We have so many promising book-to-movie adaptations on the horizon. As strong believers in the "the book was better than the movie" mentality, here are 8 books we recommend reading before their theatrical launch.
PS: There are so many other incredible stories coming to streaming and TV, but we're focusing this blog on movies you can see on the big screen! Cue that one Nicole Kidman AMC advert.
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
Movie Releases August 28, 2026
This first one is coming up quickly, but luckily, this is a short, bingeable read. Peter Heller is one of our favorite authors and The Dog Stars is a staff favorite. Nine years after a flu pandemic wiped out nearly everyone he knows, Hig survives in an abandoned airport hangar with his dog Jasper and a volatile survivalist named Bangley. When a mysterious radio transmission reignites his lost hope, he embarks on a harrowing cross-country journey.
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito
Movie Releases September 25, 2026
A former Horror Book Club pick and a staff favorite, Victorian Psycho follows governess Winifred Notty as she struggles to suppress her own violent compulsions and plans a very special Christmas surprise for her new employers. Victorian Psycho is a gruesome, darkly funny tale of rage and the movie promises to bring even more gore.
Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
Movie Releases October 9, 2026
Another former book club pick! The Other Mommy trailer is already making waves, but we're here to tell you that the book is equally as scary as the upcoming adaptation promises to be. Eight-year-old Bela's family is haunted by a malevolent entity she calls Other Mommy, who repeatedly asks to enter her heart. Yes, her heart. As unsettling incidents around the house signal Other Mommy is growing restless and stronger, Bela must find a way to protect her family before the answer is forced from her.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Movie Releases on October 16, 2026
We too were burned by the 2022 Persuasion adaptation, so we're putting a lot of our hopes and dreams on this newest Jane Austen adaptation. If you have never had an opportunity to dive into this classic, now is absolutely your chance. Who knows, it might even become a new favorite...
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Movie Releases October 23, 2026
We're so excited for a new group of movie-goers and readers to be brought into the delightful world of Klara an the Sun! We're even more excited to see our favorite, Jenny Ortega front and center. Klara, an Artificial Friend with remarkable observational gifts, watches from her store shelf and hopes to be chosen. Told through Klara's unique, unforgettable perspective, this tender novel explores what it truly means to love others.
Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins
Movie Releases November 20, 2026
Lovinging coined "Sunrise on the Weeping" by the perpetually-online, the newest addition to The Hunger Games franchise promises to have us in our feels. If you haven't had a chance to pick up Haymitch's story now is your chance. We aren't lying when we tell you that this is probably our favorite story in the entire Hunger Games world. It's also the one that had us crying on and off for days.
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Movie Releases January 15, 2027
We know January 2027 seems ages away, but we know it will be here sooner than any of us even realize! Plus, we finally got a trailer for this upcoming adaptation of one of our all-time favorite teen fantasy series. In a world where magic has vanished and magis are hunted by a ruthless king, seventeen-year-old Zélie sets off with her brother Tzain and fugitive Crown Princess Amari to restore her people's magic.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Movie Releases March 19, 2027
Get your tissues ready. The book that made the world fall in love with Kristin Hannah is finally making its way to the screen. When Nazi forces invade her quiet French village, Vianne Mauriac must make impossible choices to protect her family after a German captain requisitions her home, while her rebellious younger sister Isabelle joins the Resistance, risking everything to save others.
