Much has been written about the age-old question, “was the book better than the movie?” While we love a good debate, the answer is still up in the air for the following book to movie adaptations slated for release in 2025 and 2026.
From literary classics like Frankenstein to contemporary thrillers and even the ancient Greek epic the Odyssey, these books are getting the silver screen treatment, and we couldn’t be more excited to dissect them. For now, you can read the beloved source material and wait to see if Hollywood’s visual effects can hold a candle to your imagination.
The Odyssey
Homer’s Odyssey is one of the oldest surviving works of literature, and one of the most significant works of the Western canon. Adapting it to film is no small feat, but if anyone can handle it, it’s Christopher Nolan (plus his $250 million budget, the highest of his career). Set for release in July 2025, his adaptation features an incredibly star-studded cast.
While there are numerous English translations of the epic poem going back as far as the 16th century, we recommend Daniel Mendelsohn’s version, which The Telegraph proclaimed “may be the best translation of The Odyssey yet.” A classicist and writer for The New Yorker, Mendelsohn’s translation of Odysseus’s long homecoming journey is faithful to the original, yet makes the ancient tale exciting and fresh for new and returning readers alike.
The Woman in Cabin 10
Keira Knightley stars in the upcoming Netflix thriller based on Ruth Ware’s 2016 novel. Lo Blacklock is a journalist for a travel magazine, and her latest assignment entails a plush week aboard a cruise ship. But the exciting opportunity goes sideways when she witnesses a woman being thrown overboard one night. Eerier still is the fact that all guests and crew members are accounted for. We follow along on Lo’s desperate quest to uncover who or what she really saw that night…
The Housemaid
Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried will star in The Housemaid, set for a late 2025 release. Known for her twisty psychological thrillers, this Freida McFadden novel revolves around a live-in maid who’s antagonized by her boss, the family matriarch. But in true McFadden fashion, all is not as it seems…
Die, My Love
This sparse novel, which interrogates themes like love and freedom, is about a woman in the French countryside whose postpartum depression develops into psychosis. Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson star in the dark comedy thriller adaptation, which will premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
Frankenstein
Written, produced, and directed by Guillermo del Toro, the upcoming film takes its inspiration from Mary Shelley’s Gothic novel, as well as the 1931 film and its sequel, The Bride of Frankenstein. Shelley’s 1818 novel has inspired numerous adaptations, but we’re particularly excited to see how Guillermo del Toro approaches the source material. His version is set 40 years after the events of the book, and follows Dr. Pretorious’s attempts to track down Frankenstein’s Monster.
Wuthering Heights
The Gothic period drama based on Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel is set to release in early 2026. While we’re side-eyeing the casting choices of Jacob Elordi as the racially ambiguous Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as a teenage Catherine, we’re still curious about this adaptation of the classic story concerning two families on the West Yorkshire moors and their tumultuous, passionate relationships.
Featured image: Annie Spratt / Unsplash
