From page to screen, many of our beloved stories shift forms into films and television shows this year. The excitement of putting a face to our favorite characters and seeing familiar worlds brought to life is a reminder of how powerful storytelling can be. Ranging from murder mysteries and children’s stories to literary fiction and classics, here is a list of recently released and upcoming book-to-screen adaptations you must check out.
Hot Milk
Hot Milk, a screen adaptation of Deborah Levy's novel, is a 2025 drama directed by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, marking her directorial debut. The film stars Emma Mackey as Sofia, who travels with her ailing mother, Rose, to Spain to seek help from a mysterious healer. As Sofia grapples with her mother's illness and their strained relationship, she finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Ingrid. The film was screened at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival and released earlier this month on Mubi.
The Twits
Roald Dahl’s The Twits is being adapted into an animated feature film by Netflix, set to be released this fall. The film, directed by Phil Johnston, will star Natalie Portman, Emilia Clarke, Margo Martindale, and Johnny Vegas in voice roles. The story follows the grotesque Mr. and Mrs. Twit, who run a twisted amusement park called Twitlandia and rise to power in their town, while two brave orphans and a family of magical animals try to stop them.
Project Hail Mary
Project Hail Mary, the upcoming film adaptation of Andy Weir's novel, is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, with Ryan Gosling starring as the lead, Ryland Grace. The movie, which is being released by Amazon MGM Studios on March 20, 2026, follows an amnesiac astronaut on a desperate mission to save Earth from an extinction-level event.
Thursday Murder Club
The Thursday Murder Club is being adapted into a film, directed by Chris Columbus and written by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, based on the novel by Richard Osman. The theatrical release is on August 22, 2025, followed by a global streaming release on Netflix soon after. The story follows a group of retirees who solve cold cases until they find themselves embroiled in a real murder investigation.
The Odyssey
A new movie adaptation of Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, is scheduled for release in the first half of 2026. The film will star Matt Damon as Odysseus and Tom Holland as Telemachus. It is described as a mythic action epic, scheduled to be filmed worldwide.
Hamnet
Hamnet, written by Maggie O’Farrell, fictionalizes the life of the Bard’s son who died at a young age and recounts the powerful love story that inspired the creation of Hamlet. Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley will star in the film as William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes alongside Joe Alwyn as Bartholomew and Jacobi Jupe as Hamnet. Directed by Chloe Zhao, the film is expected to release on December 12th.
Words Neeraja Srinivasan
Date 23-07-25