Fall Reading List: 43 Books to Read Before They're Movies

Of the many movies coming out this Fall, lots of them are based on books, proving once again that Hollywood's best material comes from the page. There are always a ton of great books in the process of being adapted, so for the new season upon us, we have a brand-new reading list with titles that are becoming movies very soon or which were recently optioned or in the development stage. Either way, get your page-turning fingers ready!

Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
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Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman

Boy Erased by Garrard Conley
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Boy Erased by Garrard Conley

  • What it's about: A young gay Baptist is forced to go to a conversion program put on by his church.
  • Who's starring: Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Joel Edgerton are starring.
  • Release date: 2018
The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz
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The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

  • What it's about: In the first book since David Lagercrantz took over the Millennium trilogy from the late Stieg Larsson, Lisbeth investigates an organization called the Spider Society.
  • Who's starring: Claire Foy is playing Lisbeth Salander, taking over from Rooney Mara.
  • Release date: Oct. 19, 2018
Victoria & Abdul by Shrabani Basu
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Victoria & Abdul by Shrabani Basu

  • What it's about: In her later years, Queen Victoria gets close to an Indian clerk who becomes a close confidante and dear friend.
  • Who's starring: Judi Dench plays Queen Victoria and Ali Fazal plays Abdul.
  • Watch the trailer for Victoria & Abdul.
  • Release date: Sept. 22
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
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The Mothers by Brit Bennett

  • What it's about: A secret haunts the residents of a black community in a Southern California town.
  • Who's starring: Kerry Washington will produce with no word on whether or not she will also star.
  • Release date: TBD
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
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Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

  • What it's about: New York-based Nick brings his girlfriend, Rachel, home for a wedding in Singapore, where she discovers he's vastly wealthy — and that she may not fit into that world.
  • Who's starring: The movie adaptation has a huge, well-known cast including Constance Wu and Ken Jeong. Jon Chu is directing.
  • Release date: TBD
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
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Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

  • What it's about: In the May 2017 novel from the writer of The Girl on the Train, the bodies of a woman and that of a teenage girl are found at the bottom of the same river in a small town.
  • Who's starring: The novel was optioned in February by Dreamworks, but no one has been cast yet.
  • Release date: TBD
The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson
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The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

  • What it's about: In the 1960s, single Kitty owns a bookshop but dreams of a life where she's married with children — and she starts to blur the lines between reality and fantasy.
  • Who's starring: Julia Roberts will play Kitty.
  • Release date: TBD
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertelli
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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertelli

  • What it's about: In this coming-of-age novel, high school junior Simon hasn't come out yet, but he's forced to do so when a classmate finds out.
  • Who's starring: 13 Reasons Why's Katherine Langford will play the female lead, Leah, and Everything, Everything's Nick Robinson will play Simon. Greg Berlanti will direct.
  • Release date: March 16, 2018
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
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Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

  • What it's about: A glamorous 20-something New Yorker hides a dark secret in her past.
  • Who's starring: No one has been cast yet, but Reese Witherspoon is producing the movie.
  • Release date: TBD
The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook
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The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook

  • What it's about: In a war-torn post-WWII Germany, a British colonel moves into Hamburg to rebuild the city with his wife. They move into the home of a German man and his daughter, which has deep consequences for all of them.
  • Who's starring: Jason Clarke is playing the colonel, Keira Knightley is starring as his wife, and Alexander Skarsgard is playing their German host.
  • Release date: TBD
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
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In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

  • What it's about: Writer Nora attends the bachelorette party of a friend she hasn't seen in 10 years, and on the weekend away, things go from drinks and fun to heart-pounding mystery.
  • Who's starring: No one has been cast yet, but Reese Witherspoon is producing and screenwriter Natalie Krinsky is adapting the screenplay.
  • Release date: TBD
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
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Wonder by R.J. Palacio

  • What it's about: Wonder tells the story of Auggie Pullman, a boy who is born with a facial deformity, and his struggle to fit in at a new school.
  • Who's starring: Room's Jacob Tremblay is playing Auggie and Julia Roberts will play his mother.
  • Watch the trailer for Wonder.
  • Release date: Nov. 17
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
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A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

  • What it's about: Fourteen-year-old Meg Murry's father goes missing after working on a government project, setting off Meg's fantastical journey through space and time.
  • Who's starring: Ava DuVernay will direct the adaptation, and the three Mrs. have been cast: Reese Witherspoon will play Mrs. Whatsit, Mindy Kaling will play Mrs. Who, and Oprah Winfrey will play Mrs. Which. See the whole cast here.
  • Release date: March 9, 2018
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

  • What it's about: Teenager Wade Watts gets sucked into a virtual universe in a dystopian future society in 2044.
  • Who's starring: Tye Sheridan will play Wade, Olivia Cooke will play his love interest, and Ben Mendelsohn, T.J. Miller, and Simon Pegg will costar in the sci-fi flick, which is being directed by Steven Spielberg.
  • Release date: March 30, 2018
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
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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 correspondence to find her.
  • Who's starring: Richard Linklater is set to direct the film, and Cate Blanchett has been cast as Bernadette. Kristen Wiig, Billy Crudup, and Judy Greer are also set to star. Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber — the writers behind (500) Days of Summer — are writing the screenplay.
  • Release date: May 11, 2018
Fifty Shades Freed by EL James
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Fifty Shades Freed by EL James

  • What it's about: In the final book in the Fifty Shades saga, Christian and Ana navigate their most dangerous, treacherous relationship yet: marriage.
  • Who's starring: Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson fill the shoes of Christian and Ana again, while newcomers like Arielle Kebbel will join the franchise. Here is the Fifty Shades Freed cast so far and all the details we have.
  • Watch the trailer for Fifty Shades Freed.
  • Release date: Feb. 9, 2018
The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
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The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

  • What it's about: The book changes perspectives 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.
  • Release date: TBD
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
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All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

  • What it's about: In this young-adult romance, a girl named Violet falls for Finch, a boy who is intent on ending his life.
  • Who's starring: Elle Fanning is starring, and Miguel Arteta is directing.
  • Release date: TBD
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
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Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

  • What it's about: Roxane, an American soprano, travels to South America to perform a private concert, which is then crashed by guerrilla forces.
  • Who's starring: Julianne Moore will star as Roxane alongside Ken Watanabe and Demián Bichir. Paul Weitz will direct.
  • Release date: 2018
Witness For the Prosecution by Agatha Christie
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Witness For the Prosecution by Agatha Christie

  • What it's about: The short story follows a courtroom drama of a murder case with lots of twists, turns, and marital intrigue.
  • Who's starring: Ben Affleck will direct and star in the movie.
  • Release date: 2019
Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household
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Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household

  • What it's about: The classic British novel follows a man who attempts to assassinate a dictator who is hunted by authorities himself after he fails.
  • Who's starring: Benedict Cumberbatch will produce and star.
  • Release date: TBD
The Son by Jo Nesbo
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The Son by Jo Nesbo

  • What it's about: A young man is in prison because he has confessed to the crimes of others, but he breaks out to avenge his murdered father.
  • Who's starring: Jake Gyllenhaal will star with his Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve at the helm.
  • Release date: TBD
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
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The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

  • What it's about: Two sisters in France end up in different positions during WWII; one fights with the resistance and one becomes a prisoner.
  • Who's starring: Sam Claflin is starring, and Michelle MacLaren will direct.
  • Release date: Jan. 25, 2019
The Game by Neil Strauss
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The Game by Neil Strauss

  • What it's about: Former self-described AFC (average frustrated chump) Neil Strauss got fed up with being a mediocre dater and infiltrated an underground society of pick-up gurus. The book is part memoir, part how-to guide.
  • Who's starring: James Franco will both produce and star in the film as pick-up artist Mystery.
  • Release date: TBD
The Black Hand by Stephan Talty
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The Black Hand by Stephan Talty

  • What it's about: Set in the the Summer of 1903, a detective investigates a crime outbreak that has ties the beginnings of the mafia in America.
  • Who's starring: Leonardo DiCaprio will star in and produce the adaptation.
  • Release date: 2018
The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin
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The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin

  • What it's about: Two strangers on a charter plane crash in the wilderness and have to depend on each other to survive.
  • Who's starring: Idris Elba is playing the male lead opposite Kate Winslet; here they are, kissing on the set.
  • Watch the trailer for The Mountain Between Us.
  • Release date: Oct. 20
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
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The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

  • What it's about: In the first novel of the Chaos Walking series, Todd Hewitt and Viola Eade, two teens living on an Earth-like planet, are affected by a plague called The Noise but discover a way to control it. The movie adaptation is being called Chaos Walking.
  • Who's starring: Daisy Ridley is playing Viola, and Tom Holland will star as Todd.
  • Release date: 2019
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
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Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

  • What it's about: The classic mystery follows fictional detective Hercule Poirot as he pursues a murder on a famous train.
  • Who's starring: Kenneth Branagh is directing and will play Poirot alongside Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. Here's the whole cast.
  • Watch the trailer for Murder on the Orient Express.
  • Release date: Nov. 22
Dune by Frank Herbert
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Dune by Frank Herbert

  • What it's about: The cult-classic novel weaves an interstellar epic in a not-too-distant future.
  • Who's starring: Oscar-nominated director Denis Villeneuve will direct the adaptation, which hasn't been cast yet.
  • Release date: TBD
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
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Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

  • What it's about: In this thriller, a biologist sets out on an expedition to a mysterious area to find out what killed her husband there.
  • Who's starring: Natalie Portman, Jane the Virgin's Gina Rodriguez, and Tessa Thompson will costar. Oscar Isaac also joined the cast of the film, which will be directed by Ex Machina's Alex Garland.
  • Release date: Feb. 23, 2018
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
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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 Sam Mendes will produce and potentially direct the film adaptation.
  • Release date: TBD
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
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The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

  • What it's about: This coming-of-age tale tells the story of a boy and his fascination with a tiny but special painting.
  • Who's starring: John Crowley will direct, and though the adaptation has not been cast yet, we have many ideas about who should star.
  • Release date: TBD
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

  • What it's about: After WWII has come to an end, while London writer Juliet Ashton is looking for inspiration for her next book, she becomes acquainted with a wild crew on Guernsey Island after receiving a letter. She becomes drawn into the world of the man who wrote to her and his friends under Nazi occupation. The movie will simply be called Guernsey.
  • Who's starring: Michiel Huisman, Lily James, and Glen Powell will costar in the adaptation.
  • Release date: 2018
The Darkest Minds
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The Darkest Minds

  • What it's about: In the futuristic YA novel, the government tries to intern and suppress young people with special abilities, including 16-year-old Ruby.
  • Who's starring: Amandla Stenberg will play Ruby and Mandy Moore will play a doctor.
  • Release date: 2018
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
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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: Ryan Reynolds is attached to potentially star.
  • Release date: 2019
The Death Cure by James Dashner
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The Death Cure by James Dashner

  • What it's about: In the final book in the Maze Runner series, Thomas finally attempts to take down the organization WICKED.
  • Who's starring: Dylan O'Brien is reprising his role as Thomas with much of the same cast returning.
  • Release date: Jan. 26, 2018
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty
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Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty

  • What it's about: A suburban couple attend a disastrous barbecue in this mystery.
  • Who's starring: Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon (who both star in another Moriarty adaptation, Big Little Lies) will produce the adaptation, though there is no news yet on whether either actress will star.
  • Release date: TBD
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
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James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

  • What it's about: This classic kids' book follows the young man who has an adventure on a very large piece of fruit.
  • Who's starring: No one has been cast yet, and though Sam Mendes was originally slated to direct the live-action adaptation, he has since dropped out.
  • Release date: TBD
Love May Fail by Matthew Quick
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Love May Fail by Matthew Quick

  • What it's about: A woman dealing with the breakup of her marriage heads back to her hometown to clear the name of a former teacher.
  • Who's starring: Emma Stone will star in the movie, which is being adapted by Mike White.
  • Release date: TBD
The Devil in the White City by Eric Larson
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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.
  • Release date: TBD
Thank You For Your Service by David Finkel
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Thank You For Your Service by David Finkel

  • What it's about: This nonfiction book follows the lives of soldiers who have come back from overseas and the PTSD, sympathy, and life they face back at home.
  • Who's starring: Amy Schumer and Miles Teller are starring.
  • Release date: Oct. 27
The November Criminals by Sam Munson
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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.
  • Watch the trailer for The November Criminals.
  • Release date: Dec. 8