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Forget the picket fence: writing a book and having it adapted by a studio is the ultimate 21st century American dream. And 2016 is already shaping up to be the year of the author turned screenwriter.
If you’re the type of viewer who’s adamant about reading the book before trekking out to see the movie, you’re going to have plenty of reading to catch up on before heading out to the theater. There are dozens of books being adapted to the big screen this year, but the following ten are, without a doubt, going to be the most buzzed about. From war stories starring Tina Fey to a new J.K. Rowling fantasy adventure, here’s what you can expect from the upcoming film versions of those best-selling novels and non-fiction accounts you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t gotten around to yet.
'The 5th Wave'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Rick Yancey
ADAPTED BY: J. Blakeson
RELEASE DATE: January 22, 2016
When we meet Cassie Sullivan (portrayed by Chloë Grace Moretz), she’s watching the “last normal day of her life” become a living nightmare. Extraterrestrials have invaded Earth and, in four distinct waves, begin to claim the planet for their own. And after being separated from her parents and younger brother, Cassie faces the terrifying unknown: the mysterious fifth wave.
'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
ADAPTED BY: Burr Steers
RELEASE DATE: February 5, 2016
A double love letter to period dramas and zombie comedies, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies blends, well, Jane Austen and Shaun of the Dead. Starring Downton Abbey’s Lily James as Elizabeth Bennet and Game of Thrones’ Lena Heady as Lady Catherine; it’s the feminist staple you know all too well, mixed with a little undead revenge.
'How to Be Single'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Liz Tuccillo
ADAPTED BY: Christian Ditter
RELEASE DATE: February 12, 2016
If Dakota Johnson’s Anastasia Steele got dumped for good by Christian Grey, she might look a little something like her character in How to Be Single. A party anthem flick about throwing caution to the wind, the girl-power romp stars Johnson alongside Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, and Leslie Mann.
'The Taliban Shuffle'; now 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot'
BASED ON THE NON-FICTION ACCOUNT BY: Kim Barker
ADAPTED BY: Glenn Ficarre, John Requa
RELEASE DATE: March 4, 2016
Starring Tina Fey as Chicago Tribune political reporter Kim Barker, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (renamed for a segment in Barker’s account) chronicles the unbelievable true events surrounding one ill-equipped journalist’s ground attempt at covering the war in Afghanistan. Also starring Margot Robbie and Billy Bob Thornton, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot looks like it might be Zero Dark Thirty‘s goofy sister of a movie and, well, we’re kind of OK with that.
'The Divergent Series: Allegiant'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Veronica Roth
ADAPTED BY: Robert Schwentke
RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2016
In the third and final installment of Veronica Roth’s blockbuster YA adaptations, Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) must venture outside the protective fence surrounding dystopian Chicago in order to find a peaceful solution for their troubled city. Once they’re on their own, however, they’re taken captive by a mysterious and potentially dangerous agency known as the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.
'The Girl on the Train'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Paula Hawkins
ADAPTED BY: Tate Taylor
RELEASE DATE: October 7, 2016
Not to be confused with the 2009 B-movie of the same name, The Girl on the Train stars Emily Blunt as Rachel Watson, a depressive alcoholic whose husband has recently left her for his mistress. But after witnessing a brutal murder, Rachel is begins to uncover some grim details, leading her to believe she may have been involved in the crime. Also starring Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, and Justin Theroux; The Girl on the Train looks like its shaping up to be a top notch mystery thriller.
'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: J.K. Rowling (Newt Scamander)
ADAPTED BY: David Yates
RELEASE DATE: November 18, 2016
Written by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling under the bizarre pseudonym Newt Scamander, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a spin-off tale of the magical creatures living within the world of Hogwarts. Drawing from tidbits across her entire franchise, the book and movie are a treasure hunt for even the biggest Harry Potter fans.
'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Ransom Riggs
ADAPTED BY: Tim Burton
RELEASE DATE: December 25, 2016
Based on the best-selling debut mystery by Ransom Riggs, the spooky story follows young Jacob’s journey to an abandoned, isolated orphanage. Told from Jacob’s perspective as well as the photographs’ he finds along the way, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children feels like a youth version of American Horror Story and The Ring but with Tim Burton’s fantastical elements.
'Nerve'
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Jeanne Ryan
ADAPTED BY: Henry Joost and Ariel Shulman
RELEASE DATE: TBD
Starring Emma Roberts as “Vee,” Nerve follows one girl’s spiraling into an online community of truth or dare, where, according to the specs, “her every move starts to become manipulated by anonymous ‘watchers.'” Also starring Dave Franco, Emily Meade, Juliette Lewis and Orange Is the New Black‘s Samira Wiley and Kimiko Glenn; Nerve could be the next technology-fueled thriller.
'The Lost City of Z'
BASED ON THE NON-FICTION ACCOUNT BY: David Grann
ADAPTED BY: James Gray
RELEASE DATE: TBD
Based on the nightmare-fueling account by reporter turned amateur-explorer David Grann, The Lost City of Z examines the life and last days of renowned British explorer Col. Percy Fawcett (portrayed by Charlie Hunnam), who disappeared in the thick of the Amazon in search of the equivalent of El Dorado. After becoming wholly obsessed with Fawcett’s ventures, however, Grann retraced the Colonel’s steps and barely lived to tell it. This is their story.
