28 Great Books That Are Getting the Movie Treatment in 2016
2016 holds a ton of highly anticipated big screen adaptations, particularly titles like The Girl on the Train, Silence, and Nocturnal Animals. Take a peek at the major titles that you'll be able to catch in the movie theater this year, and see a ton more movies that are also being adapted!
01
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
- What it's about: Rowling revisits the Harry Potter universe in this book about Newt Scamander, who "wrote" the textbook that Potter and his classmates would study.
- Who's starring: Eddie Redmayne will star in the film trilogy; see who else has been cast. David Yates has signed on to direct.
- Release date: Nov. 18
- Watch the trailer for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
02
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
- What it's about: A soldier and his squad survive a battle in Iraq and come back to the US for a promotional tour that includes a stop at a Thanksgiving Day football game.
- Who's starring: Garrett Hedlund and newcomer Joe Alwyn are attached to star. Ang Lee will direct.
- Release date: Nov. 11
- Watch the trailer for Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
03
Tony & Susan by Austin Wright
- What it's about: A writer sends his ex-wife the new book he's written, which has disturbing and sinister implications for their former marriage.
- Who's starring: Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams star in the adaptation from director Tom Ford, titled Nocturnal Animals.
- Release date: Nov. 23
- Watch the trailer for Nocturnal Animals.
04
Silence by Shusaku Endo
- What it's about: Set in 17th-century Japan, the book follows the story of Jesuits who are trying to bring Christianity into Japan.
- Who's starring: Andrew Garfield is playing Father Rodrigues in the film, which is being directed by Martin Scorsese. Adam Driver and Liam Neeson are also playing priests.
- Release date: November
05
Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
- What it's about: In this YA novel, a teenager named Jacob explores the ruins of a strange house on an island near Wales, UK.
- Who's starring: Eva Green and Asa Butterfield will star, with Tim Burton directing.
- Release date: Dec. 25
- Watch the trailer for Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children.
06
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan
- What it's about: Susannah Cahalan's autobiography examines her diagnosis of the rare autoimmune disorder encephalitis, which caused her to black out, have violent episodes, and have delusions.
- Who's starring: Chloë Grace Moretz will play Susannah. Tyler Perry, Thomas Mann, and Jenny Slate will costar.
- Release date: TBD
07
The November Criminals by Sam Munson
- What it's about: A misbehaving high-school senior investigates the death of his classmate.
- Who's starring: Ansel Elgort and Chloë Grace Moretz will star. Catherine Keener also has a supporting role.
- Release date: TBD
08
The Queen of Katwe by Tim Crothers
- What it's about: It's the true tale of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan teen from poverty who becomes one of the world's best chess players.
- Who's starring: David Oyelowo will star as the man who mentors Phiona, and Lupita Nyong'o will play her mother.
- Release date: Sept. 23
- Watch the trailer for The Queen of Katwe.
09
The BFG by Roald Dahl
- What it's about: In the children's classic, a young girl, Sophie, befriends the titular big friendly giant.
- Who's starring: Bill Hader is playing the Giant, and Steven Spielberg will direct the live-action adaptation.
- Release date: July 1
- Watch the trailer for The BFG.
10
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- What it's about: In this mystery, a woman thinks she may know something about a crime involving a couple she sees on her train commute every day. Here are more details about the adaptation.
- Who's starring: Emily Blunt is starring (see the cast here), and The Help's Tate Taylor is directing.
- Release date: Oct. 7
- Watch the trailer for The Girl on the Train.
11
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- What it's about: A young boy deals with bullying and his mother's illness by inventing a fantasy world filled with monsters and other creatures.
- Who's starring: Felicity Jones will play Mum, with Liam Neeson and Sigourney Weaver costarring.
- Release date: Oct. 14
- Watch the trailer for A Monster Calls.
12
Inferno by Dan Brown
- What it's about: The Da Vinci Code series continues with Robert Langdon's latest adventure as he tries to stop another international scheme by following clues in Dante's The Divine Comedy.
- Who's starring: Tom Hanks will reprise his role as Langdon, and Felicity Jones will costar as Sienna Brooks. Ben Foster will play the villain.
- Release date: Oct. 14
- Watch the trailer for Inferno.
13
American Pastoral by Philip Roth
- What it's about: The life of Seymour "Swede" Levov is chronicled beginning in 1960s New Jersey and following him for decades.
- Who's starring: Ewan McGregor will play Seymour.
- Release date: Oct. 21
- Watch the trailer for American Pastoral.
14
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates by Mike and Dave Stangle
- What it's about: Real-life brothers Mike and Dave Stangle put out a Craigslist ad for wedding dates and the ad went viral; their experience with the ad and the subsequent search around the country is chronicled in their book.
- Who's starring: Adam DeVine and Zac Efron (who will be shirtless a lot) are playing Mike and Dave, along with Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza.
- Release date: July 8
- Watch the trailer for Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates.
15
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
- What it's about: The sequel to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has spawned a film sequel to 2010's Alice in Wonderland. Six months later, Alice has another adventure through said looking glass and meets characters such as the Jabberwocky.
- Who's starring: Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp are reprising their roles as Alice and the Mad Hatter, respectively.
- Release date: May 27
- Watch the trailer for Alice Through the Looking Glass.
16
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
- What it's about: In this love story, young Louisa forms a bond with Will, the paralyzed man she is employed to help.
- Who's starring: Emilia Clarke is playing Louisa opposite Sam Claflin. Other costars include Matthew Lewis, who you can see in this on-set roundup. Here is the whole cast and everything else we know about the movie.
- Release date: June 3
- Watch the trailer for Me Before You.
17
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
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- What it's about: Sixteen-year-old Cassie Sullivan struggles to survive in a world devastated by an alien invasion.
- Who's starring: Chloë Grace Moretz will star as Cassie, costarring with Liev Schreiber and It Follows breakout star Maika Monroe.
- Release date: Jan. 15
- Watch the trailer for The 5th Wave.
18
The Taliban Shuffle by Kim Barker
- What it's about: Journalist Kim Barker records her memoir of being a journalist in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the early 2000s.
- Who's starring: Tina Fey is starring in and producing the adaptation, which is now titled Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, and Nicholas Braun will costar.
- Release date: March 4
- Watch the trailer for Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
19
Allegiant by Veronica Roth
- What it's about: In the third installment of the Divergent series, Tris, Four, and her allies discover what's on the other side of the fence — and why. The book will be divided into two parts: 2016's Allegiant and 2017's Ascendent.
- Who's starring: Shailene Woodley and Theo James will reprise their roles; here is the full cast.
- Release date: March 18
- Watch the trailer for Allegiant.
20
A Hologram For the King by Dave Eggers
- What it's about: A struggling businessman heads to Saudi Arabia for a fight to save his finances, hoping to steer clear of foreclosure and pay his daughter's college tuition.
- Who's starring: Tom Hanks will star in the film adaptation, which Tom Tykwer is directing.
- Release date: April 22
- Watch the trailer for A Hologram For the King.
21
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
- What it's about: A young foster girl, Gilly, idolizes her real mother and attempts to reunite with her.
- Who's starring: The Book Thief's Sophie Nélisse will play Gilly, with Julia Stiles as her mom.
- Release date: Feb. 19
- Watch the trailer for The Great Gilly Hopkins.
22
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
- What it's about: It's a twisted spin on Jane Austen's classic novel that puts heroine Elizabeth Bennet in the middle of protecting her family and town from the undead.
- Who's starring: Lily James will play Elizabeth Bennet; see who else is starring.
- Release date: Feb. 5
- Watch the trailer for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
23
The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
- What it's about: A confirmed bachelor falls for the girl next door in this 2007 novel from the romance master.
- Who's starring: Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, and Tom Welling will star.
- Release date: Feb. 5
- Watch the trailer for The Choice.
24
The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman
- What it's about: A lighthouse keeper and his wife discover a baby and a dead body near their home off the coast of Australia after WWI.
- Who's starring: Michael Fassbender will star, alongside Alicia Vikander as his wife.
- Release date: Sept. 2
- Watch the trailer for A Light Between Oceans
25
How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo
- What it's about: Manhattanite Julie travels the world to study the dating habits of other women, and back in New York, her single friends navigate their love lives.
- Who's starring: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Dan Stevens, Leslie Mann, Lily Collins, and Alison Brie will star.
- Release date: Feb. 12
- Watch the trailer for How to Be Single.
26
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland
- What it's about: Two sisters live alone in a crumbling house and try to survive in the near future.
- Who's starring: Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood will play the sisters, with Max Minghella costarring.
- Release date: July 22
- Watch the trailer for Into the Forest.
27
Nerve by Jeanne Ryan
- What it's about: In this YA novel, a high-school senior gets caught up in a creepy online game of truth or dare.
- Who's starring: Emma Roberts and Dave Franco are starring.
- Release date: July 27
- Watch the trailer for Nerve.
28
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg
- What it's about: This biography of Max Perkins sheds light on the life of the book editor of literary greats like Thomas Wolfe and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
- Who's starring: Colin Firth is playing Perkins, while Jude Law has the role of author Wolfe in the adaptation (which is called, simply, Genius).
- Release date: July 29
- Watch the trailer for Genius.
28 Books Becoming 2016 Movies
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