There’s something particularly satisfying about reading a book before it’s adapted for the screen — when you can still imagine the characters your way, savour the language, and spot the changes once it hits cinemas or streaming. With several anticipated adaptations on the horizon, now is the perfect time to get ahead. From moving literary masterpieces to addictive page-turners, these are the books to read before everyone’s talking about them.
The Housemaid
Movie starring: Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried
Genre: Psychological thriller/Mystery
Release Date: December 2025
In this chilling psychological thriller by Freida McFadden, a maid discovers a wealthy family’s dark secrets. As their erratic behaviour escalates, the maid realises she’s trapped in a deadly game, but the Winchesters have no idea who they’re dealing with. Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried star as maid and matriarch respectively in the upcoming film adaption.
Frankenstein
Movie starring: Jacob Elordi, Christoph Waltz and Mia Goth
Genre: Science fiction/Gothic
Release Date: November 2025
Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel follows Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who creates a sentient creature in his quest for knowledge. Abandoned and shunned, the creature seeks vengeance, leading to tragic consequences. The original gothic masterpiece is set to be reimagined in an upcoming film starring Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, and Jacob Elordi.
Die, My Love
Movie starring: Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson
Genre: Horror/Comedy
Release Date: Official date has not yet been announced
A Man Booker Prize finalist, Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz is a raw portrait of a woman unravelling in rural France. She teeters on the edge of madness in a visceral, haunting exploration of motherhood. In the upcoming film adaption, Jennifer Lawrence plays a woman consumed by postpartum depression, while Robert Pattinson stars as her husband. The film has already received immense buzz, apparently earning the starring duo at nine-minute-long standing ovation as it premiered at Cannes.
People We Meet on Vacation
Movie starring: Sarah Catherine Hook, Lukas Gage and Tom Blyth
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: Official date has not yet been announced
American rom-com icon Emily Henry’s beloved friends-to-lovers romance charts the complicated, slow-burn relationship between travel writer Poppy and her best friend Alex. Told over alternating summer trips, it’s witty, wistful, and quietly profound. The film adaptation is set to star Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, promising sparkling chemistry and all the emotional nuance that made the novel an instant favourite.
Klara and the Sun
Movie starring: Amy Adams and Jenna Ortega
Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction
Release Date: Official date has not yet been announced
Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel after winning the Nobel Prize, Klara and the Sun, is a quietly devastating story told through the eyes of Klara, an ‘Artificial Friend’ with remarkable empathy. As she awaits being chosen by a human child, Klara contemplates love, loneliness, and what it means to care. Amy Adams, Jenna Ortega, Mia Tharia, and Aran Murphy (Cillian Murphy’s son) will star in the upcoming adaptation, helmed by Taika Waititi with Ishiguro is serving as an executive producer.
Regretting You
Movie starring: Dave Franco, Allison Williams and Scott Eastwood
Genre: Romantic Drama
Release Date: October 2025
From bestselling author Colleen Hoover, Regretting You explores the tangled relationship between a mother and daughter navigating grief, betrayal, and first love. When a tragic accident shatters their world, secrets come to light that threaten to destroy what remains. With Allison Williams, McKenna Grace, Dave Franco, and Scott Eastwood already attached to the project, expect the upcoming film adaptation to be pitch perfect.
Hamnet
Movie starring: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal
Genre: Historical Fiction
Release Date: November 2025
Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet reimagines the life and death of Shakespeare’s son, weaving a lyrical, tender portrait of his wife, Agnes, and her quiet strength. Rooted in grief and love, this luminous novel reframes the legacy behind Hamlet. The film adaptation stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, and promises a poetic period drama rich in emotion and atmosphere.
