A new chapter is unfolding in the world of literary adaptations, with a wide variety of titles planned for 2026.
From beloved classics such as Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights to recent works such as Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, along with a wide variety of old and new books, many iconic literary titles will be transferred to the big screen.
This diversity of genres, including historical dramas, dystopian science fiction, and mystery thrillers, promises to satisfy all types of film buffs. Fans are eager to see the complex plots and beloved characters of their favorite books come to life on the big screen.
Below, we’ve compiled a selection of the big-screen adaptations that will mark the coming year. 2026 is undoubtedly shaping up to be another great year for book and movie lovers.
People We Meet on Vacation
Recently released on Netflix.
Emily Henry’s popular novel, People We Meet on Vacation, has arrived on Netflix to join its lineup of romantic comedies. The story, which chronicles the transition from friends to lovers, is already one of the platform’s most notable titles this year.
Emily Bader and Tom Blyth star in this story about two best friends whose tradition of vacationing together is interrupted by two years of silence and distance.
In a last-ditch attempt to save their friendship, Poppy (Bader) convinces Alex (Blyth) to take one final vacation, determined to repair their broken relationship. However, the trip will force them to question an inevitable truth: are they really just friends, or does their connection hide something deeper?
Wuthering Heights
Opens in theaters on February 13, 2026.
Under the bold vision of Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn), Emily Brontë’s masterpiece takes on new life in an adaptation that promises to be provocative and disarming.
Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in the iconic roles of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, the film delves into a spiral of passionate love, self-destruction, and revenge. The cast is rounded out by performances from Alison Oliver, Owen Cooper, and Oscar nominee Hong Chau, while the film’s gothic atmosphere is accentuated by an original soundtrack by pop star Charli XCX.
This highly anticipated reinterpretation of the 1847 classic will hit theaters on February 13, 2026, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Project Hail Mary
Opens in theaters on March 20, 2026.
Save the date! Project Hail Mary, the new science fiction film from Amazon MGM Studios, premieres on March 20, 2026. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Andy Weir (author of The Martian) and directed by the acclaimed duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film promises to be a true visual and emotional spectacle.
The story follows Ryland Grace (Gosling), a high school teacher who wakes up on an interstellar ship with no memory of his identity or purpose. In a race against time to save Earth from global catastrophe, Grace must join forces with an unexpected ally of extraterrestrial origin.
Project Hail Mary marks Lord and Miller’s first “live-action” release as directors since 22 Jump Street in 2014.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Opens in theaters on May 1, 2026.
Glamour and intrigue are back! The highly anticipated sequel to the 2006 cultural phenomenon, The Devil Wears Prada 2 will hit theaters on May 1, 2026.
Based on Lauren Weisberger’s book Revenge Wears Prada, this adaptation brings back the iconic trio of Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt, ready for an epic showdown.
The plot plunges us into a fierce power struggle between Miranda Priestly and her former assistant, Emily Charlton, now a rival executive. Both compete for scarce advertising revenue amid the print media crisis and Miranda’s impending retirement.
To the delight of fans, David Frankel, the director of the first installment, returns to helm the project, ensuring that the sequel maintains the style and wit that characterized the original.
The Odyssey
Opens in theaters on July 17.
Christopher Nolan’s latest epic is an adaptation of the ancient Greek epic poem, The Odyssey.
The film, Nolan’s first since his Oscar-winning 2023 blockbuster Oppenheimer, stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, and Mia Goth.
The plot follows King Odysseus (Damon) on his eventful ten-year journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan War. As he battles all kinds of adverse forces and the dangers of the sea, on dry land, his wife Penelope (Hathaway) must cunningly resist the suitors who besiege the palace and covet the throne. This version aims to redefine the classic epic genre through Nolan’s innovative lens.
Sense & Sensibility
Opens in theaters on September 11, 2026.
Good news for Jane Austen fans: her classic novel Sense and Sensibility is returning to the big screen. Following the iconic 1995 adaptation starring Oscar winners Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, this new version features Daisy Edgar-Jones as the sensible Elinor Dashwood and Esmé Creed-Miles as her sister Marianne.
The story follows the Dashwood sisters who, after the death of their father, must navigate sudden financial uncertainty while seeking love and financial security in English society.
Verity
Opens in theaters on October 2, 2026.
Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway, and Josh Hartnett star in the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller, Verity.
This psychological thriller follows Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson), a writer on the brink of bankruptcy who receives the offer of a lifetime: Jeremy Crawford (Hartnett) hires her to complete the novels of his wife, celebrated author Verity Crawford (Hathaway), who has been incapacitated after a mysterious accident.
However, as she settles into the family mansion, Lowen begins to realize that not everything is as it seems and discovers disturbing truths about Verity. Michael Showalter directs, with Nick Antosca writing the screenplay based on previous work by screenwriters Hillary Seitz, Angela LaManna, and the team of Will Honley and April Maguire.
Remain
Opens in theaters on October 23, 2026.
Remain is an upcoming supernatural romantic thriller written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense), scheduled for release in theaters on October 23, 2026.
The film is based on an original idea conceived by Shyamalan and romance novelist Nicholas Sparks.
The story follows Tate Donovan (Jake Gyllenhaal), a New York architect seeking a fresh start in Cape Cod after being confined to a psychiatric institution due to deep depression following the death of his sister.
While working on designing a summer home for his best friend, Tate meets Wren (Phoebe Dynevor), a mysterious young woman who disrupts his logical and orderly world.
An interesting tidbit: this is the first collaboration between Shyamalan and Sparks. Although they share the concept, Sparks wrote a novel of the same name (published in October 2025) and Shyamalan wrote the screenplay independently for the film.
Sunrise on the Reaping
Opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.
The popular Hunger Games saga will return to the big screen in November 2026 with a new prequel.
Based on Suzanne Collins’ dystopian novel published in 2025, Sunrise on the Reaping, the new adaptation takes us back decades before the era of Katniss Everdeen to delve into the youth of Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada), and his time in the games.
Set chronologically years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, where we met the young version of President Snow, this installment focuses on the 50th Hunger Games. The story follows a teenage Haymitch after being selected as a tribute, who must use all his wit and cunning to survive a particularly brutal and deadly edition of the Games.
This adaptation will finally address the traumatic events that shaped the cynical and brilliant man who, years later, would become the mentor of District 12.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
Opens in theaters on November 26, 2026, and then on Netflix.
C.S. Lewis’ fantasy saga returns to the big screen with a new installment, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. The film is written and directed by Greta Gerwig, known for other titles such as Lady Bird (2017) and Barbie (2023).
The feature film adapts the first book in the series and acts as a prequel to the stories that have already made it to the big screen, being the first Narnia film to explore the origins of the universe.
Dune: Messiah
Opens in theaters on December 18, 2026.
On December 18, 2026, the conclusion of the trilogy directed by Denis Villeneuve hits theaters with Dune: Messiah. Following the narrative of the 1969 book of the same name, the story jumps into the future, introducing us to Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as the established Emperor of the known universe, whose messianic figure has unleashed a holy war that is spiraling out of his control.
In this installment, mysticism gives way to dark political machinations and religious conspiracies that threaten to overthrow Muad’Dib. In addition to the return of Zendaya (Chani) and Florence Pugh (Princess Irulan), whose political rivalry will be central, the appearance of key characters such as Hayt and the evolution of Alia Atreides (Anya Taylor-Joy) are expected.