It’s a timeless debate – is the book better than the movie? Well, several book adaptations are hitting the big screen (and streaming services) over the next year or so that you won’t want to miss, including a new version of The Running Man, The Housemaid, and The Nightingale.
We always prefer to read the book first, if we can, which is why we’ve given you plenty of time to pick up a copy of these eight books before it’s time to grab some popcorn and settle in for the movie.
Project Hail Mary
Expected release date: (March 20, 2026)
One of the best sci-fi releases of recent years, Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, the sole survivor of a last-chance mission to save Earth, in the movie of Andy Weir’s beloved book.
Upon waking from his coma-like state, he can’t even remember his own name, let alone what his assignment is or how to complete it. However, he’s soon able to rely on his ingenuity and scientific knowledge to forge ahead. He just doesn’t expect to discover that he won’t be going at it alone. The paperback is down to $13.98, saving you 36%.
The Running Man
Expected release date: (November 7, 2025)
The second of two Stephen King adaptations (even though they were both originally released under his pen name Richard Bachman) to be released this autumn–following The Long Walk in September–The Running Man sees Glen Powell play Ben Richards, a contestant on a reality game show of the same name.
The only catch – in order to win the massive grand prize, he will need to evade a group of trained killers who are hunting him and the other contestants, with the nation watching on. With Edgar Wright, director of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and Baby Driver, at the helm, this is definitely one to be seen on the big screen. It's under $10 right now at Amazon.
The Nightingale
Expected release date: (February 27, 2027)
We can’t tell you how excited we were when we found out that Dakota and Elle Fanning will be sharing a screen for the very first time, playing two sisters in The Nightingale. Based on Kristin Hannah’s historical novel of the same name, it follows Vianne and Isabelle in German-occupied, war-torn France during World War II, with each embarking on their own quest for survival, love, and freedom.
Given that it isn’t slated for release until early 2027, you have plenty of time to pick up this particular book to see how it compares to the adaptation.
The Thursday Murder Club
Expected release date: (August 22, 2025)
If you love a good cosy mystery, we have a feeling you might have already heard of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club. With an unlikely gang of amateur sleuths, there have been four books in the series so far – with a fifth coming out in September – and we can’t wait to see Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie, and Ben Kingsley bring Elizabeth, Ron, Joyce, and Ibrahim to life.
While they’re used to trying to solve cold cases from the comfort of the jigsaw room of their retirement village, things soon amp up a notch when a murder takes place there and they find themselves drawn into the investigation. The paperback is just $9.69 right now.
People We Meet On Vacation
Expected release date: (January 9, 2026)
For those who can’t get enough of a good rom-com, Emily Henry’s beloved People We Meet On Vacation is coming to a screen near you at the start of 2026. Streaming exclusively on Netflix, and starring My Lady Jane’s Emily Bader and The Hunger Games prequel’s Tom Blyth as the leads, Poppy and Alex.
For the past decade, they’ve taken a vacation together every year, until everything changed between them. Could one last vacation mend things between the former best friends? I absolutely devoured this book when I first read it, so you can bet I will be seated during the first week of January.
The Woman In Cabin 10
Expected release date: (Autumn 2025)
If you’ve always dreamed of going on a boutique luxury cruise, or you’ve been binge-watching episodes of Below Deck, take note, because Lo Blacklock soon finds herself regretting her decision to step aboard the Aurora.
After seeing a fellow passenger be tossed overboard one night, she’s told that no one is missing and she must have dreamt the whole thing. Could that be the case since she hasn’t been sleeping following a traumatic break in back home? She’s not so sure and continues to look for answers, even if it means putting her own life at risk.
Keira Knightley plays Lo, while Guy Pearce, Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham, David Morrissey, and Kaya Scodelario make up some of the ensemble cast. We don’t yet have an exact release date, but it will be dropping on Netflix sometime this autumn.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Expected release date: (Winter 2025)
Even though you might be able to name a few of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, you probably don’t know a whole lot about his family, and in particular, his only son, Hamnet, who passed away at the age of 11.
A fictional account of how his death impacted Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, the movie adaptation stars Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, and is slated for a winter release later this year. Having won the Women's Prize for Fiction, the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, and being chosen as the Waterstones' Book Of The Year in the same year, we’re expecting big things.
The Housemaid
Expected release date: (December 25, 2025)
As one of the bestselling books of the past few years, it’s not too surprising that Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid is getting the big screen treatment. The story follows Millie, played by Sydney Sweeney, as she cooks, cleans, and cares for the wealthy Winchester family. But by the time she realises the door to her attic bedroom only locks from the outside, it’s already far too late.
Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Michele Morrone make up the rest of the cast, with Bridesmaids and A Simple Favour’s Paul Feig directing. And if you’re anything like us, you’ll find yourself itching to read the rest of the series, with there being two further The Housemaid books to dive into.
If you're keen on the paperback, it's just over $10.
Ellis is a freelance journalist, based in the UK, with a love of all things books. She also routinely chairs bookish events up and down the country, getting the scoop from some of the biggest and bestselling authors to keep you in the know.
