Winter Books to Screen

Book Adaptations in the Fall/Winter of 2022

If you are the kind of reader who gets excited about seeing the story come to life on screen, this year has been such a treat! We finally saw Neil Gaiman's Sandman in August, the first Grady Hendrix adaptation, My Best Friend's Exorcism, came to Amazon's Prime Video in September, and October brought us a new series of Interview with the Vampire from AMC.

If it's hard to keep up, we understand, so here's your list of everything that's recently come out or that is coming soon so you can be sure to read it before you watch it. Remeber, #thebookisalwaysbetter!

Streaming Now

The School for Good and Evil (Netflix Oct. 18)

Based on the book series of the same name by Soman Chainani, this movie mainly adapts the first book. This YA fantasy follows best friends Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie) after they are transported to a school where the students are trained to become heroes and villains, reagardless of the studen'ts personal preference . A fun fact: Laurence Fishburn joined the cast for this movie because his daughter loved the books!

The Peripheral (Prime Video Oct. 21)

A cyberpunk tale full of action, plus a pastoral rural setting, combined with futuristic technology, and finished with a strong main character is a perfect recipe for a series adaptation and this one does not disappoint. Based on the 2014 book by William Gibson, the series stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne, a young woman who takes a job beta testing some suspicious new VR tech that allows you to feel what you experience in a game, pain and all. She quickly finds that the game is no such thing when it puts herself, her family, and her community in real danger.

From Scratch (Netflix Oct. 21)

Primarily set in the lush Sicilian countryside, Tembi Locke's bestselling memoir, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home, is about building a relationship with her late husband, Saro, and his initially unaccepting family. Through the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hours, Tembi came to find home somewhere she never expected. The Netflix series does have changes from the memoir, including changing the names of all characters, with author Locke being involved heavily with the production to guide those changes. It stars Zoe Saldaña as Amy, the show character based on Tembi Locke.

November Releases

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (In Theaters Nov. 11)

We get to return to Wakanda in the sequel to the popular film based on the Marvel comics. After the loss of Black Panther/T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman, the series has had to find new footing for its second installment, but early reviews are calling this film an emotional and engaging entry into the MCU that honors the actor's legacy.

This movie takes inspiration from several comics storylines, we recommend introducing yourself to the characters Namor and Shuri in these stand-alone volumes. For younger kids into the series, there is an adorable picture book that ties into the movie.

The Wonder (Netflix Nov. 16)

Inspired by the true historical phenomenon known as "Victorian Fasting Girls," this psychological period drama stars Florence Pugh as Lib, an English nurse who comes to stay with a very religious family on their rural Irish homestead in the year 1862. Her job is to watch over their daughter Anna, whom the family and herself claim has not eaten a single thing in eight months, instead subsisting only on "Manna from Heaven." Based on the book by Emma Donoghue, who also worked on the film's screenplay.

Spirited (Apple TV+ Nov. 18)

This musical comedy version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens stars Will Ferrell as the ghost of Christmas Present and Ryan Reynolds as Clint Briggs, the lost, dark soul in need of saving this year instead of the typical Scrooge. In this twist on the classic tale of redemption, Clint turns the tables on Christmas Present and makes the ghost do the soul searching for a change. This will be the first Christmas Carol adaptation telling the ghost’s side of things.

Bones & All (In Theaters Nov. 23)

This darkly funny book by Camille Deangelis is part romance, part coming-of-age tale, part horror, and all about facing your dark side. Main character Maren, played expertly in the film by Taylor Russel, has a unique problem—she eats people, making her what they call "an eater." After her mother disappears, Maren goes on a road trip to find herself. With her companion Lee at her side, played by Timothée Chalamet in the film, Maren learns a lot about love, enemies, and herself along the highway.

December Releases

Firefly Lane Season 2 (Netflix Dec. 2)

This beloved and heartwarming drama series starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalke is back! Firelfy Lane tells the story of a lifelong friendship, both the good and bad moments, in alternating flashbacks that show the girls in their youth of the 1970s and their current lives as adults in 2022. The show is based on the book of the same name and its sequel Fly Away, both by bestselling author Kristin Hannah.

Kindred (Hulu Dec. 13)

Hugo Award-winning author Octavia E. Butler has been revered and honored in Science Fiction writing for her full career, but this year marks the first time that Butler's work comes to screen with this Hulu/FX series based on her neo-slavery classic, Kindred. In this story, Dana, played in the series by Mallori Johnson, is unexpectedly and repeatedly drawn back in time to a nineteenth-century plantation. As each time the stay grows longer and more arduous, Dana learns more about what these past events means for her present, and grows more afraid of each costly encounter.

Matilda the Musical (Select Theaters Dec. 9; Netflix Dec. 25)

The well-loved children's classic from Roald Dahl about a small bookworm who has to get "a little bit naughty" to fight the cruel adults in her life is being adapted for screens again, but unlike the amazing 1996 film, this time it's a musical! Hitting Netflix in December 2022 is a screen-version of the Tony-winning Broadway show, with music by Tim Minchin. This picture book companion puts lyrics to the page alongside inspirational illustrations.

White Noise (Select Theaters Nov. 25; Netflix Dec. 30)

Based on the 1985 book by Don DeLillo, which won a national book award the same year and is famed for bringing postmodern literature to mainstream audiences. This apocalyptic black comedy centers on a year in the life of a family, made up of father Professor Jack Gladney (Adam Driver), his fourth wife Babette (Greta Gerwig), and their four children as they grapple with existence in a world that seems to be crumbling.

Expected in 2023

These adaptations do not yet have release dates, so be ahead of the game by picking up the book now before even the trailers drop.

• Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin
• The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
• Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

What a year for book lovers in cinema, huh? I don't know about you, but my to-watch list is starting to rival my to-be-read list with how exciting all of these adaptations are. Tell us what you're looking forward to watching (and reading) soon in the comments!

Read more by Amanda Cleveland