There are two kinds of readers in the world: those who diligently make their way through their TBR lists one-by-one and those who curate a list only to frequently ignore it in favour of yet another Romantasy tome.
I’m the latter, but I savour the sanctity of the list nonetheless.
As we move into the new year, it’s the perfect time to declutter the books you know you’re never getting to in favour of hot new releases and must-reads for 2026.
There’s no better place to start when curating a TBR (in my opinion) than the books that are so good, they’ve caught the attention of Hollywood and are primed for a film and TV adaptation. After all, we all know you should always read the book before seeing the movie (or show).
So, here are the best book-to-television and film adaptations expected in 2026.
2026 Book Adaptations Coming To TV & Film
People We Meet On Vacation
Starting the year off strong, is the first of many Emily Henry adaptations currently being produced. A modern “friends-to-lovers” romance, People We Meet On Vacation centres on Poppy and Alex who have been annual-holiday best friends for years. After a disastrous trip, their tradition ends… until two years later when Poppy suggests one last vacation to try to fix what broke.
Notable Cast: Film starring Emily Bader as Poppy and Tom Blyth as Alex, alongside Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, Molly Shannon and Lukas Gage.
Release Date January 9, 2026 on Netflix.
Wuthering Heights
Synopsis: Possibly one of the most anticipated releases of 2026 is Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights. The original text is a gothic classic of love, obsession, class, and revenge. The story follows the intense, destructive relationship between Heathcliff — a brooding orphan — and Catherine Earnshaw; their love reverberates across generations, marked by jealousy, cruelty and haunting. As for the film, teasers have revealed Fennell’s signature debaucherous and high-octane aesthetic that suggests the text will serve as ‘inspiration’ rather than a direct adaptation.
Notable Cast: Directed by Emerald Fennell, starring Margot Robbie (Catherine) and Jacob Elordi (Heathcliff).
Release Date: February 14, 2026 in theatres.
Sense & Sensibility
Synopsis: A period classic about the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, navigating love, loss, society’s expectations and financial hardship. The new adaptation follows in the footsteps of the 1995 film starring Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson as well as multiple television adaptations and was written by acclaimed Australian author, Diana Reid.
Notable Cast: Directed by Georgia Oakley; starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, George MacKay among others.
Release Date: September 11, 2026 in theatres
56 Days
Synopsis: A romantic suspenseful thriller, 56 Days follows Oliver and Ciara, who meet by chance in a supermarket and quickly fall into an intense, all-consuming romance — until fifty-six days later, when homicide detectives enter Oliver’s apartment to discover a brutally murdered, deliberately decomposed body.
Notable Cast: The film stars Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia.
Release Date: Wednesday, February 18, exclusively on Prime Video
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Synopsis: Margo’s Got Money Troubles follows Margo Millet, a young college dropout suddenly facing single motherhood and mounting financial strain after an unexpected pregnancy, who turns to creative and unconventional means — including building an online persona — to make ends meet as she navigates family dynamics, ambition, and self-discovery.
Notable Cast: Elle Fanning (Margo), Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Nicole Kidman, Thaddea Graham, Marcia Gay Harden, Greg Kinnear, Michael Angarano, Lindsey Normington and Rico Nasty.
Release Date: 15 April 2026 on Apple TV+ (weekly episodes through May).
Verity
Synopsis: In this disturbing psychological-romance thriller, Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer, is hired to finish the work of bestselling author Verity Crawford — but soon discovers a hidden manuscript that suggests horrifying truths, forcing her to question everything she believes about Verity’s past.
Notable Cast: Directed by Michael Showalter; starring Dakota Johnson (Lowen), Anne Hathaway (Verity), and Josh Hartnett.
Release Date: October 2, 2026 in theatres
Sunrise On The Reaping
Synopsis: A prequel to the original Hunger Games trilogy — set 24 years before, focusing on the 50th Hunger Games (the Second Quarter Quell), Sunrise On The Reaping follows a young Haymitch Abernathy as tributes from District 12 enter the brutal arena. The news of the adaptation was revealed upon the release of the book and has one of the most stacked casts we’ve ever seen.
Notable Cast: The cast includes Joseph Zada, Elle Fanning, Whitney Peak, McKenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lili Taylor, Ben Wang, Ralph Fiennes, Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close and Billy Porter.
Release Date: November 20, 2026 in theatres.
You Deserve Each Other
Synopsis: This adaptation cleverly caught our attention earlier this year when its two leads, Meghann Fahy and Penn Badgley began hilariously trolling one another online. The social media banter was the perfect reflection of their characters in You Deserve Each Other. The book is a witty romantic comedy about a long-engaged couple whose relationship has gone cold, prompting them to embark on a competitive mission to force the other to call off their wedding — only to rediscover what made them fall in love in the first place.
Notable Cast: Penn Badgley, Meghann Fahy, Justin Long, Natalie Morales, Kyle MacLachlan, Ana Gasteyer, Timothy Busfield, Hope Davis, Delaney Rowe, Lisa Gilroy and Alyssa Limperis.
Release Date: Unconfirmed, expected in 2026.
The Dog Stars
Synopsis: This post-apocalyptic novel centres on a pilot surviving in the aftermath of a devastating flu-like pandemic that wiped out most of humanity. Living in isolation with his dog, the protagonist’s routine shatters when he picks up a mysterious radio signal — propelling him into a journey of hope, danger and search for meaning in a broken world.
Notable Cast:Film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, with other cast reportedly including Margaret Qualley, Benedict Wong and Guy Pearce.
Release Date: March 26, 2026 in theatres.
Remain
Synopsis: A romantic supernatural thriller, Remain, follows New-York architect Tate Donovan, coping with grief and depression, who travels to Cape Cod to build a summer home for a friend. There he meets Wren, a woman whose presence disrupts his orderly life — leading to questions, healing and unexpected connection.
Notable Cast: Written, produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan; starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Tate and Phoebe Dynevor as Wren.
Release Date: October 23, 2026 in theatres.
Cry To Heaven
Synopsis: Tom Ford returns to the directors chair to adapt this historical novel set in 18th-century Venice. The story weaves the intertwined lives of a Venetian nobleman and a castrato singer from Calabria, exploring ambition, identity, love, art and survival in a world shaped by political intrigue, class, and societal constraints.
Notable Cast Film adaptation directed by Tom Ford. The cast includes famous names such as Adele (in her acting debut), Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ciarán Hinds, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Paul Bettany, Thandiwe Newton, George MacKay, among others.
Release Date: Expected late-2026 in theatres.
Reminders Of Him
Synopsis: Reminders Of Him follows Kenna Rowan — a woman just released from prison after serving time for a tragic accident — who returns to her hometown hoping to rebuild a life for herself and reconnect with her young daughter. The story explores themes of guilt, redemption, forgiveness, and the struggle of a broken mother to make amends. It’s the perfect beach read with a touch of spice, and is arguably one of Hoover’s best books.
Notable Cast: Directed by Vanessa Caswill, with screenplay by Hoover herself and Lauren Levine. The cast includes Maika Monroe as Kenna, along with Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Graham, and Bradley Whitford.
Release Date: Theatrical release scheduled for March 13, 2026
The Love Hypothesis
Synopsis: Ali Hazelwood (queen of STEM romances) is getting her first adaptation with The Love Hypothesis. The story follows Olive Smith, a PhD biology student, who enters into a fake relationship with her grumpy — and brilliant — professor, Adam Carlsen. What starts as a convenience deal gradually evolves into something more meaningful, as opposites attract, boundaries blur, and secrets unravel. For those familiar with the origins of the novel (a Star Wars fanfic) the lore on the casting choices runs DEEP.
Notable Cast: The film stars Lili Reinhart as Olive (also serving as executive producer) and Tom Bateman as Adam.
Release Date: Not yet officially confirmed — filming began mid-2025, with a likely 2026 release that’s expected to hit both theatres and Prime Video.
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