Good afternoon, everyone!
This week on Bookmarked, as promised, I wanted to highlight a few upcoming book-to-screen adaptations you can look forward to this year!
I know, typically, book-to-screen adaptations can be a little controversial seeing as how many people will argue that the book is always better. I have to agree with this argument... most of the time. It is rare I watch a movie based on a book and think, "This was way better than the book!"
Now, sometimes, I think a movie or tv series captures its source material perfectly, such as with The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. The movies, starring Jennifer Lawrence, brought the books to life in such a fantastic way, and I still think every casting choice was perfect.
Another example would be Sharp Objects, written by Gillian Flynn. The limited series, starring Amy Adams, can be found on HBO Max, and as someone who adores Flynn's writing, I think the tv show did the book justice. The casting was exactly as I pictured, the overall atmosphere created by the director was just right, and the script followed the book almost to a T.
What book-to-screen adaptations have you enjoyed? Sound off in the comment section below! I'd love some new recommendations.
Now, without further ado, here are a few upcoming book-to-screen adaptations in 2023!
1. One True Loves
In this romantic comedy based on the novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emma and Jesse are living the perfect life together, until Jesse disappears in a tragic helicopter crash on their first wedding anniversary.
Four years later, Emma finds happiness again as she's about to marry her best friend. However, when Jesse miraculously resurfaces, Emma soon finds herself torn between two great loves.
One True Loves is playing in select theaters right now, or it is available to rent or purchase on streaming services such as Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
2. The Nightingale
In this war story based on the historical fiction novel by Kristin Hannah, the lives of two sisters living in France are torn apart at the onset of World War II. In the film adaptation, the sisters will be played by real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning.
In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.
Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.
While no actual release date has been confirmed yet, it is predicted that The Nightingale will release sometime later this year.
3. The Last Thing He Told Me
While our next recommendation is not a film, but instead a limited series, I thought it deserved a mention seeing as how beloved the book is.
The Last Thing He Told Me, based on the acclaimed novel from Laura Dave, stars Jennifer Garner and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: "Protect her." Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen's sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.
As Hannah's increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen's boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn't who he said he was. Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen's past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.
This series released its first two episodes today and will continue to release episodes weekly on Apple TV.
4. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
I will admit, this is the adaptation I'm personally looking forward to the most on this list.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow, years before he becomes the villain in Katniss Everdeen's story.
As an 18-year-old, Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12, and everything escalates from there.
If you were a fan of the original Hunger Games series -- either the books or the movies -- you're bound to be excited for the newest addition to the world Collins created. I know I am!
This movie is set to release on November 17 of this year.
So, what do you think? Are the books always better? For the aforementioned book-to-screen adaptations, it seems that only time will tell.
Let's settle this debate. Is the book always better?
ALWAYS.
It depends how good the book was to begin with.
I always prefer the movie.
Allison Chudina
Editorial & Retail Assistant
Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
Bookmarked
Thanks for the recommendations -- I'll check them out!