15 Page-Turning Books Destined For Film

Everyone loves a page-turner – including Hollywood executives and directors. The list of bestselling novels that have become blockbuster movies is too long to detail, with recent examples including Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us, Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot and the forthcoming adaptation of Wicked by Gregory Maguire. But what are the literary adaptations of the future? We’ve scoured the bestseller shelves to find the books to get into before everybody knows them as films or shows. 

Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill

This 2017 sci-fi story has been compared to the cinematic work of James Cameron – an apt reference, as it feels epic in every sense. Set in a world where humankind has been wiped out by the AI meant to serve them, one scavenger robot, Brittle, fights to be free from the collective One World Intelligence that controls all machines. Freedom, however, comes at a price. The story seems tailor-made for a movie franchise, which comes as little surprise given that author C. Robert Cargill wrote the screenplay for Marvel’s Doctor Strange. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Perhaps single-handedly sparking the ‘booktok’ craze on TikTok, Sarah J Maas’ series A Court of Thorns and Roses is an ambitious fantasy epic about hero Feyre, who is brought into the faerie land of Prythian. Debuting in 2015 and estimated to have sold 38 million copies worldwide, the series now encompasses four books and a novella, with more highly anticipated entries on the way. Celebrity fan Margot Robbie was seen having a coffee date with Maas, which has sparked rumours of the series being adapted for the big or small screen. “We all need that – the world needs that,” Robbie later told Harper’s Bazaar regarding a possible adaptation. “I’ll see what I can do!” 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

A captivating reimagining of Greek mythology, The Song of Achilles is set during the Trojan War and pitches the infamous demi-god Achilles and Trojan hero Patroclus as lovers. Another book that benefited from a booktok boost in 2021, The Song of Achilles has sold 2 million copies and would undoubtedly make for a compelling LGBTQ+ themed series. 

Beach Read by Emily Henry

This lighter romance novel embraces the occupational hazard of writer’s block. It tells the story of January, a romance writer grieving her father who stays in a beach house for the summer, living next to the stuffy Gus who writes far dark novels but also has writer’s block. They make a bet to break their blocks by writing in each other’s styles, with romance soon blooming. Currently being developed as a movie, this is a feelgood romance that will inspire you to get typing!  

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Another of Sarah J. Maas’ blockbuster universes, Throne of Glass comprises eight novels and centres on the adventures of Celaena Sardothien, a teenage killer in a fantasy kingdom where she is given the chance to compete with other assassins to win the king’s favour. With elements of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, it’s a vast and rich world that could be perfectly suited to either a big budget, long running TV show or a movie franchise. 

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Loneliness is timeless, but it often feels like a very modern affliction, with many feeling isolated in today’s world despite the multiple ways to stay in touch. Author Gail Honeyman creates a symbol for that feeling in Eleanor, a socially awkward loner who becomes obsessed with singer Johnnie Lomond in a way that makes her examine her own connection with the world. Full of hard-hitting moments that deal with mental health and dissociation, it’s nonetheless a touching story that would make for an endearing drama. Reese Witherspoon certainly thinks so, having bought the rights to a potential movie. We’ll see if it comes to fruition.

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Everyone loves a thriller, and It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover had us on the edge of our seat with this one. Verity follows a writer who is commissioned to step in and finish a famous series of books that an acclaimed author is unable to complete. Through her research, however, she discovers a dark secret about the writer she is succeeding. Romantic and tense, secrets abound in this story that seems destined to become a stylish drama in the vein of other Hoover adaptations.  

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

This 2003 novel broke barriers both for its compelling story and its depiction of neurodiversity. It follows the lead character, a young boy called Christopher who sees the world in a different way, and becomes fixated on finding the culprit for the death of his neighbour’s poodle. The story is already a successful play, and was very loosely adapted into Indian film Kia and The Cosmos (2019). However, a more direct version could be possible, with Brad Pitt having optioned the film in 2011. For us, it has ‘Future Award Winner’ written all over it! 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

This is a slightly messy entry to our list, as parts of the book have technically aöready been adapted into the Netflix show Shadow and Bone – another book in the so-called Grishaverse, a series of novels with connected characters set in a world where magic and science live side by side. Six of Crows is a duo of heist movies set in that world, featuring a compelling gang of characters called The Crows out to take revenge on an evil mogul. The Crows have featured in Shadow and Bone in an original storyline, but we feel this heartfelt story of redemption warrants its own retelling. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Everyone loves a tale of Old Hollywood glamour, and this moving novel published in 2017 seems destined for adaptation. As the title suggests, it looks at the life of Evelyn Hugo, a movie star in her late 70s who is giving one last interview to a journalist about her life and loves. Based in part on Elizabeth Taylor, Netflix is reportedly currently working on a film adaptation. In our opinion, however, the way Hugo’s story is told in parts lends itself to a limited series format, with each lover providing the basis for each episode, and the story’s moving conclusion making for an excellent finale. 

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

‘Cosy’ novels are a big hit with millions of readers, telling stories with relatively low stakes but involving rich characters and heartfelt messages. Set in a fantasy world, Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes is about Viv, an Orc who has spent her life fighting and now wants nothing more than to settle down and open a café selling a substance called ‘coffee’ that none of the villagers have ever heard of. Full of humour and heart, we could absolutely see this being made into a comforting animated series where characters such as Thimble, a baking-obsessed rodent, come to vibrant life! 

Super Late Bloomer by Julia Kaye

We veer away from traditional novels into something that we believe would also make an excellent animated series. Artist Julia Kaye chronicled the early days of her gender transition in 2016 through the webcomic Up and Out, which was later published as the 2018 collection Super Late Bloomer: My Early Days in Transition. Filled with humour and brutal honesty, Kaye’s experience as an artist for a Disney cartoon series clearly shines, with illustrations leaping from the page. Very few shows cover the transgender experience, and Kaye’s story is a warm hug for those who need that representation. 

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Some stories can be hard to get through, but this tale of a relationship between two people separated by tragedy seems ripe for film. An award-winning book championed by Oprah Winfrey, Tayari Jones’ novel is the story of Roy and Celestial, a married couple whose lives are shattered when Roy is wrongly convicted of sexual assault. As he serves his prison sentence, their bond is strained and truths come to light. The rights to a film have been purchased, and we feel that, in the hands of the right director, this could become a favourite for Oscar season.

The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day

Tales of abuse are never easy, but books such as It Ends With Us prove there’s a demand for stories that celebrate survival. Sylvia Day’s adult romance novel focuses on Eva, a woman in her 20s who has survived sexual abuse as a child. She meets Gideon Cross, a billionaire with similar trauma, and the pair begin a relationship based on passion and healing. In active development as a TV show (we cheated a bit), the five-book series offers plenty for readers to dig into as we wait for the small-screen version to air. 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

We end with a film that’s fighting for adaptation! Inspired by real-life stories, this novel is set in France during World War II and follows two sisters as they battle to survive the Nazi occupation in their own ways. A-list sisters Elle and Dakota Fanning were set to star in the film, but shooting was cancelled due to the 2020 pandemic, and production came to a halt. In an interview, Elle Fanning revealed that the film may be “coming back around,” saying: “The script is so good, the book is so beloved, I’m hoping that it does work.” The story’s fans do, too!