle Fanning), a college dropout and young mother struggling to make ends meet. The show also stars Michelle Pfeiffer as Margo’s mom, a former Hooters waitress, and Nick Offerman as her dad, an ex-pro wrestler.
11. The Sheep Detectives (May 8)
Hugh Jackman stars as a shepherd named George Hardy, who spends his days tending to his sheep and reading murder mysteries to his flock at night. After the sheep find George dead, they band together and use their crime-solving skills to determine what happened to him. The movie releases in theaters in May and is based on Leonie Swann’s novel Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story.
12. The Odyssey (July 17)
Christopher Nolan takes on Homer’s epic tale, The Odyssey, in a film adaptation that stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlize Theron. The movie will release in theaters this summer.
13. The Dog Stars (August 28)
Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Guy Pearce and Benedict Wong star in Ridley Scott’s upcoming post-apocalyptic sci-fi film The Dog Stars, based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel of the same name. The movie will be released in theaters in August.
14. Sense & Sensibility (September 11)
Jane Austen’s classic novel Sense and Sensibility gets the big-screen treatment with a film set for release in theaters in September, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor and Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne.
15. Practical Magic 2 (September 18)
Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock reprise their roles as siblings and witches Gillian and Sally Owens, respectively, in an upcoming sequel to the 1998 cult classic film Practical Magic, which was based on Alice Hoffman’s novel of the same name. Practical Magic 2 will adapt Hoffman’s 2021 novel The Book of Magic and will release in theaters in September.
16. Verity (October 2)
Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett star in Verity, based on Colleen Hoover’s 2018 psychological drama of the same name. The story follows a struggling writer who takes on a job as a ghostwriter for a famous, best-selling author named Verity Crawford, and uncovers secrets.
17. Other Mommy (October 9)
Jessica Chastain stars in Other Mommy, a film adaptation of Josh Malerman’s unsettling 2024 horror novel Incidents Around the House. The story centers on a family haunted by an entity known as Other Mommy. The movie will release in theaters this fall.
18. Remain (October 23)
M. Night Shyamalan ushers in spooky season with Remain, a supernatural romantic thriller releasing this October. Shyamalan and author Nicholas Sparks collaborated on the story, and Sparks is writing a Remain novel based on the same concept. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor.
19. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (November 20)
Hunger Games fans, rejoice. A new installment of the young adult franchise will hit theaters this fall, based on Suzanne Collins’ 2025 prequel novel Sunrise on the Reaping. The movie focuses on Haymitch Abernathy’s origin story, and Joseph Zada portrays the protagonist. The star-studded movie also features Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Ralph Fiennes as Coriolanus Snow, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman and Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket.
20. Narnia (November 26)
Writer-director Greta Gerwig is following the success of Barbie with her take on C.S. Lewis’s Narnia book series. Little is known about the film, which will reportedly be based on The Magician’s Nephew. Sex Education star Emma Mackey is confirmed to portray the White Witch, and the film will have a theatrical window before releasing on Netflix.
21. Dune: Part Three (December 18)
Timothée Chalamet reprises his role as Paul Atreides in Dune: Part Three, directed by Denis Villeneuve. The film is based on Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel Dune Messiah. Newcomers to the sci-fi franchise include Robert Pattinson (reportedly as the villain Scytale) and Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke as Paul and Chani’s (Zendaya) twin children.
Other Adaptations Expected In 2026: