2018 is finally here and it’s brimming with utterly brilliant book adaptations. From sweeping fantasies and classic tales to edge-of-your-seat thrillers, these books-turned-movies will appeal to both film buffs and book addicts alike.
Here is a list of the best stories you need to read before they hit the big screen in 2018:
Contents
- Ophelia by Lisa M. Klein
- Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
- Samson
- Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
- Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
- The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
- The Girl in the Spider's Web
- The Black Hand by Stephan Talty
- All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
- Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie
Ophelia by Lisa M. Klein
Set in the famed court of Elsinore, an innovative reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy revolves around a lady-in-waiting and her ill-fated romance with a doomed heir.
In times of uncertainty, as affection gives way to suspicion, young lovers are forced to conceal their true feelings. Soon their torrid affair comes to an end, when the young prince encounters the ghost of his father, revealing the spine-chilling truth behind his death. Driven by rage and desire to avenge the king, Hamlet resorts to feigning madness in order to carry out the spirit’s commands. Told from Ophelia’s perspective, this heart-rending tale of deceit blends irony, crime and suspense, effortlessly spilling into a literary sensation.
Release date: 22 January 2018
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts, Tom Felton, Clive Owen
Read it Free HerePeter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Inspired by a heartfelt letter written to a sick boy, The Tale of Peter Rabbit has captivated the hearts of millions of young readers around the world. Exuberant and troublesome, Peter is often compared to his well-behaved sisters Mopsy, Flopsy and Cotton-tail as they leap from the pages of a beloved story to entertain and caution errant children of the severe consequences of mischief.
Release date: 9th February 2018
Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, James Corden, Daisy Ridley
Read it Free Here Buy it on AmazonSamson
Passion, betrayal and sacrifice all collide in one spell-binding saga of love that has captivated generations of readers around the world. Immortalised in art and on screen, the famous biblical tale gets a new lease of life in the 2018 movie adaptation Samson.
Destined to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines, the legendary hero embarks on a crusade against his mortal enemies. The news of Samson’s supernatural strength will soon spread throughout the land, making his foes quiver with fear. Even when the infamous seductress puts an end to his mission, Samson is yet to discover the ultimate source of his power. Infused with timeless life lessons and thrilling adventure, this evocative story will charm even the harshest sceptics.
Release date: 16th February 2018
Starring: Taylor James, Billy Zane, Jackson Rathbone
Read it Free HereAnnihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Exquisitely crafted by the master of creepiness, this eerily dreamlike Sci-Fi tale offers a chance to lose yourself in a disturbing world of obliteration. Abandoned ‘for reasons that are not easy to relate’, unspoilt coastal Area X has been puzzling scientists for decades. After all, anyone who has ever ventured into this lush eden came to regret it. Determined to uncover its deadly secret, four hopefuls set off on a perilous expedition, where inexplicable moans, unmapped tunnels and mass hallucinations are just a few of many surprises that are yet to unhinge their minds. Fans of H.P. Lovecraft will particularly appreciate this highly unsettling tale which has the power to sneak under your skin and haunt you for days after you read it.
Release date: 23 February 2018
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson
Buy it on AmazonA Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
An interstellar travel through the fifth dimension may be hard to imagine, but not for Meg Murry, who has not seen her father for over a year. Accompanied by her younger brother and her schoolfriend, the fiery teenager sets off on a mind-bending trek to find the missing physicist. And even when their mission gets off to a rocky start, three guardian angels save the day by putting their wisdom and metamorphic abilities to a good use to guide the starry-eyed travellers on their journey. Thrilling and daring, this time-travelling odyssey interweaves science, love and magic into one multi-faceted plot, where good always triumphs over evil.
Release date: 9th March 2018
Starring: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Mindy Kaling.
Buy it on AmazonThe Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
The fascination with human invisibility has been an ever-lasting source of inspiration for authors and film directors alike. One of the first science-fiction writers to portray this phenomenon was H.G. Wells, who offered a poignant insight into obscurity in his cautionary tale of obsession. The arrival of a mysterious stranger swathed in bandages in West Sussex leaves plenty of room for speculation. But for Dr Jack Griffin, a reclusive scientist, who spends most of his days researching the side effects of his new invisibility formula, the lack of social life might be the least of his worries. Soon, as the small town of Iping becomes a testing ground for Griffin’s experiments, things get as murky as the misty English countryside, in which the story is set.
Release date: 13th April 2018
Starring: Johnny Depp
Buy it on AmazonWhere’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
When anxiety takes the better of Bernadette, she develops agoraphobia, entrusting all her errands to a virtual assistant in India. Unable to face reality, Bernadette disappears shortly before her planned trip to Antarctica, leaving her fifteen-year-old daughter, Bee, guessing what prompted her mother to vanish so suddenly. In her desperate search for the truth, Bee puts together email messages, documents and secret correspondence that unveil the reasons behind Bernadette’s disappearance.
Release date: 11th May 2018
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kristen Wiig, Judy Greer
Buy it on AmazonThe Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Having survived a deadly virus, which wipes out most of the young adult population, Ruby spends six years in a rehabilitation camp for children ostracised for their extraordinary powers. Exploited and abused, Ruby is forced to conceal the full extent of her abilities until the day, when she finally escapes Thurmond. Joined by a group of fellow fugitives, she soon becomes a target for League members, government agents and bounty hunters, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the gifted psychics.
The first instalment in The Darkest Minds trilogy, this riveting story represents a potent hybrid of The Hunger Games and The X-Men, providing a much-needed fix for your addiction to dystopian fiction.
Release Date: 14th September 2018
Starring: Mandy Moore, Gwendoline Christie, Amandla Stenberg
Buy it on AmazonThe Girl in the Spider’s Web
The story of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo comes back with a vengeance in a much-anticipated sequel to the Millennium series. Having gone separate ways, a punk super hacker and an investigative journalist reunite on a crusade to expose the seedy underbelly of cyber crime. As the deadly mission brings them closer to the truth, the two unlikely allies become inextricably entangled in the web of espionage, conspiracies and the long-buried secrets resurrected from the past. Charged with a nail-biting climax and sexual tensions, this undeniable page-turner will delight all fans of Larsson’s iconic series.
Release date: 19th October 2018
Starring: Claire Foy, Claes Bang, Cameron Britton
Buy it on AmazonThe Black Hand by Stephan Talty
Based on the real life events, this remarkable tale of the fearless battle of a humble detective against the most notorious network of outlaws chronicles the dawn of organised crime at the turn of the 20th century.
Dubbed the “Italian Sherlock Holmes”, Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino almost single-handedly defeated the secret society whose lethal tentacles of murder, extortion and kidnapping were spreading faster than a wildfire across the city.The master of disguise, Petrosino pioneered intelligence-gathering, witness protection and infiltration into organisations programs, that are considered standard procedures today.
From heart-pounding action to psychological mind games, this noir-tinged take on the New York legend has got all the ingredients to appeal to any fan of crime fiction.
Release date: To be confirmed
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio
Buy it on AmazonAll the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Sixteen-year old Finch, who has been toying with the idea of exiting his life for awhile, knows a thing or two about depression. Over the years, frustration, heartbreaks and despair have become his only friends, exacerbating his fragile mental condition. But everything changes, when a beautiful stranger, who stops Finch from plunging into the dark abyss, becomes the much-needed breath of fresh air he has been gasping for. Captivating and beautiful, this moving tale of love pulls on your heart strings with powerful characters and holds you a prisoner to the last page.
Release date: To be confirmed
Starring: Elle Fanning
Buy it on AmazonWitness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie
Revered for her timeless collection of detective stories, the Queen of Crime invites the readers to join the jury to crack a mind-boggling case in a courtroom drama The Witness for The Prosecution. For Leonard Vole- an heir to the great fortune, who is accused of murdering his benefactor- the trial is doomed from the start. Despite his plea of innocence, the overwhelming evidence against Leonard coupled with his struggling solicitor crush all his hopes for acquittal. The defence hits rock bottom, when his loving wife’s testimony threatens to put a noose around his neck. Balancing on a knife edge between life and death, the defendant will have no choice, but to pull a rabbit out of a hat… and fast. Enriched with sensational twists and exhilarating conclusions, this gripping tale of mystery ticks all the right boxes for Christie aficionados.
Release date: To be confirmed
Starring: Ben Affleck
Buy it on Amazon
Stella
Stella is a Marketing Consultant and has been writing content for Full Text Archive since 2015. When she is not writing, she is meticulously planning our social and e-mail campaigns. Stella holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Russian Literature, which has provided a broad foundation from which she continues to explore the written world.
She spends her free time reading, visiting old castles and discovering new coffee shops. She can be reached at stella