Books play many essential roles in our society. Among the most important is the fact that reading can help us learn about people who are different from ourselves and the struggles they go through. When books are adapted into movies, it helps those important stories reach an even greater and more diverse audience of people who can benefit from the tale and the characters they’re about.
Whether you’ve read these stories a million times and loved them (or you’ve never even heard of them), here are the biggest book-to-movie adaptations taking over screens in 2026.
People We Meet on Vacation
Release date: January 9, 2026
Adapted from Emily Henry’s bestselling novel of the same name, People We Meet on Vacation is a Netflix film released earlier this year, following two best friends, Poppy and Alex, who vacation together annually.
Readers of the book say this film stays true to the original story, while others question the chemistry of the characters on screen. The only way to decide for yourself where this book-to-movie adaptation lands is to watch for yourself, which you can do right now if you have a Netflix account.
Wuthering Heights
Release date: February 13, 2026
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi bring Emily Bront’s turbulent story of passion to life in the upcoming film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, hitting theaters next week.
Although the original story isn’t the best role model for a healthy relationship, the film’s director, Emerald Fennell, says she adapted it to reflect the viewpoint of the teenage protagonist in the film and of herself when she first read it as a teenager. Do with that what you will.
Project Hail Mary
Release date: March 20, 2026
Written by The Martian author Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary is another best-selling sci-fi story-turned-movie.
When an alien organism threatens all of life on earth, an ordinary science teacher named Ryland Grace (played by Ryan Gosling) is sent into space to investigate-and interrupt-the catastrophic sequence of events. What ends up happening to Grace (or rather, who ends up happening to him) takes an unexpected turn that will restore your faith in the goodness of all beings.
Animal Farm
Release date: May 1, 2026
If you remember being entertained by George Orwell’s dystopian book Animal Farm, you’re sure to love the movie adaptation directed by Andy Serkis.
The animated rendition of Animal Farm showcases a host of favorite actors playing different voices, including Woody Harrelson, Laverne Cox, Glenn Close, Seth Rogen, and more. Since this story is about freedom, inequality, and the importance of democracy, viewers should have a lot to talk about when it hits theaters later this year.
The Odyssey
Release date: July 17, 2026
Few literary works are as old and as influential as The Odyssey, and now, we’ll have a fresh movie adaptation that will hopefully match the book’s staying power. Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, and Anne Hathaway all play a role in this star-studded cast based on Homer’s great epic-and it uses new IMAX technology for an especially powerful experience.
Practical Magic 2
Release date: September 18, 2026
Alice Hoffman is adored for first bringing us the cult classic book-to-movie adaptation Practical Magic, which continues to win over hearts every spooky season.
The Book of Magic is a novel that continues to explore the lives of the Owens Sisters and how they’ll finally break the curse that has haunted their love lives for centuries. This book has been adapted to be called Practical Magic 2, and it’ll bring back Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman when it hits theaters this fall.
Verity
Release date: October 2, 2026
Colleen Hoover’s most highly anticipated adaptations of the year, Verity, is a psychological thriller starring Anne Hathaway, Asel Swango, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Harnett. Lovers of Hoover’s books will also be happy that another adaptation is coming, and much sooner: Reminders of Him hits theaters March 13, 2026.
The Whisper Man
Release date: 2026, exact date TBD
The Whisper Man is a terrifying tale about what happens when a serial killer terrorizes a small town-especially when the legacy of fear hasn’t quite left.
Written by Alex North, the author of multiple popular horror books, The Whisper Man‘s adaptation on Netflix will feature beloved actors like Robert DeNiro, Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott, and Michael Keaton.
This article was originally published on www.mentalfloss.com as 8 Highly Anticipated Movies Based on Bestselling Books Coming in 2026.
