The time has come to (re)acquaint yourself with the works of some of the most influential names in literature before they get the big (and small) screen treatment this year.
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Bestselling author Dolly Alderton and director Euros Lyn (Heartstopper)’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a six-part series starring Golden Globe–winner Emma Corrin and BAFTA winner Jack Lowden as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, and Academy Award–winner Olivia Colman as Mrs. Bennet. Ireland’s own Daryl McCormack will also be making an appearance. Twenty years on from Keira Knightley’s spellbinding performance in the role, I think we’re ready for a brand new iteration.
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
Adolescence writer and producer Jack Thorne is bringing the first television adaptation of William Golding’s beloved 1954 novel to the screen in the form of a four-part series. The series will follow a group of young schoolchildren who find themselves stranded on a tropical island without adult supervision after a deadly plane crash. Billed by the BBC as truthful to the original novel – set in the early 1950s on an unnamed Pacific island – the show is set to delve further into the book’s emotive themes of human nature, the loss of innocence and boyhood masculinity.
The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
As part of a new anthology series currently in development entitled Great American Stories, AMC are dedicating the first season to adapting John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath. Three-time Emmy nominee Rolin Jones will adapt the story, known for his writing on Friday Night Lights, Weeds, and the development of Interview with the Vampire. The book tells the story of the Joad family. Forced to abandon their Oklahoma farm due to the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, they strike out for California in search of a better life.
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë
Emerald Fennell’s interpretation of this beloved love story was highly anticipated. Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, the story revolves around the all-encompassing, passionate, but ultimately doomed love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, and how this unresolved passion eventually destroys them and the people around them.
East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
A Netflix adaptation of the 1952 novel by John Steinbeck is coming this year. The seven-episode limited series, written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan, will star Florence Pugh, who will also executive produce. The new take on the classic novel continues the legacy of Zoe’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, who directed the 1955 East of Eden film starring James Dean. The series follows the multi-generational Trask family saga explored from the perspective of the standout female character Cathy Ames, played by Pugh. Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist and Ciarán Hinds are also confirmed cast members.
Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen
Set for release in September, the Working Title production is based on a script adaptation by Diana Reid, and stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw. Set in Georgian-era England, Austen’s classic follows wealthy Mr. Dashwood, who dies, leaving his second wife and three daughters in rather poor shape. The ladies move to a modest cottage where the two older daughters vie for the attention of various suitors in search of true love.
The Odyssey, by Homer
Christopher Nolan is following up his Oscar-winning Oppenheimer by venturing deep into Greek mythology with his adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. Matt Damon will lead as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, with Tom Holland as Telemachus, Charlize Theron as Circe, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, and Zendaya as Athena. *Deep breath because the cast is so stacked* Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, Himesh Patel, John Leguizamo, and Travis Scott (!) are also confirmed cast members.
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
If you didn’t brush up on your reading for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein starring Jacob Elordi last year, now’s the time. Maggie Gyllenhaal stars and directs The Bride, with Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale co-starring. In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change. An exciting spin on Bride of Frankenstein, it’s set for release on March 6.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, by C.S. Lewis
Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew—which will be her first outing after Barbie—stars Emma Mackey as the White Witch, with Carey Mulligan also in the cast. Filled with mythic battles and unforgettable creatures and characters, the seven-book collection started in 1950 and has sold more than 115 million copies and been translated into 57 languages worldwide.
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