What's New and Coming Soon in Book-to-Screen

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • April 22, 2026

We’re well into 2026, and there are so many new book-to-screen adaptations to enjoy. We’re excited to watch, but first we want to read (or reread), because, as we all know, the book is (almost) always better. Here are 26 of the books that inspired all the best new and upcoming adaptations—so you can read before you watch.

Note: Age recommendations often vary between the book and its adaptation. We have consulted internet sources such as commonsensemedia.org to provide age recommendations and ratings for many of these materials, but we encourage readers to do their own research before watching.

• His & Hers by Alice Feeney
  Series streaming now on Netflix
  There are two sides to every story. Meaning, someone is always lying. When a woman is murdered in a small town, reporter Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect. Tessa Thompson and Jon Bernthal star in this series, which contains depictions of sex and violence.

• People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
  Movie streaming now on Netflix
  Alex and Poppy have nothing in common. And yet, somehow they are the very best of friends. Though they live far apart, every summer for the past decade the duo have taken one glorious week of vacation together. Until two years ago, when things went terribly wrong. Now Poppy’s got one week to make it right. The movie adaptation of this bestselling rom-com is rated PG-13.

• The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
  Series streaming now on Netflix
  A practical joke goes chillingly, murderously wrong in this classic detective story from the Queen of Mystery. The series, starring Mia McKenna-Bruce, Helena Bonham Carter, and Martin Freeman, is a stylish 1920s mystery with a witty, fast-paced Knives Out vibe. The show is rated TV-14 for mild violence, smoking, and other mature elements.

• Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli
  Series streaming now on Netflix
  This swoony YA novel follows Adriana, an elite ice dancer. Born to gold-medalist parents, she’s determined to uphold their legacy and save her family’s legendary skating rink from financial ruin. On top of that she’s caught in a love triangle with her new skating partner and an old flame. The series is rated PG for depictions of alcohol, drugs, and smoking.

• H is for Hawk byHelen MacDonald
  Film is available to rent or buy digitally on various platforms
  This bestselling and award-winning memoir charts the author’s story of adopting and raising one of nature’s most vicious predators. Fierce and feral, Helen’s goshawk Mabel’s temperament mirrors her own state of grief after her father’s death. Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson star in the film, which is rated PG-13 for moderate profanity, drinking, and smoking.

• An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
  Season 4 of Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix
  Each book in the Bridgerton series follows the romance of one of the eight siblings of the close-knit Bridgerton family. Here we see Benedict, the second oldest Bridgerton brother, as he pursues a romance with Sophie after falling for her at his mother’s masquerade ball. The problem: Sophie is a maid—an unsuitable mate for the noble Bridgertons. Rated TV-MA.

• Broken by Don Winslow
  Crime 101 is streaming on Prime Video
  This acclaimed collection features six intense crime novellas, including Crime 101. A string of high-level jewel heists up and down the Pacific Coast Highway has gone unsolved for years. Now the lone-wolf jewel thief is looking for that fabled final last score. Rated R, the star-studded film adaptation of this novella stars Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan, and Halle Berry.

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
  Film is available to rent or buy digitally on various platforms
  This gripping 1847 novel explores the intense love between Catherine Earnshaw and her brooding foster brother, Heathcliff. When Catherine chooses a more suitable suitor, Heathcliff’s bitterness and vengeance has lasting repercussions. Longtime fans of Brontë’s gothic classic may be startled by Emerald Fennell’s erotic, stylized adaptation starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

• The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave
  Season 2 of The Last Thing He Told Me is streaming now on Apple TV
  Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. But when Owen shows up at Hannah’s new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again. Season two of the pulse-pounding series again stars Jennifer Garner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Angourie Rice. Rated TV-MA.

• Vladimir by Julia May Jonas
  Series is streaming now on Netflix
  A provocative, razor-sharp, and timely debut novel about a beloved English professor facing a slew of accusations against her professor husband by former students—a situation that becomes more complicated when she develops an obsession of her own. The series, rated TV-MA, stars Rachel Weisz, Leo Woodall, and John Slattery with Sharon Horgan as executive producer.

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• Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon 
  Season 8 of Outlander is streaming now on STARZ or on-demand
  After twenty years of loss and heartbreak, Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall are finally reunited in North Carolina with their daughter, Brianna and her family. But tensions are rising in the colonies as the Revolutionary War draws ever closer. The eighth and final season of Outlander draws from book nine in the steamy series, as well as the not-yet-published final book in the series. Rated TV-MA. 

• Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
  Film is available to rent or buy digitally on various platforms
  After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut her out. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner. The PG-13-rated movie stars Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers.

• Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall
  Series is streaming now on Apple TV
  When Nancy Hennessy is murdered, she leaves behind an adoring husband and daughter. As the investigation into Nancy’s death flounders, dark details surface and her best friends, Eleanor and Mary, grapple with how little they knew her, each other, and maybe even themselves. The series stars Kate Mara, Elisabeth Moss, and Kerry Washington. Rated TV-MA.

• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
  In theaters now
  When Ryland Grace wakes up as the sole survivor on a spaceship millions of miles away from home, he can’t remember anything about why he’s there. Gradually, his memory returns and he gleans that he is on a last-chance mission to save Earth in this propulsive sci-fi thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science. Ryan Gosling stars in the movie, rated PG-13.

• The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
  Series is streaming now on Hulu
  More than fifteen years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale, the theocratic regime of the Republic of Gilead maintains its grip on power, but there are signs it is beginning to rot from within. At this crucial moment, the lives of three women converge, with potentially explosive results. Ann Dowd returns in the series adaptation of this Booker Prize-winning novel, rated TV-MA.

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• Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
  Series is streaming now on Apple TV
  A bold, laugh-out-loud funny, and heartwarming story about one young woman’s attempt to navigate adulthood, new motherhood, and her meager bank account in our increasingly online world. It’s a playful and honest examination of the art of storytelling and controlling your own narrative. The series, rated TV-MA, stars Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Greg Kinnear, and Nicole Kidman.

• The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
  Coming to Prime Video April 29
  Allende’s 1982 debut novel established the Chilean American author as a literary star known for family stories involving magical realism, historical relevance, and the complex inner lives of women. The beloved multigenerational Trueba saga was previously adapted as a 1993 film starring Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, and Glenn Close. The new series features a Spanish-speaking cast.

• Man on Fire by A. J. Quinnell
  Coming to Netflix April 30
  Creasy is a jaded alcoholic mercenary who has accepted a job as a bodyguard. Nothing can pierce the hard shell he’s built around himself—until the eleven-year-old girl he’s been hired to protect breaks through. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II assumes the lead role previously held by Denzel Washington in a 2004 film. The story involves high levels of violence.

• Animal Farm by George Orwell
  Coming to theaters May 1
  “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Orwell’s timeless and timely allegorical novel offers a scathing satire of a downtrodden society’s blind march toward totalitarianism. Joining several previous adaptations, the new animated film, directed by Andy Serkis, features voice work from a host of stars. The film is rated PG.

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• Lord of the Flies by William Golding
  Miniseries premieres on Netflix May 4
  Before Yellowjackets, there was Golding’s 1954 novel about a group of English schoolboys marooned on a remote island who descend into murderous tribalism. As provocative as ever, this classic continues to ignite passionate debate with its startling, brutal portrait of human nature. A staple of high-school English classes, the book is generally considered appropriate for ages 12 and older.

• The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle
  The Terror: Devil in Silver is coming to AMC+ May 6
  Pepper is the surprised inmate of a mental institution in Queens, New York. In the darkness of his room, on his first night, a terrifying creature with the body of an old man and the head of a bison nearly kills him before being hustled away by the hospital staff. LaValle’s thrilling horror novel serves as the third season in The Terror anthology series. Rated TV-14 for violence and gore.

• Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann; translated by Anthea Bell
  The Sheep Detectives is coming to theaters May 8
  When George, an Irish shepherd, is found dead, his sheep set out to solve his murder. The savvy flock of sleuths is led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world). This delightful cozy mystery (the first in a series) is already an international bestseller. Rated PG, the upcoming movie stars Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Galitzine, and Emma Thompson.

• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
  Premiering on Netflix May 8
  Marcellus is a keenly intelligent giant Pacific octopus who forms an unlikely bond with Tova, the night cleaning lady at the aquarium where he lives. Unbeknownst to Tova, Marcellus holds the key to solving the decades-old mystery of her missing son. This heartwarming tale comes to the small screen as a movie, rated PG-13, starring Sally Field as Tova and Alfred Molina voicing the octopus.

• No Place to Be Single by Felicia Kingsley; translated by Hillary Locke
  Premieres on Prime Video May 8
  Love and conflict come unexpectedly for old friends reuniting in Tuscany in a sparkling and witty romantic comedy about wine, second chances, and new horizons. This modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice was a bestseller in Italy. The English edition hit the shelves on April 1, just in time for us to read it before the release of the movie. The book is recommended for adult audiences.

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• The Deal by Elle Kennedy
  Season one of Off Campus premieres on Prime Video May 13
  When straight-laced college student Hannah proposes a fake romance with campus hockey star Garret Graham, neither one of them expects it to turn real. Fans of Heated Rivalry will be excited about the upcoming adaptation of book one in the beloved Off Campus series. The show has already been renewed for a second season, so lace up for more hot romance on ice.

• Cape Fear by John D. MacDonald
  Premieres on Apple TV June 5
  Sam Bowden has it all:  a successful law career and a loving family. But fourteen years ago, Bowden's testimony put Max Cady behind bars. And now that the convicted rapist is free, he's coming for revenge. Already the subject of several movie adaptations, the new miniseries of this 1957 psychological thriller, originally titled The Executioners, stars Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson.   
  

Most anticipated

Here are a few of the exciting upcoming adaptations we’ve got on our radar.

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• The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller—The HBO adaptation of this deeply emotional love story will star Anne Hathaway and Dakota Fanning.
• The Odyssey by Homer—Directed by Christopher Nolan, a new film adaptation of the ancient Greek epic boasts a glittery cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron, among others. It’s set for a July release.
• Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro—Directed by Taika Waititi and starring Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, and Natasha Lyonne, the adaptation is slated for release in October 2026.
• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen—Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles lead the cast for the newest film adaptation of Austen’s first novel slated for an October release.
• Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert—Dune: Part Three, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is scheduled to be released in theaters in December 2026.

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