Article contributed by Kate Rhoton
As we move into 2023, it’s exciting to look ahead to all of the new things coming our way. One thing (or ten things, if this article has anything to say about it) to look forward to is all of the upcoming book adaptations coming in the new year. Whether they’re coming to a theatre or streaming service near you, mark your calendars for these ten highly anticipated adaptations!
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches
Based on Anne Rice’s popular Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy from the 1990s, Mayfair Witches follows Dr. Rowan Fielding (played by Alexandra Daddario of White Lotus fame), a neurosurgeon who discovers she is heir to a powerful and supernatural dynasty of witches. Jack Huston (Fargo, The Irishman) is onboard as Lasher, an evil spirit in human form who has been tormenting the Mayfairs for centuries. Mayfair Witches is streaming now on AMC+.
A Man Called Otto
Fredrik Backman’s international bestseller A Man Called Ove gets an English-language adaptation this January. In addition to switching the titular character’s name, the Tom Hanks-led film also sees a shift in setting, from Sweden to Pittsburgh. We follow Otto (Hanks), a curmudgeonly old man grappling with the loss of his wife, who finds renewed hope when a spirited family moves in across the street. A Swedish adaptation was released in 2015 and is available to stream on Prime Video, if you’re interested!
Lockwood & Co.
Are you a fan of young adult mysteries? Then make sure to check out Lockwood & Co., an adaptation of the popular book series of the same name by Jonathan Stroud. Lockwood & Co. follows a trio of teen ghost hunters who spend their nights protecting London from the slew of Visitors (aka ghosts) that are haunting the city. Lockwood & Co. premieres on Netflix on January 27.
Knock at the Cabin
M. Night Shyamalan returns to the world of apocalyptic horror with Knock at the Cabin, an adaptation of Paul Tremblay’s 2016 novel The Cabin at the End of the World. Jonathan Groff (Hamilton) and Ben Aldridge (Spoiler Alert) star as parents who escape to a cabin in the woods with their young daughter when a group of strangers arrives and informs the family that the apocalypse is upon them and they must make a grave sacrifice to avert the end times.
Daisy Jones & The Six
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s wildly popular 2019 novel Daisy Jones & The Six will be receiving a highly-anticipated adaptation on March 3rd, coming to Prime Video. Set in the eclectic and wild world of the 1960s and 1970s rock music scene, Daisy Jones follows the titular band’s legendary rise to stardom and their mysterious undoing.
Salem’s Lot
It’s always a good year when there’s a new Stephen King adaptation to look forward to. 2023 sees a new adaptation of King’s 1975 horror classic ‘Salem’s Lot. Set in King’s beloved Maine, Salem’s Lot follows Ben Mears, a writer who returns to his childhood hometown only to discover sinister things happening to the town’s residents. This updated adaptation (the novel was made into a miniseries in 1979 and 2004) stars Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick) as Ben and also features Alfre Woodard and Spencer Treat Clark. Salem’s Lot was scheduled to hit theatres in September 2022 and then April 2023, but the latter was recently pulled. Here’s hoping it still releases this year!
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Judy Blume’s beloved and groundbreaking 1970 middle-grade novel will finally get an adaptation on April 28. Abby Ryder Fortson (little Cassie Lang from the first two Ant-Man films) takes on the iconic title role with Rachel McAdams playing her mother, Benny Safdie her father, and Kathy Bates her paternal grandmother. This coming-of-age story follows sixth grader Margaret, the daughter of a Christian mother and a Jewish father, who starts to question her views on religion after moving from bustling New York City to the New Jersey suburbs.
Love Again
If rom-coms are your thing, you’ll want to check out Love Again on May 12. This adaptation of Sophie Cramer’s novel Text for You follows Mira (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), a woman grieving the unexpected loss of her fiancé. In order to cope with the pain, she begins texting her fiancé’s old phone number, not knowing that her texts are being received by a journalist named Rob (Sam Heughan). Rob slowly becomes captivated by the woman on the other end of the phone, and he enlists the help of none other than Celine Dion (playing herself in the film) to win the girl.
Dune: Part Two
The highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s Dune will hit theatres on November 3. Based on Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking 1965 sci-fi epic, Dune: Part Two will continue the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he seeks revenge against those who betrayed his family. With an all-star cast featuring Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, and many more, Dune: Part Two is sure to be another unforgettable spectacle from director Denis Villeneuve.
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
2023 marks eight years since the release of Mockingjay – Part 2, but the wait is over for a new The Hunger Games movie. Based on Suzanne Collins’s 2020 prequel to the wildly popular The Hunger Games trilogy, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows a young Coriolanus Snow (played by up-and-comer Tom Blyth) during the tenth annual Hunger Games. Snow, with the hopes of restoring the good name of his once prominent family, becomes a mentor during the Games. Snow’s hopes of familial redemption are dashed when he is tasked with mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the poorest district in the nation of Panem. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set to hit theatres on November 17.
The Color Purple
What better way to close off this list than with an adaptation of a beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning novel turned Tony Award-winning Broadway musical? The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker’s unforgettable 1982 novel, tells the story of Celie and Nettie, two African American sisters separated as children who are forced to endure the hardships of early 20th-century Georgia. Starring such tour-de-forces as Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, H.E.R., and Ciara, The Color Purple is scheduled to hit theatres on December 20.
