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Hollywood is finally catching up to BookTok.
The well-read corner of the internet brought decade-old titles back to bestseller lists and new life to bookish communities. Now, after years of production deals, development updates and casting news, the entertainment industry is adapting BookTok’s favorite books.
We’ve seen the first of many from Emily Henry (“People We Meet on Vacation”), Taylor Jenkins Reid (“Daisy Jones & The Six”) and Freida McFadden (“The Housemaid”). Colleen Hoover has so many adaptations underway that she started her own production company. And the next few years will surely bring a slew of romantasy adaptations like “Fourth Wing”.
But how well will they bring your favorite characters to life?
BookTok books becoming movies or TV shows
Keep an eye on these BookTok darlings, some of which have release dates while others are in early stages of development.
‘The Last Sunrise’ (Aug. 26)
Maia Reficco stars in an upcoming Prime Video movie as a college student dealing with chronic illness who falls in love with a local while traveling in Mallorca with her mother (Eva Longoria). “The Last Sunrise” is by Anna Todd, the author of the Wattpad-originated novel “After.”
‘The Love Hypothesis’ (Sept. 23)
Ali Hazelwood’s steamy STEMinist romance novel is coming to Prime Video. The movie will star Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman as two scientists in a fake dating scheme, exploring their chemistry in and out of the lab.
‘Verity’ (Oct. 2)
“Verity” is a departure from the small-town romantic dramas of previous Hoover adaptations. This thriller, in theaters Oct. 2, will star Dakota Johnson as Lowen, a writer on assignment to ghostwrite for a renowned author (Anne Hathaway) who suffered an accident and can no longer write.
‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ (Nov. 20)
Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games prequel includes a star-studded cast of Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Elle Fanning, Mckenna Grace, Kieran Culkin, Glenn Close and many others. Joseph Zada will star as a younger Haymitch Abernathy as he competes in the 50th Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will reprise their roles as Katniss and Peeta in the movie that hits theaters Nov. 20.
‘In a Holidaze’ (this holiday season)
Christina Lauren’s holiday romance will soon be a Netflix movie written and directed by Tiffany Paulsen (“Holidate”). The cast includes Maddie Ziegler and Rob Lowe. The film will be out this holiday season, representatives from Netflix confirmed to USA TODAY.
‘Children of Blood and Bone’ (Jan. 15)
Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling fantasy series will in 2027 with a stacked cast including Viola Davis, Regina King, Cynthia Erivo, Idris Elba and Amandla Stenberg. Thuso Mbedu stars as Zélie, who strives to bring back magic to her kingdom. But the adaptation has been followed by plenty of controversy, with Adeyemi distancing herself from the movie.
‘The Nightingale’ (March 19)
Sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning will both produce and star in the movie version of Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale,” which follows two sisters in France torn apart during World War II.
‘Beach Read’ (May 7)
“Beach Read” is the second of Henry’s romances slated for adaptation. Filming has officially started, according to screenwriter Yulin Kuang, who wrote the script for “People We Meet on Vacation.” Phoebe Dynevor and Patrick Schwarzenegger will star as January and Gus. The movie will go to theaters next year.
‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow’ (Nov. 12)
Paramount is adapting Gabrielle Zevin’s bestseller, which follows two childhood friends who reunite as college students and build a video game studio. Daisy Edgar-Jones was cast as Sadie, Sky Yang (“Last Days”) as Sam and Sean Kaufman (“The Summer I Turned Pretty”) as Marx. The film is slated to open Nov. 12, 2027, according to Variety.
‘This Summer Will Be Different’
A second Carley Fortune series is on the way, on the heels of the recent “Every Summer After” adaptation. Filming is underway for Netflix’s “This Summer Will Be Different,” which will star Sophie Nélisse (“Yellowjackets,” “Heated Rivalry”) as Lucy. No release date has been announced.
‘The Bodyguard’
“The Bodyguard” by Katherine Center is getting a refresh as the Netflix film “Guarding Stars.” The film will star Leighton Meester as a no-nonsense bodyguard assigned to protect an action star (Jared Padalecki) over the holidays. No release date has been announced.
‘You Deserve Each Other’
Meghann Fahy and Penn Badgley have filmed an Amazon MGM Studios adaptation of Sarah Hogle’s “You Deserve Each Other,” playing an engaged couple trying to wiggle their way out of their upcoming nuptials. Kyle MacLachlan and Justin Long will also star in the film. Timothy Busfield’s role has been edited out following sex abuse charges filed against the actor, according to Deadline.
‘It Happened One Summer’
“It Happened One Summer” is officially filming, with plenty of behind-the-scenes posts from author Tessa Bailey and a now-blond Nina Dobrev, who plays Piper Bellinger. Tyler Hoechlin will play her love interest, Brendan, a gruff fishing boat captain. Virginia Gardner and Gavin Leatherwood will play the two side characters whose love story is the subject of the sequel “Hook, Line, and Sinker.”
‘God of the Woods’
Filming is underway in upstate New York for “God of the Woods” by Liz Moore. Maya Hawke will star as Judy Luptack, an investigator with a high-pressure case to find a missing teen camper from a prominent family, a disappearance that bears an eerie similarity to another 14 years ago. Moore will co-showrun, write and executive produce the Netflix series with Liz Hannah (“The Girl From Plainville”).
‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’
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Jennette McCurdy’s breakout memoir is slated for a 10-episode series adaptation on Apple TV+ with McCurdy co-writing, co-showrunning and executive producing. Jennifer Aniston was initially attached to star as McCurdy’s mom and is rumored to have dropped out of the project, per TMZ, though Aniston has not made any official announcement. USA TODAY has reached out to her representatives.
‘Fourth Wing’
Prime Video has officially ordered Rebecca Yarros’ bestselling romantasy books to series. Meredith Averill (“The Haunting of Hill House”) will adapt the series, with Yarros and Michael B. Jordan attached to executive produce, among others.
‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’
Casting has not been announced for Reid’s beloved novel “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo,” despite fans lobbying for Ana de Armas and Jessica Chastain. What we do know is that Anna Kendrick recently signed on to direct the film for Netflix, with Liz Tigelaar (“Little Fires Everywhere”) and Francesca Sloane working on the script.
‘Better Than the Movies’
The Netflix movie based on Lynn Painter’s novel will star Beatrice Kitsos (“Percy Jackson and the Olympians”) as Liz Buxbaum and David Iacono (“The Summer I Turned Pretty”) as Wes Bennett. The rom-com follows Liz and Wes, neighbors since they were kids, as they embark on a scheme to get her crush to finally notice her.
‘The Midnight Library’
Oscar nominee Florence Pugh will star in the film version this Matt Haig bestseller that follows Nora Seed, a depressed woman who finds herself in a magical library between life and death filled with books that allow her to undo past regrets and try out alternative lives.
Rose Hill series
Elsie Silver’s small-town romance series is in production for a Prime Video release. The adaptation will feature love stories from across her bestselling books, including brooding record label owner Ford Grant (Sean O’Pry) and his best friend’s sister Rosie Belmont (Hannah Galway) along with rancher West Belmont (Jake Weary) and country-pop star Skylar Stone (Sadie Dickerson).
More BookTok adaptations acquired or in development
Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY’s Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you’re reading at cmulroy@usatoday.com.