Books Turning Into Upcoming Movies And TV Shows In 2026
Before you end up loving the movies, fall in love with the books they were adapted from
For far too long, novels have been a place to draw inspiration from for filmmakers. Many of the acclaimed instances of novel-to-movie-adaptations including cult films like The Godfather, The Notebook, No Country No Men, Little Women and 2025's Critic Choice Award nomination Frankenstein.
Frankly, the list in endless. One can practically pick any film genre and they would be amazed by how many brilliantly directed films are actually adaptations of really well-written books. From period dramas to fantasy fiction, stories have travelled from the pages of a novel to the visual brilliance of films or TV shows like Ripley (adapted from the novel The Talented Mr. Ripley) adding more to their appeal.
Of course, not all are seen doing justice to the originality of the text at times with many often complaining that films have ruined the novel for viewers who only prefer the visual medium over text. While that is up for many to debate and dissect, if you fall under the reader first camp when it comes to a story then this year has a lot of books for your reading list. A new list of books - fiction, folktale, plays are getting adapted into 15 movies in 2026:
Wuthering Heights
One of the most anticipated Hollywood films making its way in 2026 around Valentine's week is the 19-century novel by Emily Bronte. The dark english moors will see Jacob Elordi as the brooding machiavellian Heathcliff while Margot Robbie will play the spirited, proud and complex Catherine Earnshaw. The supporting cast of the Emerald Fenell directed film that's dropping on 13 February in theatres will have Owen Cooper freshly off the success of the Netflix hit show Adolescence alongside Alison Oliver and Hong Chau.
O Romeo
The upcoming film by Vishal Bhardwaj starring Shahid Kapoor, Tripti Dimri, Nana Patekar, Avinash Tiwary amd Randeep Hooda is set amidst post-independence Mumbai where the underworld emerges, unveiling a bygone criminal landscape that threads through the shadowy streets of India's vibrant metropolis. Likely based on Shakespeare's romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet as many other cult classic films by the director have been heavily inspired by tragedies written by the English bard.
Seven Dials Mystery
No conversations around murder mysteries are complete without with the allusion to Agatha Christie. After 3 years since A Haunting in Venice, The Seven Dials Mystery will hit Netflix on January 15. The Seven Dials Mystery starts when a prank goes wrong leading to a death, and espionage.
Project Hail Mary
Ryan Gosling plays a former biologist Ryland Grace now a school teacher who wakes up aboard a spacecraft afflicted with amnesia in the film adapted by Andy Weir's titular novel Project Hail Mary. The Sci-fi film will also star Sandra Huller, James Ortiz among other cast members. The film is set for a worldwide release in March.
Off Campus
The OTT show Off Campus is based on the book by Elle Kennedy that follows an elite ice hockey team, and the women in their lives, as they grapple with love, heartbreak, and self-discovery—forging deep friendships and enduring bonds while navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood. The show is set to release on Prime Video in 2026.
Ramayana
Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash will be seen playing Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's Diwali release of the first Sanskrit epic poem Ramayana. While the authorship of the text has been widely debated, the ancient text has popularly be attributed to Sage Valmiki. Other important retellings exist, such as Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, written in the Awadhi language.
People We Meet On Vacation
People We Meet On Vacation is a young-adult novel written by Emily Henry about bestfriends Poppy and Alex, who take annual summer summer vacation but drift apart until they decide to mend their fractured friendship. Starring Tom Blyth and Emily Bader the show will hit Netflix January 9.
Bridgerton
The romantic drama created by Julia Quinn that was first adapted as a show in 2020 is coming up this year with the Season 4 on Netflix with Part 1 releasing on January 29, 2026, and Part 2 on February 26, 2026, following the classic "Cinderella" style tale of Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek.
After The Quake
Based on Japanese author Haruki Murakami's novel, the OTT show will revolve around the six short stories from the book about four strangers' lives intersect over three decades as they confront grief and hope after the 1995 Kobe and 2011 Tohoku quakes and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sense And Sensibility
One of the favourite authors to have their novels adapted for the big screen for years, Jane Austen's 1811 published novel Sense and Sensibilities which explore the dependence of women on marriage for the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security and was made into a movie with Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson is getting another adaptation this time with a new set of cast and crew.
Verity
Brace yourselves because Verity is not going to be the only movie you will find Anne Hathaway be a part of in 2026. With Devil Wears Prada getting a sequel, the actress will also be seen in films like Mother Mary. In Verity, Hathaway will be part of the story that revolves around a ghostwriter hired for renowned author Verity Crawford, Lowen Ashleigh's assignment takes a dark turn when she discovers chilling autobiographical notes. Faced with a series of deadly family secrets, Lowen struggles to separate fiction from reality while also blurring the lines with Verity's husband.
The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan is back and with a banger cast, crew and a script. It is Homer's epic poem The Odyssey that depicts the Grecian king Ithaca embarking on a perilous journey to return home after the Trojan War. With Matt Damon in the lead, Anne Hathaway (like we said) would also be part of the cast amongst other well-known Hollywood names.
Sunrise On The Reaping
If you miss Hunger Games, you don't have to any longer. Part of the Hunger Games series upcoming American dystopian action film directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Billy Ray and originally written by Suzanne Collins.
Margo's Money Trouble
Rufi Thrope's Margo's Money Trouble is getting a series adaptation and will be available to watch on Apple TV. The show will show a tender tale starring an endearing young heroine who's struggling to wrest money and power from a world that has little interest in giving it to her.
Remain
Remain is an upcoming American supernatural romantic thriller film written, directed, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan. It is based on an idea he conceived with Nicholas Sparks, who separately wrote the novel version of the same story, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Phoebe Dynevor, Ashley Walters, and Julie Hagerty. Set for a release in October 2026.