33 Books Becoming Movies in 2020

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Let's be real: it's pretty rare that a movie adaptation is better than the book. But it's still exciting to see your favorite characters and stories come to life on the big screen — especially when those characters are played by a cast of A-list actors. There were so many books made into movies in 2019 that it's hard to imagine 2020 will have last year beat, but already this year is looking pretty promising. From dramas to cartoons to fantasies, some beloved classics and runaway hits are getting the Hollywood treatment, so make sure to add these books to your 2020 reading list before they head to theaters.

Editor's Note: At the time of this article's latest publishing, all release dates are accurate. The Coronavirus may postpone some premieres, so we'll do our best to keep you updated.

01
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

  • What it's about: An orphan is sent to live with her uncle on his remote country estate in the Yorkshire moors, where she discovers a magical garden on his property.
  • Who's starring: Dixie Egerickx, Julie Walters, and Colin Firth
  • Watch the trailer for The Secret Garden.
  • Read The Secret Garden.
  • Release date: April 17
02
The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
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The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

  • What it's about: Four kids (Timothy, twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and their sister, Jane) are abandoned by their cruel parents and left in the care of their foul-mannered nanny.
  • Who's starring: Ricky Gervais, Maya Rudolph, Terry Crews, Will Forte, Martin Short, Alessia Cara, and Jane Krakowski
  • Read The Willoughbys.
  • Release date: April 22
03
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
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David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

  • What it's about: A good-hearted man's life is chronicled from childhood to adulthood. The film version is titled The Personal History of David Copperfield.
  • Who's starring: Dev Patel, Peter Capaldi, Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, and Ben Whishaw
  • Watch the trailer for The Personal History of David Copperfield.
  • Read David Copperfield.
  • Release date: May 8
04
The Good Shepherd by C.S. Forester
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The Good Shepherd by C.S. Forester

  • What it's about: A World War II Navy commander attempts to lead his Destroyer past a group of Germany U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic. The film version is titled Greyhound.
  • Who's starring: Tom Hanks, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Elisabeth Shue, Stephen Graham and Rob Morgan.
  • Read The Good Shepherd.
  • Release date: June 12
05
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
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The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

  • What it's about: An agoraphobic developmental psychologist accidentally witnesses a crime while spying on new neighbors, and she must decide whether or not to tell the police about what she saw.
  • Who's starring: Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, Brian Tyree Henry, Wyatt Russell, and Anthony Mackie
  • Read The Woman in the Window.
  • Release date: May 15


    06
    After We Collided by Anna Todd
    amazon.com

    After We Collided by Anna Todd

    • What it's about: The tumultuous love story of Tessa Young and Hardin Scott continues, and it becomes even more complicated when Tessa's new coworker is thrown into the mix.
    • Who's starring: Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, and Dylan Sprouse
    • Read After We Collided.
    • Release date: May 28
    07
    Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
    amazon.com

    Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

    • What it's about: A 12-year-old genius descended from a long line of criminal masterminds faces off against powerful underground fairies who may be responsible for his dad's disappearance.
    • Who's starring: Nonso Anozie, Josh Gad, and Judi Dench
    • Watch the trailer for Artemis Fowl.
    • Read Artemis Fowl.
    • Release date: May 29
    08
    Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
    amazon.com

    Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

    • What it's about: A young boy named Ben helps a silver dragon named Firegaye search for a new home for the dragon and his family in a mythical part of the Himalayas known as the Rim of Heaven.
    • Who's starring: Felicity Jones, Freddie Highmore, and Patrick Stewart
    • Read Dragon Rider.
    • Release date: Aug. 6
    09
    The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz
    amazon.com

    The Reincarnationist Papers by D. Eric Maikranz

    • What it's about: A man discovers that the mysterious visions he's been having are actually recollected memories from his own past lives. The film version is titled Infinite.
    • Who's starring: Mark Wahlberg, Sophie Cookson, and Dylan O'Brien
    • Read The Reincarnationist Papers.
    • Release date: Aug. 7
    10
    The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
    amazon.com

    The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

    • What it's about: A gorilla, a dog, and an aging elephant who live in a cage at a mall are joined by a abused baby elephant, and they — along with the janitor's daughter — take the elephant under their wing.
    • Who's starring: Sam Rockwell, Angelina Jolie, and Bryan Cranston
    • Read The One and Only Ivan.
    • Release date: Aug. 14
    11
    Without Remorse by Tom Clancy
    amazon.com

    Without Remorse by Tom Clancy

    • What it's about: A former Navy SEAL-turned-CIA operative attempts to avenge the death of his girlfriend by finding the Baltimore drug lord who killed her.
    • Who's starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, and Jodie Turner-Smith
    • Read Without Remorse.
    • Release date: Sept. 18
    12
    Death on the Nile by Agatha Cristie
    amazon.com

    Death on the Nile by Agatha Cristie

    • What it's about: A young heiress is murdered aboard a cruise ship on the Nile River, and a renowned detective on holiday in Egypt must find the killer.
    • Who's starring: Kenneth Branagh, Gal Gadot, Letitia Wright, Armie Hammer, Annette Bening, and Rose Leslie
    • Read Death on the Nile.
    • Release date: Oct. 23
    13
    The Witches by Roald Dahl
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    The Witches by Roald Dahl

    • What it's about: A young boy discovers a secret meeting of witches while staying with his grandmother at a hotel, and as a result, the witches turn him into a mouse.
    • Who's starring: Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, and Chris Rock
    • Read The Witches.
    • Release date: Oct. 9
    14
    Two Kisses for Maddy by Matthew Logelin
    amazon.com

    Two Kisses for Maddy by Matthew Logelin

    • What it's about: A man's wife dies shortly after childbirth, leaving him to raise their daughter Maddy on his own. The film version is titled Fatherhood.
    • Who's starring: Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Lil Rel Howery, Paul Reiser, and DeWanda Wise
    • Read Two Kisses for Maddy.
    • Release date: April 2, 2021
    15
    Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith
    amazon.com

    Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith

    • What it's about: A husband-and-wife duo who've grown bored with their marriage decide to spice things up with dangerous (and eventually deadly) mind games.
    • Who's starring: Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas, Tracy Letts, Lil Rel Howery, and Rachel Blanchard
    • Read Deep Water.
    • Release date: Nov. 13
    16
    Dune by Frank Herbert
    amazon.com

    Dune by Frank Herbert

    • What it's about: In the far future, a drug is created that is said to extend human life and provide higher thinking.
    • Who's starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, and Dave Bautista
    • Read Dune.
    • Release date: Dec. 18
    17
    News of the World by Paulette Jiles
    amazon.com

    News of the World by Paulette Jiles

    • What it's about: A man traveling through the West comes to the rescue a young girl who has been kidnapped.
    • Who's starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Fred Hechinger, Neil Sandilands, and Thomas Francis Murphy
    • Read News of the World.
    • Release date: Dec. 25
    18
    I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
    amazon.com

    I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

    • What it's about: A young woman lets her boyfriend take her to see his parents on a remote farm, where things take a disastrous turn.
    • Who's starring: Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, and David Thewlis
    • Read I'm Thinking of Ending Things.
    • Release date: TBA


    19
    Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
    amazon.com

    Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

    • What it's about: The second wife of a widow moves into his English country home, where she feels the threat of his late wife's presence.
    • Who's starring: Lily James, Armie Hammer, and Kristin Scott Thomas
    • Read Rebecca.
    • Release date: TBA
    20
    Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
    amazon.com

    Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance

    • What it's about: A Yale Law School graduate returns to his poor Midwest hometown to reflect on his Appalachian upbringing, the opioid crisis, the white working class, and how he managed to escape from it all.
    • Who's starring: Gabriel Basso, Haley Bennett, Amy Adams, and Glenn Close.
    • Read Hillbilly Elegy.
    • Release date: TBA
    21
    Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland
    amazon.com

    Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland

    • What it's about: A driven high school newspaper editor finds himself falling in love for the very first time with the new girl in school, who joins him on the newspaper staff.
    • Who's starring: Austin Abrams and Lili Reinhart
    • Read Our Chemical Hearts.
    • Release date: TBA
    22
    The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock
    amazon.com

    The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock

    • What it's about: A cast of strangers in rural southern Ohio and West Virginia attempt to carry on post-World War II, despite the many ways the war has affected their lives.
    • Who's starring: Tom Holland, Sebastian Stan, Robert Pattinson, and Mia Wasikowska
    • Read The Devil All the Time.
    • Release date: TBA
    23
    The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
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    The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting

    • What it's about: A reclusive doctor with a bevy of animal companions is compelled to leave the confines of his English manor when young Queen Victoria falls ill, as he believes he can find a cure. The film version is titled Dolittle.
    • Who's starring: Robert Downey Jr., Antonio Banderas, and Michael Sheen
    • Watch the trailer for Doolittle.
    • Read The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle.
    • Release date: Jan. 17
    24
    The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
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    The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

    • What it's about: A nanny takes a new job at a creepy estate in the Maine countryside, where she must watch over two disturbed orphans. The film version is titled The Turning.
    • Who's starring: Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, and Brooklynn Prince
    • Watch the trailer for The Turning.
    • Read The Turn of the Screw.
    • Release date: Jan. 24
    25
    The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion
    amazon.com

    The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion

    • What it's about: A journalist decides to step aside from covering the 1984 US presidential election in order to inherit her dying father's job as an arms dealer for a covert government agency.
    • Who's starring: Anne Hathaway, Willem Dafoe, Ben Affleck, Toby Jones, and Rosie Perez
    • Read The Last Thing He Wanted.
    • Release date: Jan. 27
    26
    The Rhythm Section by Mark Burnell
    amazon.com

    The Rhythm Section by Mark Burnell

    • What it's about: After a tragic plane crash kills her family, a woman veers down a path to self-destruction — but after she learns the crash wasn't an accident, she sets down a new path for revenge.
    • Who's starring: Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Sterling K. Brown
    • Watch the trailer for The Rhythm Section.
    • Read The Rhythm Section.
    • Release date: Jan. 31
    27
    P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
    amazon.com

    P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

    • What it's about: Lara Jean finds herself in a love triangle between John Ambrose, her old Model UN crush whom she's recently reconnected with, and Peter Kavinsky, whom she's definitely falling for. The film version is titled To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You.
    • Who's starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, and Jordan Fisher
    • Read P.S. I Still Love You.
    • Release date: Feb. 12
    28
    The Call of the Wild by Jack London
    amazon.com

    The Call of the Wild by Jack London

    • What it's about: During the 1890s Canada gold rush, a domesticated California dog named Buck is stolen and sold to freight haulers in Yukon, where he must learn to survive in the Alaskan wild.
    • Who's starring: Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, Omar Sy, Karen Gillan, and Bradley Whitford
    • Watch the trailer for The Call of the Wild.
    • Read The Call of the Wild.
    • Release date: Feb. 21
    29
    The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
    amazon.com

    The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

    • What it's about: A woman narrowly escapes from the clutches of her brilliant yet abusive husband, only to be plagued by a new threat: an invisible and foreboding presence that only she can detect.
    • Who's starring: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, and Storm Reid
    • Watch the trailer for The Invisible Man.
    • Read The Invisible Man.
    • Release date: Feb. 28
    30
    Emma by Jane Austen
    amazon.com

    Emma by Jane Austen

    • What it's about: A young woman meddles in the lives of her friends and families, playing matchmaker with good intentions but bad instincts.
    • Who's starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, and Bill Nighy
    • Watch the trailer for Emma.
    • Read Emma.
    • Release date: Feb. 28
    31
    All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
    amazon.com

    All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

    • What it's about: Two small-town teenagers are brought together by fate when they both climb their school's bell tower at school at the same time, both with the intention of jumping off the ledge.
    • Who's starring: Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, Alexandra Shipp, Keegan-Michael Key, and Luke Wilson
    • Read All the Bright Places.
    • Release date: Feb. 28


    32
    Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
    amazon.com

    Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

    • What it's about: A shy teen finds himself falling for the strange, elusive new girl who moves to his small Arizona town after only ever having been homeschooled.
    • Who's starring: Grace VanderWaal, Graham Verchere, and Giancarlo Esposito
    • Read Stargirl.
    • Release date: March 13
    33
    I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp
    amazon.com

    I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp

    • What it's about: A Christian music singer's wife is diagnosed with ovarian cancer shortly before they get married.
    • Who's starring: KJ Apa, Britt Robertson, Gary Sinise, and Shania Twain
    • Watch the trailer for I Still Believe.
    • Read I Still Believe.
    • Release date: March 20
    34