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You already know I live for book-to-screen news, and 2026 genuinely feels unreal. 

This isn’t just a couple of cute adaptations kind of year. This is a clear your schedule, reread the book, argue on the internet, cry in the cinema kind of year.

As a reader (and someone who cares deeply about storytelling), adaptations always make me feel two things at once: excitement and protective anxiety. 

I want the vibes preserved. I want the emotional arcs respected. I want casting that makes sense. And I want the ending handled with care.

So let’s really get into it!

JANUARY

His and Hers by Alice Feeney

Release Date: January 8

Starring: Tessa Thompson & Jon Bernthal

Network: Netflix 

This psychological thriller alternates perspectives between Anna, a newsreader forced to return to her hometown, and Jack, a detective investigating a murder. 

The twisty structure is what makes the novel so addictive because you never fully trust either narrator.

Tessa Thompson is such layered casting for Anna. She brings restraint, intelligence, and subtle tension to roles, which is perfect for unreliable narrator energy. 

And, Jon Bernthal as a morally complicated detective? That tracks.

My only real concern is the pacing. Thrillers like this rely on careful reveals. If they rush it, it won’t hit. But if they slow-burn it properly? This could be one of Netflix’s smartest adaptations.

So, I want them to keep the dual POV structure intact. Don’t simplify it. Let it be messy.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Release Date: January 9

Starring: Emily Bader & Tom Blyth

Network: Netflix 

Best friends Poppy and Alex take one vacation together every summer, but something goes wrong and they stop speaking. Then Poppy proposes one final trip to fix everything.

This isn’t just a romance – it’s about longing, timing, and emotional miscommunication. 

The book jumps between past and present, which is such an important storytelling device. 

I really hope the film keeps that dual timeline because it builds the tension beautifully.

Emily Henry writes romance that feels adult and emotionally intelligent. 

If they preserve the awkwardness, the comfort, the yearning, this could be the cozy January comfort watch.

But, if they rush the emotional reconciliation, I will be upset. This needs breathing room.

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

Release Date: January 15

Starring: Mia McKenna-Bruce, Helena Bonham Carter, Martin Freeman

Network: Netflix 

This lesser-known Christie novel blends mystery with light satire. Bundle Brent is clever, bold, and unexpectedly modern for a 1920s heroine.

I’m excited about Helena Bonham Carter because she thrives in slightly eccentric period roles. 

Christie adaptations lately have leaned more stylized (Knives Out-adjacent energy), so I’m curious whether they go classic or contemporary.

I honestly pray they don’t over-modernize it. Let it feel like a proper British mystery with clever dialogue and layered suspects.

Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli

Release Date: January 22

Network: Netflix 

Figure skating. Fake dating. Olympic dreams. Family expectations.

Sports romances can either feel shallow or incredibly emotional. 

The pressure of elite competition paired with romantic tension? That’s gold. 

Visually, the skating sequences could be stunning if done right.

Personally, I want this to lean into ambition and identity, and not just romance.

Bridgerton (Season 4): Based on An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

Release Date: January 29 (Part Two: Feb 26)

Starring: Luke Thompson, Yerin Ha

Network: Netflix 

Benedict Bridgerton finally gets his moment.

Inspired by Julia Quinn’s Cinderella-esque romance, this season follows Benedict and Sophie after a masquerade ball encounter changes everything. 

Hidden identities, longing glances, and Regency drama? Absolutely.

I already know this season will be visually gorgeous. 

And Benedict has always felt like one of the more interesting Bridgertons, so I’m excited to see his romance take center stage

Netflix, pleaseeeee give us slow dancing, longing stares, and a dramatic reveal scene that destroys me emotionally.

FEBRUARY

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Release Date: February 13

Directed by: Emerald Fennell

Starring: Margot Robbie & Jacob Elordi

Score by: Charli xcx

This is bold casting and bold directing. 

Wuthering Heights is obsessive, toxic, gothic chaos. This is not soft romance – it’s destructive love.

Emerald Fennell doesn’t do subtle, so I expect stylized visuals and intensity. 

Margot Robbie as Catherine could lean volatile and charismatic. Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff brings brooding presence.

This will divide audiences and honestly, that’s appropriate.

The Last Thing He Told Me (Season 2) by Laura Dave

Release Date: February 20

Network: Apple TV

The first season was restrained, emotional, and tense. 

Expanding the story gives them room to deepen the family dynamic and unravel more secrets.

Jennifer Garner brings emotional gravity that works well for domestic thrillers.

I just hope it doesn’t feel stretched. Thrillers need tight storytelling.

MARCH

Outlander (Final Season) by Diana Gabaldon

Release Date: March 6

Network: Starz

Time travel. War. Devotion.

Ending a long-running adaptation is risky. 

Fans are deeply attached to Jamie and Claire. The final season has to balance historical scale with intimate emotional closure.

I expect tears. Many tears.

Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover

Release Date: March 16 (Theaters)

Starring: Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers

Kenna returns home after serving time in prison, desperate to reconnect with her daughter and finds unexpected connection with Ledger.

This one will lean emotional and angsty. Hoover adaptations tend to spark strong reactions, but this story has a lot of heart at its core. 

If the film balances redemption and romance carefully, it could surprise people.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Release Date: March 20

Starring: Ryan Gosling

Hard science fiction with humor and heart. The book’s structure – waking up alone in space without memories – is gripping.

Ryan Gosling actually feels perfect for a character who’s both intelligent and emotionally vulnerable. 

The science needs to feel credible without overwhelming general audiences.

If they capture the book’s emotional core, this could be award-season material.

APRIL 

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Release Date: April 15

Starring: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer

Network: Apple TV 

A young mother turns to OnlyFans to support her daughter in this funny, sharp, and tender story about ambition and survival.

This adaptation feels bold and contemporary. The novel balances humor and vulnerability beautifully, so tone will matter. 

Elle Fanning seems like a strong choice for Margot’s messy resilience.

MAY

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Release Date: May 8

Starring: Sally Field

Network: Netflix 

An elderly woman forms an unlikely bond with a giant Pacific octopus. 

It sounds whimsical, but it’s actually about grief and connection.

This is delicate material. It can’t feel cheesy. Sally Field gives me hope because she brings warmth and sincerity.

All I want is soft lighting, quiet moments, and emotional payoff.

JULY

The Odyssey by Homer

Release Date: July 17 (Theaters)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya

Greek myth at blockbuster scale. Odysseus’ journey home is filled with monsters, temptation, and endurance.

Nolan doing mythic storytelling feels ambitious. Expect nonlinear storytelling and big philosophical themes.

This is going to feel massive.

SEPTEMBER

Practical Magic 2 by Alice Hoffman

Release Date: September 18 (Theaters)

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman

The Owens sisters return in this long-awaited sequel rooted in Alice Hoffman’s magical world.

This feels nostalgic in the best way. Cozy witchy vibes, family bonds, generational curses – it’s the kind of story that begs for a fall release. 

I’m ready for the aesthetic alone.

OCTOBER

Verity by Colleen Hoover 

Release Date: October 2 (Theaters)

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway

A struggling writer accepts a job finishing a famous author’s series and discovers a disturbing manuscript that changes everything.

This is probably one of the most talked-about thriller adaptations of the year. 

The tension in the book is unsettling and uncomfortable in a way that lingers. 

Anne Hathaway as Verity feels like inspired casting. 

I’m both excited and slightly nervous because this story needs bold direction to really work.

Remain by Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan

Release Date: October 23 (Theaters)

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Phoebe Dynevor

Romance meets supernatural suspense in this collaboration between Sparks and Shyamalan.

This pairing is fascinating. Emotional romance layered with eerie twists? 

That could either be incredibly compelling or wildly unexpected. 

I’m mostly curious and that’s enough to get me seated.

NOVEMBER 

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Release Date: November 20 (Theaters)

Starring: Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak

The Hunger Games prequel that took over the book world is now heading to the big screen. 

This story centers on a young Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games – the brutal Quarter Quell that doubled the number of tributes.

The emotional devastation is already guaranteed. Haymitch is such a layered character, and seeing his origin story unfold in that arena is going to hurt in the best way. 

I’m expecting high tension, political commentary, and heartbreak. If it captures the bleak intensity of the book, we are not going to recover easily.

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

Release Date: November 26 (Theaters, then Netflix)

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

A Narnia prequel exploring the creation of Narnia itself.

Greta Gerwig taking on fantasy feels unexpected and exciting. 

There’s wonder and mythic depth here, and I’m hopeful it keeps that sense of awe intact.

DECEMBER 

Dune: Part Three by Frank Herbert

Release Date: December 18 (Theaters)

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya

Political consequences. Moral complexity. Messiah narrative.

Villeneuve has handled this world beautifully so far. 

The third installment will likely lean darker and more philosophical.

ALSO IN DEVELOPMENT

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Release Date: TBD

Fake dating. Academia. Grumpy professor. Forced proximity.

Rom-com readers have been waiting for this one. The banter and slow emotional unraveling are what make the book shine, so casting and chemistry will be everything. 

If it leans fully into the charm, this could be a comfort rewatch kind of movie.

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Romance adaptations in particular are having a moment. 

As someone who loves romance novels (and wants them treated seriously), I’m watching closely.

And, as a reader, I’ll always say: read the book first. But I also love when adaptations introduce new audiences to stories we’ve loved for years.

2026 is giving prestige, romance, drama, nostalgia, and spectacle all at once.

And I’m ready!