There are a ton of great-looking movies [1] coming out this Fall, in a time that's known for being packed with excellent films. This season, there happens to be a large concentration of adaptations, and many of them of books that many of us loved dearly. We've put them all together so you can get a look at how your favorite book is making it to the big screen — and if you need more ideas of what to read, here are some other books being turned into movies [2] in the near future!
Source: Fox Searchlight [3]
A Walk Among the Tombstones
- Who's starring: Liam Neeson plays a private detective, and Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens is a client who wants revenge for the murder of his wife.
- Why you should be interested: Neeson is channeling his Taken persona, but this adaptation of the bestselling novel of the same name looks darker and more compelling.
- When it comes out: Sept. 19
- Watch the trailer for A Walk Among the Tombstones [4].
- Check out the book A Walk Among the Tombstones [5].
This Is Where I Leave You
- Who's starring: Jason Bateman [6], Tina Fey [7], Adam Driver, and Corey Stoll play siblings who attend the funeral of their father. Jane Fonda plays their mother.
- Why you should be interested: Fans of the novel by Jonathan Tropper can attest that this story is both sentimental and raucously funny.
- When it comes out: Sept. 19
- Watch the trailer for This Is Where I Leave You [8].
- Check out the book This Is Where I Leave You [9].
Gone Girl
- Who's starring: Ben Affleck [10] plays Nick, the main suspect in his wife Amy's (Rosamund Pike) disappearance.
- Why you should be interested: The Gillian Flynn book the movie is based on is spellbinding, and with David Fincher as director, the movie is already one of this year's best thrillers.
- When it comes out: Oct. 3
- Watch the trailer for Gone Girl [11].
- Check out the book Gone Girl [12].
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
- Who's starring: Jennifer Garner [13] and Steve Carell [14] play the parents in this family-friendly flick.
- Why you should be interested: Even if you're all grown up now, you have to see one of your favorite childhood books come to life. Plus, Steve Carell!
- When it comes out: Oct. 10
- Watch the trailer for Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day [15].
- Check out the book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day [16].
The Best of Me
- Who's starring: Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden play former high school sweethearts who reconnect after 20 years.
- Why you should be interested: This is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, so you know what to expect (tears, longing, softly lit love scenes), but somehow, we can't resist. (It may have something to do with Marsden).
- When it comes out: Oct. 17
- Watch the trailer for The Best of Me [17].
- Check out the book The Best of Me [18].
Horns
- Who's starring: Daniel Radcliffe [19] plays Ig, a guy who wakes up to find his girlfriend (Juno Temple) murdered — and a pair of horns on his head.
- Why you should be interested: Radcliffe has been impressing with one interesting role after the other since Harry Potter [20] wrapped, and if you wonder how this story is interesting, read about his character again.
- When it comes out: Oct. 31
- Watch the trailer for Horns [21].
- Check out the book Horns [22].
Mockingjay
- Who's starring: Jennifer Lawrence [23] reprises her role as Katniss, along with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman [24], and Julianne Moore as President Alma Coin.
- Why you should be interested: This is the end of the Hunger Games series (well, sort of; it's part one of the end, anyway)! To refresh you, it's when the revolution against the Capitol finally takes place and Katniss steps forward as the face of the movement. You can't miss it!
- When it comes out: Nov. 21
- Watch the trailer for Mockingjay [25].
- Check out the book Mockingjay [26].
The Imitation Game
- Who's starring: Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, a WWII code breaker, and Keira Knightley [27] plays a colleague.
- Why you should be interested: If you're not Cumberbatch's biggest fan, this movie might convince you; he has the perfect skillset to charm you while convincing you he's the smartest man in the room (which the real Turing may have been; he cracked the German Enigma to help the Allies win the war).
- When it comes out: Nov. 21
- Watch the trailer for The Imitation Game [28].
- Check out the book The Imitation Game [29].
Wild
- Who's starring: Reese Witherspoon [30] plays Cheryl Strayed in the film based on her memoir of the same name.
- Why you should be interested: Strayed's book can destroy you emotionally; there's no telling to how much more heartbreaking it will be played out on the big screen. And, with her journey along the Pacific Crest Trail, the visuals should be incredible.
- When it comes out: Dec. 5
- Watch the trailer for Wild [31].
- Check out the book Wild [32].
Inherent Vice
- Who's starring: Joaquin Phoenix [33], Josh Brolin [34], Reese Witherspoon [35], and Maya Rudolph comprise the ensemble cast.
- Why you should be interested: Director Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master) is one of today's best directors, and his movies tend to be intense, which is fitting for this '70s crime story based on a Thomas Pynchon novel.
- When it comes out: Dec. 12
- Check out the book Inherent Vice [36].
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
- Who's starring: Martin Freeman reprises his role as Bilbo, along with returning stars Luke Evans and Orlando Bloom [37].
- Why you should be interested: This chapter closes the book (pun intended) on Peter Jackson's Hobbit series — and shows us what happens after Smaug flew off to destroy Lake-town.
- When it comes out: Dec. 17
- Watch the trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies [38].
- Check out the book The Hobbit [39].
Unbroken
- Who's starring: Jack O'Connell plays WWII soldier and POW Louis Zamperini in this true story.
- Why you should be interested: It's Angelina Jolie [40]'s directorial debut, and Zamperini's story is truly an inspiration (he was an Olympic runner prior to joining the army). He also recently passed away, so this should be all the more poignant.
- When it comes out: Dec. 25
- Watch the trailer for Unbroken [41].
- Check out the book Unbroken [42].
American Sniper
- Who's starring: Clint Eastwood [43] will direct the film adaptation, starring Bradley Cooper [44] as Chris Kyle and Sienna Miller [45] as his wife.
- Why you should be interested: Chris Kyle is known as the most lethal sniper in US military history, and beyond that, Eastwood's directorial efforts tend to attract Oscar nominations.
- When it comes out: Dec. 25
- Watch the trailer for American Sniper [46].
- Check out the book American Sniper [47].