Upcoming Book to Movie Adaptations

A few weeks ago I finished a book called The Martian by Andy Weir, which was brought to my attention after seeing the trailer for the movie adaptation. I often find myself in the opposite situation, realizing there’s a book after watching the movie. So, I was pleased to have enough time to read this book first (although it’s starring Matt Damon, so I’d obviously go see it anyway). In most cases, I fall firmly in the camp that recommends reading the book before seeing the movie, mostly because I enjoy imagining the people and places described in the novel before they are replaced by movie sets and actors. As much as I adore the Harry Potter movies, I still wish I could go back to the scenes I created when I read the books for the first time. With that in mind, I decided to be proactive and research which books were being turned into movies later this year and next year! But, as it turns out, the majority of them seem to be young adult books or books I’ve already read, so problem solved? Regardless, here are a few that intrigued me:

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson – I’m forever grateful to one of my high school English teachers for introducing me to Bill Bryson. This was the first book of his that I read and I’ve since devoured almost everything else he’s written. In this book, Bryson narrates his attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail and all of the ensuing disasters in an endearing and endlessly humorous manner. I’m rather nostalgic about this one, so I’m a bit unsure about the movie’s ability to do it justice. Movie Release Date: September 2, 2015

The Martian by Andy Weir. – As previously stated, I already knew that Matt Damon was cast as the main character in this novel, so I read it with him in mind, but I can’t say I’m complaining about that ;). This book was a terrific blend of humor and suspense and I think Matt will play this role to perfection. I’m basically counting down the days until it comes out in theaters and I can finally see the drama portrayed on the big screen. Movie Release Date: October 2, 2015

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman – I read this book almost a year ago and was surprised to see that it’s being turned into a movie. The story is about a lightkeeper and his wife who live on an island off the coast of Australia. After finding a dead body and a baby washed up on the island, their subsequent choices upend their lives and their relationships with the folks in the coastal town. This was an excellent novel and I’m curious about how it will translate to the big screen. Just read the book, first! Movie Release Date: TBD 2016

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes – This was my first venture into JoJo Moyes territory and I was thrilled to discover a new author that I enjoyed. I’ve since read One Plus One by her, which didn’t resonate with me quite as much, but was still a decent beach read. Me Before You deals with the relationship between a man confined to a wheelchair and a girl hired to take care of him and is well worth a read. I’m eager to see how the movie will handle some of the topics addressed in the book. Movie Release Date: June 3, 2016

Do you always read the book before seeing the movie? What are some of your favorite book to movie adaptations?