Is It a Story? Is It a Book? No, It’s a Film!

Is It a Story? Is It a Book? No, It’s a Film!

The people over in Hollywood have been at it again, and there are a slew of movies out next year that are based on books. Here we take a look at some of the books that will have films coming soon – as always, we recommend reading the book before you see the film!

Guernsey Peel stickerWe’re extremely excited for the film of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – and we’re glad they kept the full title as well! Starring Lily James, this is set just post WWII, where a writer forms a bond with the residents of Guernsey Island, which was occupied by the Nazis. This is an absolute gem of a book – go out and read it immediately.

A childhood favourite for many, A Wrinkle in Time is being bought to the big screen, and will star Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine. Written in 1963, Charles, Meg and Calvin travel through a wrinkle in time in search of Meg’s father. Even non science fiction fans will like this one.

Where’d You Go Bernadette is a hilarious novel. Bernadette is many things – wife, mother, revolutionary architect and occasional disgrace. And when she goes missing, her 15 year old daughter Bee compiles a dossier to track her down. This is compulsively readable and touching, and the film will star Cate Blanchett as Bernadette.

It’s the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. Like most people, Wade Watts spends his time jacked in to OASIS – a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be. When the creator of OASIS dies, he challenges users to find an Easter Egg that will give the finder his fortune, and Wade finds the first clue. The film of Ready Player One will be directed by Steven Spielberg.

Jennifer Lawrence’s latest project is Red Sparrow. This is the story of a former prima ballerina who is used in ared-sparrow Russian honey trap to target an American CIA agent. This is a story of twists and turns, of betrayal and counter betrayal, and a threat to the security of both nations.

The Darkest Minds is the story of 16 year old Ruby. After a disease has killed 98% of America’s children, the surviving 2% develop superpowers and are placed internment camps. Ruby escapes and is on the run, and now there are people who will stop at nothing to use her in their fight against the government. Mandy Moore plays a teacher in the film.

This next one is actually non fiction. Boy Erased is the true story of Garrard Conley, the son of a Baptist preacher. When he was 19, he was outed to his parents, and forced to participate in a church-supported gay conversion program. This is set in America, but has a very Australian cast, with Joel Edgerton directing and acting, and also stars Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe.

Crazy Rich Asians is the outrageously funny debut novel about 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 movie adaptation has a huge, well-known cast including Constance Wu and Ken Jeong. Jon Chu is directing.

david-lagercrantz_the-girl-in-the-spiders-webThe film of Girl in the Spiders Web will be a bit of a change for Claire Foy, who you’ve previously seen as the Queen in the hit TV show The Crown. Here she takes over as Lisbeth Salander, reunited with Mickael Blomkvist in the first book that David Lagercrantz wrote in Steig Larsson’s hit series.

Leonardo DiCaprio is back, and will star in and produce the adaption of The Black Hand. This is the gripping true story of the origins of the mafia in America—and the heroic Italian-born detective in New York City who devoted his life to putting a stop to it.

Bel Canto is part thriller, romantic comedy and above all, a novel of ideas. Roxane, an American soprano, travels to South America to perform a private concert, which is then crashed by guerrilla forces. Julianne Moore will star as Roxane.039 Breath_stickered

And last (but definitely not least), is Tim Winton’s Breath. Directed by and starring Simon Baker. Breath is a story about the wildness of youth – the lust for excitement and terror, the determination to be extraordinary, the wounds that heal and those that don’t – and about learning to live with its passing. Winton is a genius, and this is one of his best books to date.

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