There Are So Many Movies Based on Books Coming Out This Year

Looking for reading material in 2020? Perfect! Let me upgrade your book club with a list of movies based on books coming out in 2020. If we’re all hanging inside for the foreseeable future, you might as well make the most of this time and read these books before the accompanying films come out, like you always promised yourself you would.

Obviously, due to the continued spread of coronavirus, many films are changing their release dates or looking at digital streaming platforms as an alternative to that. So, fair warning, it’s possible some of the most anticipated adaptations of 2020 get pushed to 2021. Here are the ones currently slated for 2020:

Dolittle

This movie happened, right? I didn’t imagine a movie based on Hugh Lofting’s book series where Spider-Man played Iron Man’s dog? Yep!

Release Date: January 17

The Turning

Did you know that this horror movie was based on Henry James’ gothic thriller The Turn of the Screw? Spooky!

Release Date: January 24

To All The Boys 2: PS I Still Love You

It’s Team Peter versus Team John Ambrose in the battle for Lara Jean Covey’s heart in this continuation of Jenny Han’s romantic trilogy. Catch it on Netflix.

Release Date: February 12

The Call of the Wild

We love any film with a CGI dog!

Release Date: February 21

Emma.

Autumn de Wilde’s whimsical adaptation of Jane Austen’s satirical novel is quickly becoming a stay-at-home favourite.

Release Date: February 21

The Invisible Man

This modern adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel takes a feminist approach, but don’t worry, it’s still plenty scary.

Release Date: February 24

Stargirl

Jerry Spinelli’s YA novel got the Disney+ adaptation treatment with *checks notes* the Ukulele Girl From America’s Got Talent in the titular role. (All jokes aside, Grace VanderWaal is really good!!)

Release Date: March 13

The Personal History of David Copperfield

The idea of the creator of Veep doing a Charles Dickens adaptation had not already hooked you, can we talk about how hot Dev Patel is in a cravat? Yes, please…

Release Date: TBD

The Secret Garden

Colin Firth plays a sad dad in this film, so I don’t even care that the adaptation is adding CGI magic to the garden.

Release Date: April 17

The Woman in the Window

Amy Adams stars in the adaptation of A.J. Finn’s novel as a woman terrified of leaving her apartment.

Release Date: May 15

Artemis Fowl

Hey, it’s that book series that everyone was reading in the 2000s! No, not Harry Potter, Animorphs, Hunger Games, Twilight, or A Series of Unfortunate Events. The other one.

Release Date: May 29

Dune

By the end of this year, we should also get to see a weird science fiction movie where Oscar Isaac plays Timothée Chalamet’s dad.

Release Date: December 18

Death on the Nile

There’s nothing more escapist than an Agatha Christie murder mystery. I seriously can’t wait for more of Kenneth Branagh’s campy Hercule Poirot.

Release Date: TBD

The Witches

We didn’t need another adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book, but this one has Anne Hathaway in it so...maybe we do.

Release Date: October 9

The Last Letter From Your Lover

This adaptation of Jojo Moyes’ romance novel should hit Netflix this year. Moyes’ also wrote Me Before You, so keep tissues handy.

Release Date: TBD

Rebecca

At some point, we will get an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurrier’s gothic romance starring Armie Hammer and Lily James. It finished filming in 2019 and Netflix bought it, so…at some point.

Release Date: TBD