Fall’s Most Anticipated Book-to-Screen Adaptations

It Was A Book First

Hosts Sophie and Rudy provide a comprehensive preview of highly anticipated book-to-screen adaptations arriving this fall and winter. The ep

Key takeaways

The Netflix adaptation of 'East of Eden' features a high-profile cast including Florence Pugh and is showrun by Zoe Kazan.
The film 'Verity' brings Colleen Hoover's popular thriller to theaters, starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson.
Mike Flanagan is set to direct a modern-day reimagining of Stephen King's 'Carrie' for Amazon Prime Video.
Hosts expressed significant vocal opposition to the new 'Harry Potter' series on HBO Max due to J.K. Rowling's controversies.
Taika Waititi's 'Clara and the Sun' adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel raises concerns regarding a potential tonal mismatch with the book.

Main topics

Fall movie previews
Book-to-screen adaptations
Horror cinema

Notable quotes

I read the book, or as we'll talk about today, sometimes Rudy reads the book, but we always both watch the TV show or movie.

Conclusion

A useful guide for viewers looking to sync their reading and watching

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:10) I'm Sophie and I love books. Speaker 2 (0:12) I'm Rudy and I love movies. And this is It Was a Book First, the podcast about new book to screen adaptations. Today, we're looking ahead with a preview of the books, movies and TV shows that we'll be covering this fall and winter. From horror stories to new takes on Jane Austen to the conclusion of a sci-fi epic. Speaker 1 (0:31) If you're new here, Rudy and I are culture reporters, and on this podcast, we discuss the page-to-screen adaptations that everyone's talking about. I read the book, or as we'll talk about today, sometimes Rudy reads the book, but we always both watch the TV show or movie, and then we dissect the differences and what we thought of the new adaptation. Speaker 2 (0:50) Next week, we're discussing The Love Hypothesis, a new streaming rom-com for Prime Video starring Lily Reinhart and Tom Bateman that's based on Allie Hazelwood's book of the same name, which, as we'll talk about next week, was originally published as Star Wars fan fiction. Speaker 1 (1:07) As someone currently reading this book, I have a lot of questions about that for next week. Reminder to like, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts. Follow us on Instagram at itwasabookfirstpod, TikTok at itwasabookfirst, watch this episode on YouTube at itwasabookfirstpodcast, or visit our website, itwasabookfirst.com. Have a question for us or want to reach out about something, email us at itwasabookfirstpod at gmail.com. Speaker 2 (1:31) It is officially fall and there are so many adaptations coming out before the end of the year. So you can kind of consider this your like reading and watching list for the next couple of months since we plan to cut over pretty much everything we talk about today on the podcast in some form. Speaker 1 (1:48) Yes, I'm really glad that we're doing this because this gives people the opportunity to read ahead with us if they want to. So I encourage everyone to join Rudy and I in reading these books and having a more, you know, holistic experience with our podcast. Speaker 2 (2:02) Yes, we're going to talk about the 10 or kind of like a little bit of a cheat, really like 11 and then some few extras adaptations that we're most looking forward to covering this fall. We'll mention a few kind of like honorable mentions that we may or may not devote. full episodes too. And we'll do this calendar style and kind of move through things chronologically, which I think actually works out really nicely because I think we're Speaker 1 (2:27) going Speaker 2 (2:27) to start with your most anticipated Sophie, and then we're going to end with my most anticipated. So do you want to kick us off with the first TV show that we're Speaker 1 (2:37) going Speaker 2 (2:37) to talk about? Speaker 1 (2:38) So the first one we're going to talk about is East of Eden. If you listened to our last episode on Practical Magic 2, I tipped my hat already that I read this book while I was in Italy and it like skyrocketed to the top of my favorite books list. I was not excited to read it, but I'm so glad I did. I read it in anticipation of a new Netflix series adaptation. It is seven episodes. It is created and showrun by Zoe Kazan, who is an actress and former creator of the movie Rue. be Sparks, which is one I really love. It is going to be starring Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Feist, Hun Lee, Tracy Letts, Martha Plimpton. It's a really, really stacked cast. So this is an adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel. It is a story, a multi-generational story and retelling of the Cain and Abel story of the Bible taking place in... Yeah. This is a very biblical book. I didn't know that. Yep. It is taking place at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century in California. And it is, I am just so excited to see what they do with this. Rudy, have you read this book? Do you have any relationship to John Steinbeck or anything? No, Speaker 2 (3:52) I've never read Steinbeck. So this show comes out on October 1st, so very soon. And I think all seven episodes come out at once. What's really- interesting about this is for me as someone who comes to this with like, I know Steinbeck is like the author of the great American novel, obviously a very important figure in American history, in fiction history. But I think what's cool about this is that, as you mentioned, Zoe Kazan is adapting this. She's also the executive producer. She is the granddaughter of Aliyah Kazan or Eli Kazan, if he goes by. went by both, who directed the 1955 film version starring James Dean. Now, Elia Kazan, very controversial. Controversial. Very, very controversial. We'll talk about that when we talk about the show. Zoe Kazan has said that this series is not really an adaptation. of the movie. Like she's kind of, I think, taking a broader swath than the movie covered. I'll be watching the film ahead of the Speaker 1 (4:57) series. Speaker 2 (4:57) She seems to be Speaker 1 (4:58) very passionate about the book. I have a feeling that bringing the book to life itself was very important for her. And so I think that while there will certainly be creative liberties, my guess is that in many ways this will be. faithful to the source. Speaker 2 (5:12) So isn't also a big difference that it's centering around Florence Pugh's character, Kathy, which maybe the book is not quite as centered around her. Speaker 1 (5:20) You. It's not that the book isn't centered on her, but she is a through line in so much of it. So to me, like, that's a really smart, if that is what's happening, I love it. I will say the character that Florence Pugh is playing, Kathy, is one of the most deranged characters I've ever read in literature. And I just can't wait to see what she's going to do. You know, it's interesting. While I did read the book first here, I really had her in my mind while I was reading it, which is, you know, a bit Speaker 2 (5:52) of Speaker 1 (5:52) a tainted experience. I actually went to great lengths to not look at the rest of the cast, not pay attention before I was done. But that one was in my head. She does fit the character in a lot of ways physically. So it felt very true. I am. Really looking forward to seeing this adapted. It's a really rich story. You know, I think the term The Great American Novel, as you noted, it's like, God, it just makes you want to roll your eyes. But I will admit that like reading this, I was like, oh shit, this is a Great American Novel. Like this is what the people are talking Speaker 2 (6:26) about. The trailer I thought looked pretty good. This is definitely a prestige-y, you know, dimly lit, people in rooms, you know, kind of. kind of show it looks like. But I've Speaker 1 (6:40) heard good things. I've heard Speaker 2 (6:42) people who have seen it have said positive things about it. So I'm intrigued for this. I think this has a big Emmy potential and could be a big hit. Speaker 1 (6:51) Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. And I'm so interested, as we've said before, we have an Unearliest Wuthering Heights episode. But I'm so interested in how classics are being adopted right now. And so I'm really looking forward to this. Speaker 2 (7:06) I'm excited to watch the James Dean movie. I mean, I think that's going to be really interesting too. And then kind of compare and contrast the two. All right, Sophie, what do we have? coming up next. Speaker 1 (7:17) Wow. And now for something completely different. This comes out the Speaker 2 (7:21) day after East of Eden on October 2nd. On October Speaker 1 (7:24) 2nd, after binging East of Eden and one day on Netflix, you can get over to your local theater to see the adaptation of Verity, which is Colleen Hoover's 2018 book. You're finally going Speaker 2 (7:37) to have Speaker 1 (7:38) to Speaker 2 (7:38) read Speaker 1 (7:38) Colleen Speaker 2 (7:39) Hoover and we're going to talk about Colleen Hoover. I kind of can't wait. I'm honestly excited about this. Speaker 1 (7:44) I have. Really, really, really resisted the Colleen Hoover book talk boom, honestly, on principle at this point. And I'm, look, I'm giving into it. I'm going all in. I know a lot of people who say the books aren't for her, but this one is the best one. So at least we're picking the best one, hopefully. I will say the trailer, like going in, I know nothing. I knew nothing going into seeing this trailer. Like it looks bonkers. So to give you the brief plot description. A struggling writer is hired to ghostwrite the remaining books in injured best-selling author Verity Crawford's series. Living in the home, she discovers a chilling autobiographical manuscript and must decide whether to expose what she's found while growing dangerously close to Verity's husband. This is starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson. As Speaker 2 (8:35) Verity. Speaker 1 (8:35) As Verity. As the titular Verity. I will admit, like, I did not know that that was a name. this surprised me while preparing for this episode. Same. I've like, yeah, I've just stayed blissfully out of the Colleen Hoover world. But yeah, starring Josh Hartnett, one of my childhood crushes. So excited about that. Speaker 2 (8:53) We're in the era of Josh Hartnett coming back, which is great. He's really good in M. Night Shyamalan's Trapped, which is a movie that I feel mixed about, but I really enjoyed him in. Dakota Johnson playing the writer. This is, I don't know. It's going to be interesting. Rudy, Speaker 1 (9:08) I'm curious about your reaction to this trailer because I've now seen it like 10 times for other movies. And every time I start laughing, it's like, bah, bah, bah. So it's Speaker 2 (9:18) funny that you say you start laughing because this movie is directed by Michael Showalter, who people probably remember as the star of Wet Hot American Summer. He was very closely. In that group of comedy people. He has since kind of gone on to be a director of a lot of romantic dramas. So The Big Sick, the Kamel Nanjiani movie. He directed that, which Zoe Kazan was also in. And he also recently directed Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You, which is another book adaptation. Her and Nicholas Galzantin in kind of a May-December sort of film he did. the Michelle Pfeiffer, or What Fun? It was like a holiday movie last year. So he's kind of shifted the way that he approaches things. Now, Lauren read this book, my wife, Lauren. So she's been hotly anticipating this for a while. And she says it's a pretty interesting read. You know, this is, Colleen Hoover has called this her darkest book. This is, you know, I think the fourth. adaptation. Obviously, It Ends With Us was kind of the big one that really broke things for her. And Speaker 1 (10:31) we should say for anyone who doesn't know, Colleen Hoover is maybe the most known sort of like book talk author. Her books catapulted there. And there's Speaker 2 (10:42) a Speaker 1 (10:42) lot of discussion around the quality of the writing and the storytelling and things like that. But they have sold millions upon millions of copies and are wildly commercially successful. Who's the guy Speaker 2 (10:55) who's got a book with Mr. Beast? Speaker 1 (10:57) James Patterson. So she's Speaker 2 (10:59) kind of like a female James Patterson in the sense that she just pumps books out constantly, right? Speaker 1 (11:04) I don't know if anyone is in anything James Patterson because that man has an entire division of a publishing house devoted to him. One day. Speaker 2 (11:12) One day she'll probably be there. Yeah, Speaker 1 (11:14) the Colleen Hoover publishing house. But I Speaker 2 (11:16) don't know. I think it looks interesting. Like, I'm intrigued by it. It's going to be fun. I'm a little worried that, like, Anne Hathaway is going to be kind of like... buried in this and isn't going to be like super prominent based on the trailers. I'm really worried about Speaker 1 (11:29) Anne Hathaway. Speaker 2 (11:30) But I don't know. I mean, it's a good cast. Michael Showalter knows how to make these kinds of movies. So there is one thing that I'm very concerned about. Speaker 1 (11:39) This Speaker 2 (11:39) film was written by Nick Antosca, who is also the creator and showrunner of a show that you and I hated, Cape Fear. Speaker 1 (11:49) Ooh. Speaker 2 (11:50) So like that's a little concerning. Speaker 1 (11:52) That actually is really concerning. Like two bad writers as the source. But Speaker 2 (11:57) I think it's going to be a big hit. I mean, people come out for these Colleen Hoover movies. I think this is going to be hugely Speaker 1 (12:01) commercially successful. Like this is the most read Colleen Hoover. I should backtrack that, but I'm almost positive this is the most read Colleen Hoover book. And I really think like women especially are going to go out to the theater to see this movie with their friends. Speaker 2 (12:15) Yes, absolutely. And, you know, it also kind of helps kick off a little bit of spooky season. And we're going to have a little bit of a spooky season on this podcast because there's a couple of other shows and movies coming out. The first of which we'll note is Carrie on Speaker 1 (12:32) October Speaker 2 (12:33) 7th. So this is the, I believe, fourth adaptation of Stephen King's 1974 novel Carrie. This comes from Mike Flanagan. This is a series on Amazon. So Mike Flanagan is... One of the, I think, biggest names in kind of like horror, not just TV making, but also movies. I mean, he his most recent film was called The Life of Chuck, which really wasn't horror. It was more like supernatural. It was also adapted from maybe Stephen King. I think that was a Stephen King short story. His most famous show is probably The Haunting of Hill House. So he had a deal with Netflix for several years where he just kind of pumped out a new show every like October that was kind of spooking. There was also spooky. There was also The Haunting of Bly Manor. There was Midnight Mass. I like that one. That Speaker 1 (13:22) was very fun. His Speaker 2 (13:23) shows are good, generally. I think my issue with Mike Flanagan, Mike Flanagan makes really well-acted, scary. Speaker 2 (13:35) really well-constructed shows that often kind of fizzle out by the end and become sort of like about love and family and lots of monologues of actors. That's not Speaker 1 (13:47) what Speaker 2 (13:47) you're looking Speaker 1 (13:48) for. Speaker 2 (13:48) Talking about things. Well, it kind of, it feels like sometimes it undermines the sort of like scariness and the intrigue that his shows often create. So what's interesting about Carrie is that this is, this is going to be eight episodes. So if you don't know, Carrie's a pretty short. book and it's already been really faithfully adapted by Brian De Palma in 1976 with Sissy Spacek, which was an Oscar nominated film. John Travolta also has a small role in that film. I've definitely seen this at some point, but I'm going to rewatch it ahead of the series. And this is not going to be a straight adaptation. It is set in modern times. It's going to expand the story to stretch out to eight episodes. If you don't know what this is about, it's a The logline is a sheltered girl with telekinetic powers is bullied, leading to a horrific bloody incident due to her domineering mother's influence. So Summer H. Howell, I think is kind of an unknown, is starring in this. There's a bunch of other actors and actresses that I think are kind of unknown to us currently. But Matthew Lillard, Katie Siegel, who is Mike Flanagan's wife, is also in this. And then Heather Graham is also in this as well. Speaker 1 (14:59) I love that Matthew Lillard is in this as it looks like the principal because he's so iconic from Scream as the teenage generation. So to see him now as the administrator is, I think, a great bit of casting. Speaker 2 (15:10) He also needs to make up for appearing in the most recent Scream movie, which was awful. My least favorite film of the year. Oh, that's a lot coming with how many you see. It was very bad. Speaker 1 (15:22) What I'll say, I saw the original movie, God, years ago. I have no memory of it. I'm really looking forward to reading this. I've started reading other Stephen King books. I read The Shining last year, and I want to read them all eventually. So I'm really looking forward to this. I think what's... I am really excited about this project for is when you have something that's so based in youth culture, Speaker 2 (15:43) updating Speaker 1 (15:44) it to a modern time when enough time has passed is actually a really interesting premise. Because when you add in something like social media to a story like Carrie, you can make it super faithful to the intention of the original while giving it a totally fresh and new perspective. It's actually something we funnily enough talked about with Cape Fear. when we were saying that making that more about social media and the surveillance state kind of would have been the way to make that show make more sense in 2026. So I hope they can pull it off for this one. I think the trailer looks like it has promise. Oh, yeah. Speaker 2 (16:23) I thought it looked good. I hadn't seen the trailer yet until I watched it before we recorded. And I was like, this looks pretty good. Like I said, Flanagan, I like a lot of his stuff. He did Dr. Sleep, which is the sequel. To The Shining. So he loves Stephen King's work. He's got some other movies I really like. If you haven't seen Hush, I really recommend Hush. That's a really good movie of his from 2016. And there's a couple others that are worth checking out. He also wrote Clayface, which is a DC Comics kind of smaller comic book movie that's coming out later this year that I'm also kind of intrigued for. And then he will be remaking The Exorcist. or a new version of The Exorcist Speaker 1 (17:03) as Speaker 2 (17:03) well. Oh, Speaker 1 (17:04) the new one. Speaker 2 (17:05) Scarlett Johansson and Chewbacca. Oh, my friend worked on that Speaker 1 (17:08) movie. I've been to the set. It was filmed right by my apartment. Speaker 2 (17:11) Oh, very cool. Well, yes, he directed that one as well. Sorry. Speaker 1 (17:15) The poof, the dog poof from The Exorcist set is behind me. My dog is sitting in it. Oh. I inherited it from The Exorcist set. Yeah, The Exorcist is in the home. Speaker 2 (17:26) That's very cool. Speaker 1 (17:27) Yeah. Speaker 2 (17:28) And Speaker 1 (17:28) if Carrie isn't scary enough for us, we have what looks like a genuinely terrifying film and one that you are going to read the book for. Yes. I have Speaker 2 (17:37) started reading Incidents Around the House, which is the 2024 Josh Mallerman book that has been adapted into Other Mommy. If you saw The Odyssey and you got there early enough, you probably. Saw the trailer for this and maybe didn't realize that this was based on a book because they don't really play that up in the trailer. This is starring Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass. This is a theatrical film that comes out on October 9th. It is written by Nathan Elston, who worked on Succession. And it