For the second and final part of my book-to-screen series, I’ve scoured the web and found some awesome movie adaptations. I simply know that some of these will fail and be forgotten in a blink of an eye, but there’s still some hope left. I haven’t yet read most of these, so let’s hope this post will make me hurry up before these hit the cinemas.
After the beauty that was Atonement, another McEwan adaptation is coming to the big screen on May 18th, and I’m excited to see what can be done with this short novella (166 pages) by actors such as Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle and Emily Watson. Saoirse had a supporting role in Atonement, but she’s now grown into a force to be reckoned with, and she’s made the list of my favorite actresses.
Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
Cate Blanchett will star in this comedy/drama as the non-conformist Bernadette Branch, the protagonist of this quirky novel. Releasing on October 19th, the movie will also feature amazing actors Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig, Judy Greer and Laurence Fishburne.
Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms will bring one of the most magical children’s stories to cinemas on November 2nd. The movie also draws inspiration (and music) from the magnificent Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, and stars Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and the cutest thing ever, Mackenzie Foy (Interstellar), as the titular character Clara.
Look look look! How gorgeous!
Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart by John Guy
Mary Queen of Scots will be based on this biographical novel, with Saoirse Ronan (hey there again) as Mary Stuart, Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I, David Tennant as John Knox, and many others. Release date is November 2nd in US and January 18th in UK.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling
Well, of course I had to mention the second installment of what is surely to become a beautiful series of 5 (screams) movies. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is opening on November 16th (two days after my birthday!) and stars Jude Law as Dumbledore, Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange, and the entire well known (and beloved) cast of the first movie. And Johnny Depp. 🙄
I know you’ve all seen the trailer, but it’s amazing!
After 54 years, Disney is bringing back the beloved magical nanny in a sequel Mary Poppins Returns. Starring Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep, Angela Lansbury, and many more, the premier is on December 25th, so let’s hope it will make Julie Andrews proud, as no one can sing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious like her.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Bradbury’s dystopian novel is being adapted as a TV movie on May 19th by HBO. Starring Michael B. Jordan, Sofia Boutella and Michael Shannon. Let’s hope they do it justice.
Kirsten Dunst’s directorial debut, featuring Dakota Fanning as Esther Greenwood will be released sometime in 2018. Also featuring Patricia Arquette (Medium) and Jesse Plemons (Fargo), I’m interested in how this will turn out.
Ophelia, based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Ophelia by Lisa Klein
Daisy Ridley (Star Wars) stars in this re-imagining of Hamlet from Ophelia’s perspective. The movie is expected sometime in 2018, though it already premiered on Sundance, and other than Ridley stars: Naomi Watts, Clive Owen, Tom Felton, and George MacKay as Hamlet.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Jackson’s acclaimed mystery novel is being adapted sometime in 2018, starring Taissa Farmiga, Alexandra Daddario, Sebastian Stan and Crispin Glover. The hype is on!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
Okay, this is number 11 haha I know, but I had to add it because I’m so excited about this new adaptation, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Grinch! It will be released on November 9th as The Grinch, and it looks gorgeous, plus Danny Elfman is doing the music. I’m probably in the minority here, but I hated the previous adaptation, so I’m super excited about this one. 🙂
I’m sure I skipped some titles yet again, but these look interesting enough for me. Which of these adaptations are you excited about?
Books of Magic 
Very excited for the Bell Jar and We Have Always Lived in the Castle! I hope they don’t disappoint.
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Me too! Hopefully they announce the release dates soon!
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I know that a lot of people aren’t too fond of book to screen adaptations but I seriously feel like I am living for them! I also loved the cinematography of Atonement, even if I am not sure that his books are really my thing. Saoirse Ronan being in Chesil Beach also is just another incentive.
And the Nutcracker movie is one of my most anticipated ones!! I saw the trailer before Christmas last year and I was in despair because, how can they make me wait an entire year???
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I really like adaptation, because sometimes they’re good, and sometimes they even offer more that the books. 🙂 Obviously some are bad but I tend to look on the brighter side of things. 😀 Ughhh I know, I’ve just seen it a couple of weeks ago, but it’s still a long time to wait.
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Exactly! Like with Game of Thrones, especially in the first couple of season, they were very faithful to the books AND they added further background to it. I love that an adaptation can do that.
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Me too! Ugh don’t mention Thrones, that’s just brutal to wait for so long. 😀
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I AM SO SO EXCITED FOR FANTASTIC BEASTS! IT’S THE BEST! I need it nooow! 😀
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Me tooooo! I don’t even want to think when the 3rd one will come out haha xD
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Really great list! I like the look of on chesil beach, nutcracker and fahrenheit 451 (I loved the book as well!) I didn’t know Belljar was being made into a film. And I read Ophelia years ago, that’s cool it’s gonna be a movie!
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I’m super excited for Nutcracker and Fantastic Beasts!
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Right, so I’ve been living under a rock and had no idea that Disney were doing a version of The Nutcracker so thank you for bringing that to my attention! I love the ballet and the trailer looks wonderful so I’ll definitely be watching that!
As I was weaned on Harry Potter I’m also looking forward to the second instalment of Fantastic Beasts. I really liked the first one and enjoyed its darker tone. I’m especially enjoying the little emoticon you’ve put after Johnny Depp’s name there… I have… opinions but as I’m in polite company I won’t express them. Let’s just say, I’ll miss Colin Farrell.
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Haha I’m glad you found out about the movie! 😀 It looks brilliant, like a bit of Alice in Wonderland and Narnia was mixed in, I just hope they execute it well! It’s one of my favorite children’s stories, and the ballet is my favorite one!
Ahaha me too! It took me ages to get my mom to watch it, she thought it was a ‘kid’s movie’ like Harry (even though she’d read the series lol), but she ended up loving it because of the darker atmosphere, and she loved Kowalski! 😀 Yes, well I was going for an eye-roll emoticon, but couldn’t find one, but yeah, we’ll remain polite. 😀 I quite liked this article on the subject haha: https://www.buzzfeed.com/guillermodelpalacio/better-than-depp?utm_term=.jkqO0PXLeA#.niVDBnEOZ6
I’ll miss Farrell too, but as Grindelwald was already shown in the movies blonde, slender and kind of Nordic looking (plus he is Scandinavian), I don’t think Farrell would fit the looks (demeanor he would, definitely), so I would pick Tom Hiddleston for the role, I think he would nail it. 🙂
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I love that article! That’s hilarious! And yes any one of them could do it, even Daniel Radcliffe 😉 What a twist it would be!
My friend took her ten year old niece to see Fantastic Beasts because she loves Harry Potter but unfortunately it was a bit too dark for her niece and she got really frightened which is such a shame. 😦 But I always remember when I went to Coraline at the cinema and someone had their small child with them and they were getting really freaked out because it’s not really suitable for small children! Luckily I like my things on the slightly darker shade of life!
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Hahahaha I know, right? 😀
Haha well it’s a shame for the kids, but we adults need our cartoons and magical movies too! 😀 When I went to see Madagascar 1 with my friend we were totally hyped but the wee kids in the front row were standing up dancing and singing and annoyed the hell of us. 😀 I think they should separate the adult and the kids screenings for some of the animated movies. 😀
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There’s a cinema in London, I can’t remember the name, but it’s adults only and they play movies that are ‘children’s’ movies that adults want to see. They had a fantasy 80’s movie-thon one night a couple of years ago, sadly I wasn’t able to go but it was showing Legend and Neverending Story and Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal and so much more and I was just like… yes. This is the stuff I want to see!
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Ooooh that sounds so cool! I love all those movies! For the last couple of years all animated movies are synchronized only in our cinemas. 😥 So I have to manage in other ways. Synchronization is just plain awful, it ruins the original charm of the movie.
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I’m so excited for The Nutcracker, I’ve always wanted to see a great live action version of it and this one looks really promising so far! I didn’t know about the Mary Queen of Scots and Ophelia adaptions – but they both sound fantastic. I’ll watch anything Mary Queen of Scots related.
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Me too! That’s one of my favorite stories from childhood. 🙂 Yep, me too, I love historical movies, especially about women. 🙂
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Βeautiful post, Marina!! I am most excited for ”Fahrenheit 451”. Although I do have my reservations regarding Margot Robbie as Elizabeth…
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Thanks Amalia! Ugh..me too, I don’t think she’s a good actress, especially for this role, she’s just pretty.
I think that Sarah Bolger, who played Mary in that flimsy Tudors show should have been cast again, she was the highlight of that show, and Saoirse would be perfect as Elizabeth. Though Saoirse is a much better actress so I hope she’ll pull if off. I’m weak for anything historical.
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Ι definitely agree! Lately, Hollywood certainly has some very weird standards and criteria when making Historical films…
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After seeing the trailer for the new Mary Poppins movie I’m am very excited!
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Me too! 😀 It’s always hard to top an iconic character, especially one from your childhood, but I think Emily will pull it off. 🙂
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