The silver screen is no stranger to creating exceptional adaptations of some of the most acclaimed novels out there, with many of Hollywood's most buzzed-about stars headlining the highly-anticipated flicks. From fascinating nonfiction works to popular young adult hits, the entertainment industry has a plethora of films in the works based on literature that are sure to dazzle moviegoers everywhere.
Marvel fans, for instance, are equally fascinated and eager to see just what happens in the upcoming superhero picture Madame Web, which features Dakota Johnson as the titular psychic comic book character.
And Mary Shelley's revered classic Frankenstein is getting a campy makeover in the adaptation Lisa Frankenstein, with Diablo Cody penning the screenplay for the Gothic ‘80s-inspired reimagining. Here are the 15 best upcoming adaptations of books into shows or movies releasing in 2024.
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15 Masters of the Air — January 26
Based on Donald L. Miller's acclaimed historical bestseller, the war drama miniseries Masters of the Air features Elvis star Austin Butler as Major Gale Cleven who, along with his fellow airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, valiantly fought against German fighters during World War II and in doing so caused the courageous unit to earn the nickname the “Bloody Hundredth" due to their courage and prowess.
Producing the Dream Team
Butler is joined by Barry Keoghan and Callum Turner in the exhilarating adaptation. Masters of the Air serves as a companion program to the acclaimed dramas Band of Brothers and The Pacific, with both Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg returning to executive produce. Touting a massive budget of $250 million, Masters of the Air is already garnering critical acclaim and appreciation for its dazzling visuals, set design, and compelling performances.
Stream Masters of the Air on Apple TV+
14 Expats — January 26
Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman stars alongside Brian Tee, Jack Huston, and Ji-young Yoo in the taut adaptation of the Janice Y. K. Lee novel The Expatriates, with the Prime Video drama Expats chronicling the complicated lives of a diverse group of American expatriates in Hong Kong as they deal with both personal and professional hurdles. The story is told from the perspective of three conflicting characters.
The Trio of Expatriates
Kidman appears as the American woman Margaret Woo, who is married and has three children with Clarke (Tee) yet struggles to balance the demands of everyday life following a shocking tragedy. Margaret's story is interwoven with fellow expatriates Mercy (Yoo) and Hilary (Sarayu Blue), as the ladies are faced with unexpected challenges in the gripping series.
Stream Expats on Prime Video
13 Feud: Capote vs. The Swans — January 31
Ryan Murphy's highly-anticipated second season of the anthology series Feud is back after a seven-year hiatus, this time depicting the tumultuous relationship between famed novelist and screenwriter Truman Capote and an elite group of globe-trotting New York City socialites.
In Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, the revered writer (Tom Hollander) finds himself the target of former friends like Babe Paley (Naomi Watts) and Slim Keith (Diane Lane) after he exposes their antics in a thinly-veiled novel.
A Star-Studded Hollywood Affair
Capote vs. The Swans also stars famous faces like Calista Flockhart, Molly Ringwald, and Chloë Sevigny, and is based on Laurence Leamer's national bestseller Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era. The series will consist of 16 episodes, and will detail Capote's turbulent relations with the high society of New York and the fallout of his revealing novel Answered Prayers.
Stream Feud: Capote vs. The Swans on Hulu
12 Argylle — February 2
Henry Cavill leads a decorated ensemble cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Sam Rockwell, and Bryce Dallas Howard in the spy action comedy Argylle, following reclusive spy novelist Elly Conway as she finds her life mirroring the plots of her thrilling espionage series after she is sucked into the dangerous world of a malevolent underground syndicate. Elly reluctantly teams up with savvy undercover spy Aidan, and embarks on a wondrous mission as the duo are pursued by deadly foes.
Mystery of the Unknown Author
Argylle is reportedly based on the book by first-time author Elly Conway (the direct inspiration for the lead character), though the only solid evidence of the writer's existence was an Instagram account. Rumors began to swirl surrounding Conway's true identity, with many believing Taylor Swift secretly wrote the book under the pen name due to multiple references of the singer in the book. Director Matthew Vaughn ultimately shot these rumors down, and Conway's identity remains a mystery.
11 The Tiger's Apprentice — February 2
The animated fantasy film The Tiger's Apprentice tells the spellbinding story of a Chinese-American boy, Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo), as he takes on the sacred role of being the apprentice to a talking tiger named Mr. Hu (Henry Golding), and is taught how to harness ancient magic that will help him protect a phoenix egg. Raman Hui (Monster Hunter) directed the big-screen extravaganza, which is based on the Laurence Yep children's novel, the first in the popular trilogy.
An Elite Asian Cast
The Tiger's Apprentice explores themes of loyalty, kindness, and courage, and features a predominantly Asian cast of stars providing their vocal talent, like Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu, and Sandra Oh. The adaptation was originally going to be produced by Cartoon Network as a live-action television film back in 2008, but eventually became a Paramount+ original with Mikros Image Europe (Sherlock Holmes) helping animate the gorgeous and colorful fantasy picture.
10 Lisa Frankenstein — February 9
Zelda Williams will make her spectacular feature film directorial debut with the horror comedy Lisa Frankenstein, with the late, great Robin Williams' daughter partnering up with writer Diablo Cody to create a zany and fun adaptation of the Mary Shelley literary classic. Set in 1989, misfit teenage goth Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton) makes it her mission to create the guy of her dreams by using her broken tanning bed to reanimate an attractive corpse (Cole Sprouse), with chaos naturally ensuing.
An Ambitious and Playful Parody
The peculiar and demented duo go on a murderous spree and discover new things about themselves while falling in love, with the playful name of the flick serving as a parody to both the design company (Lisa Frank) and the acclaimed novel. When discussing the upcoming off-kilter comedy, Cody told Inquirer Net:
"In everything I write, someone is going through a dramatic change, whether it’s becoming possessed by a demon or dealing with a new stage of life. The question I’m always asking is: are we the same person after a profound change? How many parts can we swap or replace before we’re a totally new entity? This movie is a pretty literal interpretation of that!”
9 Madame Web — February 14
The fourth entry in the Spider-Man Universe and based on the Marvel Comics character, the superhero extravaganza Madame Web stars Dakota Johnson as Charlotte Webb, a clairvoyant New York City paramedic who develops powerful psychic abilities after an accident, and must join forces with three other gifted women when they are targeted by an dangerous force. Johnson is joined by Sidney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, and Isabela Merced in the female-driven adaptation.
Major Character Makeover
Johnson's character Charlotte Webb clearly received a revamping, as in the comics, she is depicted as an elderly woman who is paralyzed and blind. Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura noted that Madame Web would be a thriller, and that Charlotte's clairvoyance is a "tricky skill set" that wouldn't be utilized for an action flick, while adding that the studio strived to keep a lot of secrecy about the lesser-known character to add to its overall mystique.
8 Spaceman — March 1
Adam Sandler headlines the sci-fi drama Spaceman, portraying astronaut Jakub Procházka as he is tasked with tracking down a mystical ancient dust while on a solitary research mission in space. Jakub's life back on Earth is swiftly crumbling, as his wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan) struggles with her husband's career and the emotional stress it causes her. As he carries out his crucial quest, Jakub is aided by the spider-like creature Hanuš (Paul Dano) during his search.
Author's Seal of Approval
The Netflix film is based on Jaroslav Kalfař's novel Spaceman of Bohemia, and is set to have its worldwide premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival before hitting the streaming juggernaut on March 1. Kalfař' himself is already a big fan of the picture after seeing the finished product, telling Netflix that he was “completely blown away when I saw the film… I think all the people out there who love weird things and weird art will hopefully be delighted by it.”
7 Dune: Part Two — March 1
After its release was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, fans were thrilled when it was announced that the highly-buzzed about follow-up to 2021's Dune was finally hitting theaters. Dune: Part Two once again focuses on Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he teams up with Chani (Zendaya) and rallies the Fremen people to take a stand against House Harkonnen and deliver vengeance against those responsible for the destruction of his family.
A Sequel Worth the Wait
Florence Pugh and Austin Butler are just a few of the new faces that join the electric franchise and ensemble cast, with director Denis Villeneuve returning as director and concluding his lauded two-part adaptation of the Frank Herbert hit novel, which was once deemed "unfilmable." The filmmaker has described the sequel to The Hollywood Reporter as:
An action-packed, epic war movie. It is much more dense. We went to all new locations. I didn’t want a feeling of repetition. It’s all new sets. Everything is new.
6 Palm Royale — March 20
Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern and Allison Janney are just a few of the popular actors who are set to appear in the Apple TV+ period comedy Palm Royale, an adaptation of Juliet McDaniel's Mr. & Mrs. American Pie that follows the determined and savvy Maxine Simmons (Wiig) as she attempts to carefully craft a new life for herself within the high society of Palm Beach in the 1960s, contending with an assortment of colorful characters along the way.
Dazzling Visuals and Stars
The 10-part series will chronicle Maxine's mission to create a brand new identity for herself after her marriage fails, with the underdog meticulously planning how to ingratiate herself with society's elite members. The movie has a visually-stunning production design and killer performances by its illustrious ensemble cast, with Hollywood legend Carol Burnett also making a special appearance in the comedy.
5 The Watchers — June 7
Ishana Night Shyamalan is following in her father's footsteps and making her feature directorial debut with the upcoming supernatural horror film The Watchers, telling the spine-tingling story of 28-year-old gifted artist Mina (Dakota Fanning) as she becomes trapped in an ominous forest in western Ireland with three strangers, where they are terrorized by frightening creatures lurking in the night.
Like Father, Like Daughter
A.M. Shine wrote the novel which the film is based on, and will follow the group's fight for survival as they seek refuge in a shelter as the creatures target them one-by-one, silently stalking their prey. The screenplay for the tense picture was also written by the younger Shyamalan, who is sure to deliver plenty of thrills and chills as a director, just like her popular filmmaker dad.
4 It Ends with Us — June 21
Fans of young adult author Colleen Hoover were over-the-moon when it was announced that a film adaptation of her smash hit novel It Ends With Us was in the works, and they were even more elated when Blake Lively was cast in the lead role.
The romantic drama will focus on floral shop owner Lily Bloom as she becomes swept up in a passionate-yet-tumultuous relationship with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni), while dealing with her feelings for her childhood sweetheart Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar).
Excitement From Colleen Hoover Fans
Despite the casting choices initially surprising audiences because the actors were significantly older than their characters, Hoover acknowledged the error was on her part and that she wanted to age them up to correct her missteps when writing the book, specifically Baldoni's Kinkaid. It Ends With Us was originally going to hit theaters by Valentine's Day, but was instead given a summer release date, and the adaptation will likely have Hoover's fans flocking to theaters.
3 Cold Storage — September 5
Action film extraordinaire Liam Neeson partnered up with Stranger Things breakout star Joe Keery for the upcoming thriller Cold Storage, centering on a lethal, highly-infectious micro-organism that escapes a military facility and has the capability of causing mass destruction to all of humanity. It's up to retired bioterror operative Robert Quinn to capture the nefarious organism, with the help of some surprising everyday heroes rising to the occasion.
Author's Seal of Approval
Author David Koepp helped write the screenplay of the adaptation of his novel, and he teamed up with British filmmaker Jonny Campbell to bring the exhilarating story to the big screen. As production on the thriller began in March 2023, the writer put out a statement to his fans regarding the film, saying:
Cold Storagehas everything I’d want to see in a movie — it’s scary, funny, exhilarating, surprising, and riotously entertaining. Gavin, Jonny, and I have huge ambitions for this and are so excited to get cracking with our partners at Studiocanal.
2 Wicked, Part 1 — November 27
Based on Gregory Maguire's novel and the characters from L. Frank Baum's iconic children's tale, the fantasy musical Wicked explores the origins of the green-skinned witch Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) and chronicles how she became the villainous Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, and her complicated relationship with the popular and beautiful Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande) serving as a major catalyst for her devious transformation.
Stellar Musical Numbers
Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey are just a few stars who also appear in the adaptation of the fan-favorite stage musical, which takes places in the enchanting Land of Oz and will feature epic performances of memorable songs like "Popular," "Dancing Through Life," and "The Wizard and I." The second part of the musical will be subsequently released in 2025.
1 Mickey 17 — TBD
Bong Joon-ho directed, wrote, and co-produced the big screen adaptation of Edward Ashton's novel Mickey7, with the sci-fi picture featuring a dynamic cast of Hollywood's brightest stars like Robert Pattinson, Mark Ruffalo, and Steven Yeun. In Mickey 17, Pattinson appears as Mickey Barnes, an "expendable" or disposable member of a space crew who takes on dangerous missions and posesses the ability to regenerate if something happens to him physically, allowing his memories to stay intact.
Ruffalo Embraces His Dark Side
Much of the sci-fi flick's plot has been kept under wraps, and the film was originally supposed to get a March 29 theatrical release before being removed from the schedule due to the SAG-AFTRA strike and production hiccups. Ruffalo did provide curious minds some tidbits about his villainous role in Mickey 17, revealing to Deadline:
This guy’s like a nasty dictator, fascist, narcissist; we know the type! He’s as bad as any of these a**holes running around today.
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