Books
There is nothing more exciting to a book-lover than seeing their favorite reads translated to the big screen. Sure, this news always comes with some trepidation. Will the characters remain true to the book? How much will the plot change? Will the movie ever live up the feels the pages have produced? But in the end, the idea of lining up for a screening that will see a book come to life is undeniably awesome. And in 2018, there will be no shortage of book-to-movie adaptations to check out, from YA love stories to heart-stopping true stories to childhood classics reborn.
Below are 21 upcoming adaptations, set or planned to be released this year, that book-lovers will definitely want to check out this year. And before you head to the theater, you've obviously got to read the book first, right? Catch up on the ones you've missed or re-read your favorites, so you can compare the merits of both mediums with your equally obsessed book loving friends. While all of the dates here are subject to change, you won't have to wait long to grab a bag of popcorn and a nice cold drink and catch them all in cinemas.
'Horse Soldiers' by Doug Stanton
Movie Release Date: Jan. 19
12 Strong is based on Horse Soldier by Doug Stanton, which chronicles the true story of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban.
'The Death Cure' by James Dashner
Movie Release Date: Jan. 26
The Death Cure is the final installment in the Maze Runner series, which follows Thomas and his friends as they attempt to take down the organization, WICKED.
'Fifty Shades Freed' by E.L. James
Movie Release Date: Feb. 9
In the final installment of the Fifty Shades trilogy, Ana and Christian face a whole new set of challenges as they try to start their future together as husband and wife.
'Every Day' by David Levithan
Movie Release Date: Feb. 23
David Levithan's Every Day follows the life of A, who wakes up in a different body every morning, and 16-year-old Rhiannon, the girl A loves, as they navigate their unique relationship.
'Annihilation' by Jeff Vandermeer
Movie Release Date: Feb. 23
Annihilation is a science fiction thriller that follows a biologist who sets out on an expedition through the mysterious Area X to find out what killed her husband there.
'The War With Grandpa' by Robert Kimmel Smith
Movie Release Date: Feb. 23
This classic children's romp follows a boy named Peter who is thrilled to learn his grandfather is coming to live with his family...until his grandpa takes over his bedroom. So Peter devises a series of pranks to drive him out.
'Red Sparrow' by Jason Matthews
Movie Release Date: March 2
In Red Sparrow, Russian ballerina Dominika Egorova is drafted against her will to become a spy.
'A Wrinkle In Time' by Madeleine L'Engle
Movie Release Date: March 9
This classic story follows 14-year-old Meg Murry's journey through space and time to find her missing father.
'Simon Vs. The Homosapiens Agenda' by Becky Albertalli
Movie Release Date: March 16
Love, Simon is based on Becky Albertalli's Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda, which follows high school student Simon Spier, who is forced to come out when a classmate finds out the truth.
'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline
Movie Release Date: March 30
Ready Player One explores a future dystopian society in 2044, in which a teenager named Wade gets stucked into a virtual universe.
'Where'd You Go, Bernadette?' by Maria Semple
Movie Release Date: May 11
When her mom, Bernadette, suddenly disappears, 15-year-old Bee searches through her emails and other secret coorespondence and documents in order to find her.
'Three Seconds' by Anders Roslund and Borge Hellström
Movie Release Date: Aug. 17
In Three Seconds, an ex-convict working undercover intentionally gets himself incarcerated again in order to infiltrate the mob at a maximum security prison.
'Crazy Rich Asians' by Kevin Kwan
Movie Release Date: Aug. 17
Crazy Rich Asians follows three super-rich, pedigreed Chinese families and the gossip, backbiting, and scheming that occurs when the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia brings home his ABC (American-born Chinese) girlfriend to the wedding of the season.
'The Darkest Minds' by Alexandra Bracken
Movie Release Date: Sept. 14
The first in Alexandra Bracken's YA fantasy trilogy, The Darkest Minds is set in a futuristic world where the government tries to suppress young people with special abilities, including 16-year-old Ruby.
'First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong' by James R. Hansen
Movie Release Date: Oct. 12
First Man is the life story of Neil Armstrong, the first astronaut to walk on the moon. Armstrong will be played by Ryan Gosling, who is rejoining his La La Land director, Damien Chazelle on the project.
'The Girl In The Spider's Web' by David Lagercrantz
Movie Release Date: Oct. 19
The continuing adventures of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo's Lisbeth Salander as the genius hacker teams up with a crusading journalist to stop dangerous cybercriminals.
'Bel Canto' by Ann Patchett
Movie Release Date: 2018 TBD
Bel Canto opens in an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. But, duringthe opening sequence, a ragtag band of 18 terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion through the air conditioning ducts.
'The Black Hand' by Stephan Talty
Movie Release Date: 2018 TBD
Set to star Leonardo DiCaprio, The Black Hand is based on Stephen Talty's book which opens when an Italian assassin's body is found floating in a barrel in Victorian London's East End, and enquiry agent Cyrus Barker and his assistant Thomas Llewelyn are called in to investigate.
'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Movie Release Date: 2018 TBD
Guernsey will be based on the book by Shaffer and Barrows, which is set at the end of WWII and folows London writer Juliet Ashton who is looking for inspiration for her next book when she soon becomes drawn into the world of the man who wrote to her and his friends under Nazi occupation.
Click here to buy The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
'Boy Erased' by Garrard Conley
Movie Release Date: TBD 2018
Conley's memoir details his experience of coming out as gay in his devout Baptist family, and subsequently being forced to attend a church-supported conversion therapy program that promised to “cure” him of homosexuality.
'Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Movie Release Date: 2018 TBD
Dumplin' follows Willowdean Dickson as she fights back against her town's expectations by joining the local beauty pageant with a group of other misfit girls from her high school.
