Book Adaptations

The 5th Wave (22nd Jan)

Based on Rick Yancey‘s eponymous novel, and directed by J Blakeson, The 5th Wave is a young adult dystopia which begins when four waves of increasingly deadly alien attacks have left most of Earth decimated. Cassie (Chloe Grace Moretz) is on the run, desperately trying to save her younger brother. The film also stars Nick Robinson, Ron Livingston, Maggie Siff, Alex Roe, Maria Bello, Maika Monroe, and Liev Schreiber.

Goosebumps (5th Feb)

Based on the children’s book series of the same name by R. L. Stine, and directed by Rob Letterman, Goosebumps follows a group of teenagers who team up with the daughter of the young adult horror author of the books, after the writer’s imaginary demons are set free. The film stars Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush, Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee, Jillian Bell, and Halston Sage.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (11th Feb)

We all know Jane Austen‘s classic tale that is Pride and Prejudice, but this parody has zombies. Based on the 2009 novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, this film combines Austen’s classic 1813 novel with elements of modern zombie fiction, crediting Austen as co-author. The film stars Lily James, Lena Headey, Charles Dance, Jack Huston, Matt Smith, Douglas Booth, Sam Riley.

The Finest Hours (19th Feb)

Directed by Craig Gillespie and based on the 2009 novel by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias, the film is loosely based on the true story of the Pendleton rescue mission attempt in 1952 by Coast Guard ships, wherein two oil tankers were split asunder by a nor’easter. It stars Chris Pine, Holliday Grainger, Eric Bana, Casey Affleck, and Ben Foster.

High-Rise (18th March)

Based on the 1975 novel of the same name by J.G. Ballard, and directed by Ben Wheatley, High-Rise stars Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss, and follows the life of a number of the residents in a tower block which begins to run out of control.

The Jungle Book (15th April)

We’re all fans of the classic 1967 Disney adaptation, but Jon Favreau is taking on Rudyard Kipling‘s story to create a live-animation adventure. Following an orphan boy who is raised in the jungle with the help of a pack of wolves, a bear, and a black panther, the film stars Neel Sethi as Mowgli, with the voices of Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito and Christopher Walken.

Snowden (12th May)

Based on the book The Snowden Files by Luke Harding, Snowden is a biographical political thriller film, directed by Oliver Stone, and follows CIA employee Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who leaks thousands of classified documents to the press. The film also stars Shailene Woodley, Scott Eastwood, Melissa Leo, Timothy Olyphant, Zachary Quinto, Nicolas Cage and Tom Wilkinson.

Alice Through The Looking Glass (27th May)

Following the 2010 film Alice in Wonderland, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) returns to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). Directed by James Bobin, and produced by Tim Burton, the film is based on Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, and also stars Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen.

The Legend of Tarzan (8th July)

Another Disney adaptation that we all know well, The Legend of Tarzan is a sort-of-sequel as Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård), having acclimated to life in London, is called back to his former home in the jungle to investigate the activities at a mining encampment. Based on the fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and directed by David Yates, the film also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie, Djimon Hounsou and Christoph Waltz.

The BFG (22nd July)

Based on the classic children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl, The BFG follows a girl named Sophie who encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kindhearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because unlike his peers refuses to eat boys and girls. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film stars Ruby Barnhill, Mark Rylance and Bill Hader.

The Girl On The Train (7th Oct)

Based on one of last year’s best novels, written by Paula Hawkins, The Girl On The Train follows the story of Rachel (Emily Blunt), an alcoholic troubled woman whose husband left her for his mistress, who witnesses a murder and starts to realize that she may have been involved in the crime. Directed by Tate Taylor, the film also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, and Édgar Ramírez. (Image courtesy of Entertainment Weekly).

A Monster Calls (21st Oct)

Set in present-day England, A Monster Calls follows a boy who struggles to cope with the consequences of his mother’s terminal cancer, as he is repeatedly visited in the middle of the night by a monster who tells stories. Directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, and with the author writing the screenplay himself, the film stars Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones, Toby Kebbell, Lewis MacDougall, and Liam Neeson.

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them (18th Nov)

Spinning-off from the incredible Harry Potter franchise, and inspired by the book of the same name by J. K. Rowling, the film follows the adventures of writer Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in New York’s secret community of witches and wizards, seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book in school. Directed by David Yates, the film also stars Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Samantha Morton, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Faith Wood-Blagrove, Carmen Ejogo, Jon Voight and Ron Perlman.

The Little Prince (TBC)

Based on one of my favourite novels of all time, the 1943 French novel of the same name by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince is the first animated feature film adaptation of the novel, which uses both stop-motion and computer animation. But it’s not a direct adaptation of the novel, it only uses elements of the narrative. Starring the voices of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Marion Cotillard, James Franco, Benicio del Toro, Ricky Gervais, Bud Cort, Paul Giamatti, Albert Brooks, Riley Osborne and Mackenzie Foy, the film tells the story of a young girl who befriends the story’s now elderly aviator narrator, as she deals with her overbearing mother.

Silence (TBC)

Martin Scorsese‘s next film, Silence is based on a historical fiction by Japanese author Shusaku Endo, which, set in the 17th century, follows two Jesuit priests who face violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and propagate Christianity. The film stars Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, and Andrew Garfield.

Cell (TBC)

Based on Stephen King‘s 2006 novel of the same name, and directed by Tod Williams, Cell stars John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, and Isabelle Fuhrman. When a mysterious cell phone signal causes apocalyptic chaos, an artist is determined to reunite with his young son in New England.

The Circle (TBC)

Directed and written by James Ponsold, and based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Dave Eggers, The Circle follows a woman who lands a job at a powerful tech company called the Circle, where she becomes involved with a mysterious man. The film stars Tom Hanks, Emma Watson, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Patton Oswalt, and Bill Paxton.

There are no official photos or trailers for this film as of yet.