10 book-to-screen adaptations you need to know about in 2026

One of the year's most anticipated literary adaptations is Hamnet, based on Maggie O'Farrell's 2020 novel of the same name. The movie tells the story of William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, who struggle to deal with the loss of their only son, Hamnet. The book is inspired by the English bard, who wrote his famous tragedy Hamlet a few years after the death of his son in 1596.

Based on Emily Henry's bestselling 2021 romance novel, the film adaptation stars Tom Blyth and Emily Bader as Alex and Poppy, two best friends who go on summer vacation together every year. When their friendship begins to shift into something deeper, they are forced to question what they really mean to each other. The novel debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list and has since sold over 2 million copies in the US.

HELLO!'s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: "I couldn't be more excited for Netflix's adaptation of Emily Henry's friends-to-lovers story. Plus, the casting is great. I can already feel the undeniable chemistry between Tom Blyth and Emily Bader!"

"I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!" viewers across the world may well be quoting when Emily Brontë's 1847 Gothic classic hits screens this Valentine's Day. Directed by Emerald Fennell and with music from Charli XCX, the highly anticipated movie stars Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, who falls in love with the wealthy Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie).

From author Colleen Hoover, who created It Ends With Us, this new movie adaptation features a heart-wrenching story about Kenna, a mother who resolves to reunite with her daughter and rebuild her life after getting out of prison. It's not a Colleen Hoover story without a bit of romance, of course, and Kenna clashes with her late partner's best friend Ledger (Tyriq Withers), who grapples with the choice between protecting the child and falling for the woman who broke everything.

Based on Andy Weir's 2021 novel of the same name, this movie follows teacher Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, who wakes up on a spaceship with no idea how he ended up there. As time goes on, his memory returns and he realises he must embark on a world-saving mission to prevent the sun from dying out.

Adapted from Rufi Thorpe's 2024 bestselling novel, this upcoming miniseries follows the story of an aspiring writer who tries to make her way as a single mother – and turns to OnlyFans to make ends meet. Not only does this one offer a truly unique storyline, but it also boasts a stacked cast including Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nick Offerman, Thaddea Graham and Michael Workéyè.

Adapted from Homer's ancient Greek epic, this movie follows the hero Odysseus as he makes a long, winding journey home after the Trojan War. The Odyssey is set to be epic, as not only does it come from revered Hollywood director Christopher Nolan, but it also stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong O, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, Tom Holland, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal and John Leguizamo. 

It's a big year for Colleen Hoover, who has a second adaptation on the way this year – and it's one of her most successful books to date. Verity, starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, follows struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, who is hired to ghostwrite for bestseller author Verity Crawford. But when Lowen discovers a huge lie in the form of a manuscript, she becomes embroiled in a web of secrets.

HELLO!'s Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: "This one is going straight on my 2026 watchlist. The eight-parter is created by multi-Emmy Award-winner David E. Kelley, who has form when it comes to creating dramas and is behind a string of hit shows, including legal dramas like The Lincoln Lawyer and Presumed Innocent, and the psychological dark comedy Big Little Lies."

A prequel in the hit Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping adapts Suzanne Collins's 2025 novel of the same name, which follows Haymitch Abernathy as he enters the arena in the second Quarter Quell. The film stars Joseph Zada, Mckenna Grace, Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Ralph Fiennes and Jesse Plemons, as well as cameo appearances from Katniss and Peeta actors Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.

Director Greta Gerwig (Little Women, Barbie) is set to bring another C.S. Lewis classic to the screen with The Magician's Nephew, the 1955 prequel to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe that follows the origins of Narnia and its creation by the lion Aslan. The stacked cast includes Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep and Daniel Craig.