As far as cinema-goers are concerned, the 2010s will be remembered as the decade of the comic book adaptation. Avengers: Endgame even became the highest-grossing film of all time. This success is nothing new, producers have found it in adapted everything; books, songs, poetry, paintings, even newspaper articles about orchids - everything gets a film adaptation eventually. This is due to existing media bringing a built-in audience, and with it guaranteed attention.
Traditionally though, the most popular storytelling medium to get a silver screen adaptation is the good old ink and paper novel. So, seen as its a fresh new year and coming with it is an enticing and exciting slate of films with source material of the book variety, here’s a head start on your 2020 reading list.
The Turning
One of the earlier releases of the year will star Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard and recent Terminator Mackenzie Davis. Director Floria Sigismondi, whose work you will have seen on episodes of Daredevil and The Handmaid’s Tale, has taken the modernization route in bringing Henry James’ gothic horror novella The Turn of the Screw to the big screen.
The original was the victorian tale of a new governess taking care of two troubled children as the ghost of Peter Quint tormented them. It’s a quick read, perfect for any fan of ghost stories. The Turning is set for release on January 24th.
The Invisible Man
Another adaptation of a classic horror story, this one seems more concerned with transplanting the main antagonist of H.G. Wells’ original horror sci-fi into a modern setting. Starring Elisabeth Moss and written/ directed by Leigh Whannell, Universal will be taking one of its classic monsters back to its low budget horror roots with help from Blumhouse Productions.
Along with H.G.Wells’ other classics such as The Time Machine and The Island of Doctor Moreau, why not get into some classic literature before the modern retellings start churning out? The Invisible Man is set for release on February 28th.
The Woman in the Window
The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl fans, rejoice! A new intelligent domestic thriller is coming your way. Originally written by A.J. Finn, The Woman in the Window follows agoraphobic Anna Fox’s struggle when she witnesses a horrifying event through her neighbor’s window.
Starring Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, and Julianne Moore, director Joe Wright seems to be giving this New York Times Bestseller a pretty accurate translation, so for those who can’t wait to see what happens or enjoy this kind of novel, get ahead of the game and grab a copy. The Woman in the Window is set for release on May 15th.
Artemis Fowl
Many people’s favorite childhood book series by Eoin Colfer is finally making it to the big screen, courtesy of Disney. Following boy genius Artemis Fowl II as he holds a Fairy Police office for ransom in order to restore his family fortune, director Kenneth Branagh seems to be going for as close an adaptation as possible, or at least that the CGI budget will allow.
It’s a clear attempt at a franchise starter, so here’s hoping its a good one for everyone nostalgic for the book series. If not, it’s definitely a good excuse to re-visit the books. Artemis Fowl is set for release on May 29th.
Death on the Nile
An adaptation of both the Agatha Cristie novel of the same name and a sequel to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh will be returning as both the film’s director and mustachioed mystery solver Hercule Poirot. Death on the Nile also has another killer cast. The last film was praised for doing the original novel justice, so high hopes for the follow-up.
Whether you want to read ahead before Death on the Nile is released, or devour the other Poirot who-done-its, here is the perfect excuse to get stuck into an old school Agatha Cristie novel. Death on the Nile is set for release on October 9th.
Dune
Frank Herbert’s 1965 science-fiction epic, Dune has been adapted to film and TV multiple times over the years with varying success. This time, however, feels a little different. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and boasting a star-studded cast featuring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac, and Dave Bautista, Dune is shaping up to be an epic worthy of the original.
When a nobleman is murdered over a resource known as “Spice,” his son is sent out into the harsh desert of the planet Arrakis and left to raise a small army to save the universe. It’s Star Wars meets Lord of the Rings and will definitely satiate anyone with an appetite for a good read. Dune is set for release on December 18th.
News of the World
Paulette Jiles’s original award-winning western saw an aging news reader traveling through the aftermath of the American Civil War while transporting a young Kiowa captive back to her people. It was praised upon release for its moral complexity and its joining of two unlikely companions in a beautiful tale of friendship.
In the Paul Greengrass directed adaptation, Tom Hanks will star as Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd and he’ll be accompanied by newcomer Helena Zengel as Johanna Leonberger. From casting alone, it’s clear that News of the World is shaping up to be as much of an award winner as it’s source material, and it’s clearly a beloved novel for good reason. News of the World will be released on December 25th.
Y: The Last Man
The on-screen adaptation of Y: The Last Man has had a troubled production history, to say the least, but will finally find a place on the small screen with FX in 2020. The source material, originally written by Brian K. Vaughn, won the first-ever Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story and depicted every creature with a Y chromosome on the planet suffering a terrible death at the exact same moment under unknown circumstances. Well, everyone except amateur escape artist, Yorick Brown, and his pet capuchin, Ampersand.
While, yes, this is a graphic novel, the material is definitely a refreshing change, and with an all-female cast, except Yorick (and Ampersand), it feels more relevant now than when it was initially released. With showrunner Eliza Clark at the helm, original writer Brian K. Vaughn producing, and starring Barry Keoghan as Yorick; the show - simply titled Y - seems to be shaping up to be in the vein of The Walking Dead. Y is expected in 2020 but has yet to receive an official release date.
China Rich Girlfriend
The sequel to 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians will be taking its plot from the sequel, China Rich Girlfriend. While not much is known about how much the second film will take from the second novel, it will see most of the original cast return. The plot revolves Constance Wu’s Rachel and the return of her long-lost father, bringing with him an introduction to the world of Chinese billionaires. As well as a pay off to the original’s mid-credits scene, the return of her ex, Charlie, played by Glee’s Harry Shum Jr.
From cast interviews, it is already known that both China Rich Girlfriend and the third film in the trilogy, Rich People Problems, will film back to back, making it a much shorter wait for fans between the sequels. China Rich Girlfriend is expected in 2020 but has yet to receive a release date.
Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett’s 8th Discworld novel will be seeing a TV adaptation in the form of, coincidently, an 8-part season developed by BBC America. While the show itself will borrow heavily from the novel, it will take the form of a fantasy police procedural mostly inspired by the misadventures of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. The show will be retitled The Watch.
Who knows, it could kick off a continuing anthology series based on the characters living on the back of the World Turtle, Great A’Tuin. Don’t know what that means? Maybe grab a Discworld Novel and find out. The Watch is expected in 2020 but has yet to receive an official release date.
