Book Adaptations coming to Film, TV and Streaming!

I know sometimes Hollywood doesn’t always do the adaptations of a book correctly, but there are times where they actually follow the book well or actually do even better than the book. In this list I will be talking about what adaptations I am the most excited about, whether it’s from books I have read before, or books I am planning to read. Read along this list and get excited or not and let me know what you think.

Lucy Foley’s “The Hunting Party,” and “The Guest List.”

Awhile back I did a newsletter about Lucy Foley’s books being adapted for the big screen and television (as well as info about her third novel which comes out February 22, 2022). Here is the link to that same newsletter https://booknotions.com/lucy-foley-news/ . I could definitely see “The Hunting Party, as a movie and “The Guest List,” as a tv series.  Right now there hasn’t been much information about just that a lead actress has been casted for “The Hunting Party.” Who has been casted has not been revealed or when “The Hunting Party,” film will be released or if it’s even in production. I will update everyone when there is news. There also isn’t much information about “The Guest List,” except that it will come to ITV in England and then air here in America.

Alison Weir’s Eleanor of Aquitaine Books

I also did a newsletter about this awhile back most likely late last year and here is the link to that newsletter https://booknotions.com/eleanor-of-aquitaine-series-based-on-alison-weirs-books/ . This series will come to Starz the same network that did The White Queen series by Phillipa Gregory, The Spanish Princess, “Outlander,” by Diana Gabaldon. Right now there hasn’t been any casting or any word if its in production, but Starz has the rights to both of Alison Weir’s books “Eleanor of Aquitaine A Life,” which is a biography of Eleanor and her historical fiction book of Eleanor, “Captive Queen.” I’m excited about Starz doing more shows about royal women that hasn’t been done to death like The Plantagenet’s and The Tudors.

 The Serpent Queen based on Leonie Frieda’s “Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France,” novel

This is another show about a famous royal woman coming to Starz that is based on a book. I have not read this particular novel, but I have read about Catherine de Medici. She was an Italian noble who married Henri De Bourbon a Prince of France. Catherine and Henri eventually become King and Queen of France and Catherine’s future daughter in law is Mary Queen of Scotts. They already casted several actors for the eight episode mini-series, here is the link here for more info https://www.thewrap.com/the-serpent-queen-starz-cast-charles-dance/amp/?fbclid=IwAR3rp6tJvPHa_8cNnlnEi0nrVLbsORRBj_Ed4tC-YghZnr1f9ZQ0tM1qFrE . One of the more famous actors from that link is Charles Dance. Charles has played Twyn Lannister in Game of Thrones and is no stranger to playing historical characters as he has portrayed Lord Louis Mountbatten in Season 3 of The Crown and in the premiere of Season 4 when Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA.  I wonder if the eight episode series will cover the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. I know it will cover Catherine’s tumultuous relationship to Henri. Henri was more in love with his mistress named Diane De Poiters who was old enough to be his mother. There is no air date yet but I assume filming is going on right now.

“The Maidens,” and “The Silent Patient, “based on the books by Alex Michaelides

I read the book, “The Maidens,” this past summer and fell in love with the novel. It has everything I would love in a book taking place in England, a who done it mystery that takes place at Oxford. “The Maidens,” will be made into a limited (mini) series by Miramax and Stone Village. “The Silent Patient,” will be made into a movie but news on that is not much. I know Brad Pitt is listed as a producer for the film. I know since I enjoyed “The Maidens,” that “The Silent Patient,” is definitely on top of my to read list.  I do not know which network “The Maidens,” will air on or if it will be available streaming on Hulu or Apple TV. Streaming has become more popular. I will update you all when there is more news.

Mexican Gothic based on the book by Silvia Moreno Garcia

While the book, “Mexican Gothic,” wasn’t my cup of tea, there were things I did like about it. I like that it took place in Mexico in the 1950s and the manor gave you a creepy feeling. The side characters I liked better than the main ones. It will be an 8 to 10 episode mini-series and Garcia wrote that since its 8 to 10 episodes that certain storylines from the novel will be fleshed out more. If certain storylines are expanded I might like the mini-series better than the book. So far there hasn’t been any news of casting just yet. I will update everyone when there is news. Here is a link from my old newsletter with more details. https://booknotions.com/mexican-gothic-mini-series-on-hulu/ .

Sanditon Returning to PBS

The show Sanditon is based on the unfinished novel by Jane Austen. Austen wrote the firsr 11 or 13 chapters put it away but unfortunately died before ever finishing it. ITV did the series and then it aired on PBS in the United States. Although ITV canceled it apparently due to low ratings, the ratings in The United States were huge. So fans of Sanditon including myself, signed a petition to save the show. Others went on twitter tweeting #savesandition. There were back and forth rumors that it was coming back or that they weren’t sure or that it wasn’t coming back. Finally this past spring it was confirmed to return. PBS partnered with BritBox to do the series. The show will return for seasons 2 and 3 (hopefully more) and season 2 will air in January of 2022. Rose Williams will return as Charlotte Heywood. I did an old newsletter updating of its return. https://booknotions.com/possible-season-2-for-sanditon/ . Unfortunately for those who enjoyed the Sidney and Charlotte ship on the show Theo James is not returning. I wasn’t surprised considering he’s in an HBO adaption of Audrey Niffinger’s “The Time Travelers Wife.” Also Theo James is no stranger to film and t.v. he was in all three of The Divergent Films and had a brief role in Downton Abbey. I recently found out unfortunately two more actors won’t be able to return Leo Sutter who played Young Stringer who I wished Charlotte would have gotten with. Mark Stanley who played Lord Babington is also not returning. Fear not though Charlotte will have 2 new love interests.

The Unhoneymooners movie based on the book by Christina Lauren

In February of 2021 I read the romantic comedy “The Unhoneymooners,” by authors Christina Lauren. (They are two authors since their first names are the pen name). It was hilarious. I was laughing out loud at several points. Also the setting in Maui Hawaii in the novel, distracted me from the cold in Pennsylvania. “The Unhoneymooners,” is about Olive. Olive’s twin sister Ami is getting married. The grooms brother Ethan is a guy that Olive hates. When the wedding party gets food poisoning except for Olive and Ethan, Olive’s sister encourages her to take her place to go on a free honeymoon with Ethan. Olive and Ethan form a truce, and the more they get to know each other, the more they realize the other one isn’t so bad after all. It is getting a movie adaptation. Awhile back the author duo did tease me that there could be a movie, when they confirmed it, of course I was immediately excited! Here’s an old newsletter confirming the news. https://booknotions.com/unhoneymooners-movie/. I will update you all when there is more news.

A Gentlemen in Moscow mini-series based on the book by Amor Towles

This past summer I finally got around to reading “A Gentlemen in Moscow.” I know it was published back in 2016 but it was a book I always wanted to read because I love books about other cultures, Russia being one of them. It takes place a few years after The Romanov Family were ousted from power. Count Alexander Rostov returns to Russia though the Bolshevik’s immediately arrest him. They would have killed Rostov, however his old writings seemed sympathetic to reform. The Bolshevik government instead sentenced Rostov to house arrest in the glamorous Metropol Hotel in Moscow. During Rostov’s time under house arrest he befriends many different people throughout all walks of life and doesn’t let his predicament get the best of him. Apple T.V. is doing a mini-series 16 hours long, based on the novel. Kenneth Branagh is one of the producers and is starring as Count Alexander Rostov. There hasn’t been news as to who will play Anna Urbanova who is Rostov’s love interest, or Nina the girl he befriends or Nina’s daughter Sofia who he becomes a guardian to. I messaged Amor Towles on Instagram to see what’s going on with the adaptation. He has not responded just yet. Either he has to keep everything tight lipped or maybe he doesn’t know himself what is happening. I will update you all with news when I find out more.