Fall Reading List: 50 Books Being Adapted Into Movies

By Shannon Vestal Robson

Updated on 11/4/2015 at 6:30 PM

A lot of this Fall's movies are based on books, a practice we love as we try to read all the books being made into films. In our new reading list for the Fall, we've got a bunch of the books that you'll see on the big screen over the next months, along with some recently announced — or cast — adaptations. Fire up the Kindle!

The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham

The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham

  • What it's about: An Australian dressmaker returns to her hometown, only to reopen a past scandal.
  • Who's starring: Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth.
  • Watch the trailer for The Dressmaker.
The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson

The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson

  • What it's about: The unbelievable true story of Daniel Burnham, the architect responsible for the construction of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, a serial killer who used the fair to lure victims to his own "World's Fair Hotel" — and to their deaths.
  • Who's starring: Leonardo DiCaprio will play the sick-minded Holmes, though there's no word yet on who will step in as Burnham. Martin Scorsese will direct.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

  • What it's about: An awkward genetics professor falls for a woman who does not fit into his ascribed criteria — the titular Rosie.
  • Who's starring: Jennifer Lawrence is attached to play Rosie, with Richard Linklater directing.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

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.
  • Who's starring: Emily Blunt is starring (see the cast here), and The Help's Tate Taylor is directing.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

  • What it's about: Two Nebraska teenagers bond over music and fall in love in this affecting YA novel.
  • Who's starring: There's no cast or director yet, but Rowell has written the script for the movie, which was optioned by Dreamworks.
High Rise by JG Ballard

High Rise by JG Ballard

  • What it's about: A luxury high-rise building becomes a center for violence and chaos.
  • Who's starring: Tom Hiddleston will star alongside Sienna Miller and Elisabeth Moss.
Looking For Alaska by John Green

Looking For Alaska by John Green

  • What it's about: A cerebral teen falls for a girl, the titular Alaska, in the first novel from The Fault in Our Stars author John Green.
  • Who's starring: There's no cast yet, but the screenplay will be adapted by the same team who did The Fault in Our Stars.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

  • What it's about: In this young adult romance, a girl, Violet, falls for a boy, Finch, who is intent on ending his life.
  • Who's starring: Elle Fanning is starring, and Miguel Arteta is directing.
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

  • 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.
Live by Night by Dennis Lehane

Live by Night by Dennis Lehane

  • What it's about: Set in the Prohibition era of the '20s, the novel tells the story of a Boston thief who finds success as a rum runner.
  • Who's starring: Ben Affleck is writing, directing, and starring in the film, marking his second time adapting one of the author's books — his directorial debut came with the adaptation of Lehane's Gone Baby Gone. Chris Messina, Zoe Saldana, and Sienna Miller are costarring.
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg

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 set to portray Perkins, while Jude Law has the role of author Wolfe in the adaptation (which is called Genius).
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates by Mike and Dave Stangle

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.
The Odyssey by Homer

The Odyssey by Homer

  • What it's about: Homer's epic follows Odysseus's journey home after the fall of Troy.
  • Who's starring: Hugh Jackman is attached to star.
The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

  • What it's about: This true story follows the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, who helped to save hundreds of people from the Nazis in World War II by smuggling them into empty cages.
  • Who's starring: Jessica Chastain will star with Daniel Bruhl in the movie.
The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

  • What it's about: It's the true story of Billy Milligan, the first defendant in the US law system to use multiple personality disorder as a defense.
  • Who's starring: Leonardo DiCaprio will produce and possibly star as Milligan in the adaptation, which will be titled The Crowded Room.
The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison

The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison

  • What it's about: The book changes perspective between a couple who has been together for 20 years while she takes care of him and he cheats on her.
  • Who's starring: Nicole Kidman will produce and star in the adaptation as the wife.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

  • What it's about: Two generations of brothers with very different natures come of age in the Salinas Valley, CA.
  • Who's starring: Jennifer Lawrence will play Cathy, the cold mother of the two boys. Gary Ross will direct.
The Lost City of Z by David Grann

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

  • What it's about: In this true tale, Grann tells the story of how British explorer Percy Fawcett got lost searching for an ancient, fabled civilization in the Amazon in 1925.
  • Who's starring: Charlie Hunnam will play Fawcett, and Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller will costar in the film, which will be directed by James Gray.
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland

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.
You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers

You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers

  • What it's about: Two 20-something friends go on an international trip to find themselves after one of their best friends dies.
  • Who's starring: Daniel Radcliffe is attached to star as Will.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

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.
The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen

The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen

  • What it's about: This sci-fi thriller follows a young boy after he suffers a near-fatal fall on his ninth birthday.
  • Who's starring: Aaron Paul is playing Peter, and Jamie Dornan is playing Dr. Pascal.
Black Mass by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill

Black Mass by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill

  • What it's about: The true-crime novel follows the infamous mobster Whitey Bulger, the head of the Irish mob in the '70s, and his relationship with childhood friend John Connolly, who grew up to work for the FBI.
  • Who's starring: Johnny Depp is playing Bulger, with Joel Edgerton as Connolly. Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, and Juno Temple are also in the supporting cast.
  • Watch the trailer for Black Mass.
The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke

The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke

  • What it's about: After a 19th-century fur trapper gets mauled by a bear and then left for dead by thieves, he embarks on a journey for revenge.
  • Who's starring: Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy will costar in the adaptation, which is being directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.
  • Watch the trailer for The Revenant.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

  • What it's about: Mary Shelley's classic story follows Victor Frankenstein as he discovers the secret of life and puts together a body using corpses. Horrified by the monster he's created, Frankenstein flees until the monster returns to him.
  • Who's starring: Daniel Radcliffe will play Igor, the hunchback assistant to Victor Frankenstein (James McAvoy), in this adaptation, titled Victor Frankenstein.
  • Watch the trailer for Victor Frankenstein.
The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff

The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff

  • What it's about: The story of real-life artist Einar Wegener, who was one of the first people to have transgender surgery.
  • Who's starring: Eddie Redmayne will star opposite Alicia Vikander and Amber Heard, while Tom Hooper will direct.
  • Watch the trailer for The Danish Girl.
Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

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.
  • Who's starring: Eva Green will play the title character, with Asa Butterfield, Kim Dickens, Allison Janney, and Samuel L. Jackson costarring. Tim Burton is directing.
Silence by Shusaku Endo

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 also has a supporting role.
The Secret in Their Eyes by Eduardo Sacheri

The Secret in Their Eyes by Eduardo Sacheri

  • What it's about: An MI5 agent trying to solve a murder works for the FBI and uncovers a terrifying new truth.
  • Who's starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor will play the MI5 agent opposite Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts.
  • Watch the trailer for Secret in Their Eyes.
The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

  • What it's about: Two siblings from a family of performance artists have to learn to live in the real world.
  • Who's starring: Jason Bateman and Nicole Kidman are playing the siblings, with Bateman directing.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

  • What it's about: After her mom, Bernadette, disappears, 15-year-old Bee dives into emails, documents, and secret correspondences to find her.
  • Who's starring: Richard Linklater is set to direct the film, and though there's no cast yet, we have a few ideas. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber — the writers behind (500) Days of Summer — are set to write the screenplay.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

  • What it's about: Spanning decades, the book kicks off in 1962 on the Italian coast, following the ups and downs of a love affair that ends in Hollywood years later.
  • Who's starring: Imogen Poots will play Dee Moray, and Todd Field will direct the film adaptation.
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

  • What it's about: Susannah Cahalan's autobiography examines her diagnosis of the rare autoimmune disorder encephalitis, in which she would 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.
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

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.
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

  • What it's about: In the third Hunger Games book, Katniss fights against the corrupt Capitol from within District 13.
  • Who's starring: Jennifer Lawrence and other franchise cast members will reprise their roles in the adaptation, the second half of which is coming in November. See the whole cast here.
  • Watch the trailer for Mockingjay —Part 2.
The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

  • What it's about: A young female department-store clerk becomes obsessed with another woman in the store in this 1950s drama.
  • Who's starring: In the renamed Carol, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara play the leads, with Carrie Brownstein in a supporting role.
  • Watch the trailer for Carol.
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

  • What it's about: The relationship of two young Nigerians is tested by long distance and immigration issues when she moves to America.
  • Who's starring: Lupita Nyong'o will play the female lead opposite David Oyelowo, while Brad Pitt is producing.
How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo

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.
Inferno by Dan Brown

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.
In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

  • What it's about: The book tells the story of the Essex, a ship that was sunk by a whale in 1819, leaving the crew at sea for more than 90 days.
  • Who's starring: Ron Howard is adapting the book for the big screen, and the film will star Chris Hemsworth as first mate Owen Chase, Cillian Murphy as second mate Matthew Joy, and Benjamin Walker as Captain Pollard.
  • Watch the trailer for In the Heart of the Sea.
Room by Emma Donoghue

Room by Emma Donoghue

  • What it's about: A 5-year-old boy grows up in a small shed, which becomes the only world he knows because his mother hides the truth — they're being held captive.
  • Who's starring: Brie Larson is starring as Ma, the mother; see who else is starring.
  • Watch the trailer for Room.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

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.
The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir

  • What it's about: Astronaut Mark Watney gets stranded on Mars and must survive alone while NASA tries to rescue him in this sci-fi novel.
  • Who's starring: Matt Damon will play Mark Watney, while Jessica Chastain and Kristen Wiig will costar. Ridley Scott is directing.
  • Watch the trailer for The Martian.
Left For Dead by Beck Weathers

Left For Dead by Beck Weathers

  • What it's about: In this 1996 true story, a group of climbers embarked on a journey to the top of the tallest mountain, and not all of them survived. Author Weathers was part of the group.
  • Who's starring: In the film adaptation titled Everest, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin (who plays Weathers), Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, and Sam Worthington star as the hikers.
  • Watch the trailer for Everest.
Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

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.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

  • What it's about: The second installment of the Maze Runner series continues as the Gladers and Thomas have escaped the maze but find themselves in their next test.
  • Who's starring: Dylan O'Brien will play Thomas again, along with much of the original cast; see who else is starring.
  • Watch the trailer for Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.
Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

  • What it's about: In this Fifty Shades of Grey sequel, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele's relationship deepens as he lets her in a little more.
  • Who's starring: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson will reprise their roles as Christian and Ana. Here's everything else we know about the adaptation.
The Circle by Dave Eggers

The Circle by Dave Eggers

  • What it's about: A young woman, Mae Holland, takes a job at a Google-like tech company, where she quickly climbs the corporate ladder.
  • Who's starring: Emma Watson is starring as Mae, alongside Tom Hanks and John Boyega. James Ponsoldt is directing.
In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck

In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck

  • What it's about: Steinbeck's 1936 novel portrays the plight of an apple picker who tries to organize a major strike.
  • Who's starring: James Franco is directing a cast that consists of himself, Selena Gomez, Bryan Cranston, Josh Hutcherson, Ashley Greene, and Nat Wolff.
Home Is Burning by Dan Marshall

Home Is Burning by Dan Marshall

  • What it's about: Marshall's memoir tells the story of his return home as a 20-something to help take care of his mother and father, diagnosed with cancer and ALS, respectively.
  • Who's starring: Miles Teller will star and produce, and Jonathan Levine is directing.
Fall Reading List

Fall Reading List