Grab your popcorn and get ready! It’s an exciting summer for big screen book adaptations and TV shows adapted from books, with something for almost every mood—a beachy friendship story, a con-artist thriller, an ancient epic and a post-apocalyptic Ridley Scott film. The streaming options alone could keep you busy through August, and there are two big theatrical releases you won’t want to miss. Here’s your complete guide to the season’s most anticipated adaptations…
‘Every Summer After’ by Carley Fortune
The beloved summer romance is coming to Prime Video on June 10
Sadie Soverall plays Percy Fraser in the TV adaptation “Every Year After.”
Dave Bennett; Berkley
If you read the book and immediately wanted to move to a lakeside cottage in Ontario, the Carley Fortune adaptation is for you. The eight-episode series, retitled Every Year After, follows Percy and Sam—childhood sweethearts separated by time, grief and heartbreak—as their past and present collide in the most emotionally satisfying way. Matt Cornett and Sadie Soverall star as the central couple. Expect The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes, plus nostalgic longing and a cottage-country backdrop that practically glows through the screen.
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‘The Five-Star Weekend’ by Elin Hilderbrand
A perfect pick to binge with friends starting July 9
Jennifer Barner will play Hollis Shaw in Peacock’s adapation of this bestseller.
Warner Bros. TV; Little, Brown
Written by the “Queen of the Beach Reads,” Five-Star Weekend is getting the lush, star-studded treatment on Peacock. Jennifer Garner leads as Hollis Shaw, a beloved cookbook author navigating grief and rediscovery. She gathers four friends from different chapters of her life—played by D’Arcy Carden, Gemma Chan, Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny—for a transformative Nantucket weekend. Oh, and Timothy Olyphant makes a memorable appearance as her sexy ex. The warmth radiating from the screen is real. “I loved the sisterhood of making that show,” Garner sweetly told Flaunt earlier this year.
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‘Little House on the Prairie’ by Laura Ingalls Wilder
On July 9, get ready for the Ingalls family like you’ve never seen them before
Alice Halsey will play Laura Ingalls in Netflix’s Little House adaptation.
NBC; HaperCollins
The classic semi-autobiographical book series gets a stunning reimagining on Netflix. Alice Halsey steps into the iconic role of Laura Ingalls in an adaptation described as part family drama, part survival story and part origin tale of the American West. If you grew up watching Little House on television, this one will hit you right in the heart. (How similar does the new cast look to the old one? Click here to find out!) Netflix is so confident in the show, it’s already been renewed for a second season.
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‘Lucky’ by Marissa Stapley
On July 15 comes a con-artist thriller you won’t be able to stop watching
The “Lucky” adaptation will star Anya Taylor-Joy
Aeon; Simon & Schuster
Based on the Reese’s Book Club pick and New York Times bestseller, Lucky arrives on Apple TV+ with a cast that is absolutely stacked. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Lucky, a con artist forced to go on the run after a multimillion-dollar heist goes sideways—pursued by both the FBI and a ruthless crime boss. Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Drew Starkey round out the ensemble. Produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, this seven-episode limited series drops two episodes at a time through August 19.
‘The Odyssey’ by Homer
The biggest movie event of the summer hits the big screen July 17
Matt Damon is the hero of “The Odyssey” adaptation
Bruce Glikas; Penguin Classics
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient epic is anchored by Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary Greek king fighting his way home after the Trojan War (a role for which Damon underwent dramatic real-life weight loss). Anne Hathaway plays his devoted wife Penelope, Tom Holland their son Telemachus and Zendaya is the goddess Athena. Shot entirely on IMAX cameras in locations spanning Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Iceland and Malta, this is the kind of sweeping, visually breathtaking epic that demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible. Whether you read Homer in school ago or never cracked the spine, this one will stay with you.
‘The Dog Stars’ by Peter Heller
Ridley Scott is back on August 28 with his take epic take on a haunting post-apocalyptic saga
Jacob Elordi will play Dog Stars’ pilot Hig
Jeff Kravitz; Vintage Contemporaries
Ridley Scott’s long-awaited return to science fiction is based on Peter Heller’s acclaimed 2012 novel. Jacob Elordi stars as Hig, a pilot navigating a virus-decimated future world alongside Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce and Allison Janney. Scott—the director behind Alien, Blade Runner and The Martian—brings his signature visual mastery to a story that is ultimately about survival, loss and the stubborn persistence of hope. If you haven’t read the book, it is a beautiful, haunting place to start.
Your summer of book adaptations starts now
There’s a lot to look forward to this summer, from a quiet night in with Jennifer Garner and a glass of wine to a big IMAX night out with Christopher Nolan. And if you need some new titles for your TBR list, Every Summer After, Five-Star Weekend, Lucky, The Dog Stars and Whisper Man are all excellent reads—and the Little House series is incredibly enjoyable to reread as an adult. Plus, knowing the books tends to make the watching even better. Consider it your summer reading list and your summer watchlist combined—the best of both worlds!
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