Books Being Adapted Into Movies Coming out in 2018

Thought it would be interesting to take a look at some books that are being adapted into movies coming out in 2018.  This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, just going to highlight a few based on books I have already read, and a few based on books that I already own or have been meaning to read and perhaps I'll read before the movies come out.

So if you also like to read books before seeing the movies, here are some books you may want to check out before they come out in the movie theater this year!

Books I've Read

I have to say, I'm a bit more skeptical of some of these adaptations than excited.

Every Day - David Levithan (February 23) - "Every Day" was a very unique and enjoyable young adult novel, with the premise that the narrator, "A,"  for all 16 years of life, has woken up each day in a different body - able to access the memories of the person whose body is being inhabited but with A in control for that day - switching bodies every day at midnight, but always to someone else the same age (but of different genders) in roughly the same geographical area. This just seemed like normal life to A, until A meets Rhinannon, the girlfriend of one of the inhabited bodies and falls in love, trying to figure out a way to see Rhiannon every day. My issue with a movie adaptation is I'm just not sure how they can possibly capture the essence of the book and its gender-less, body-less main character in a movie which would require many different actors to play A, and where so much is about the thoughts going on in A's head.  Not sure voice-over alone is enough to do this justice.

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle (March 9) - I loved this middle grade science fiction classic when I read it as a kid, somewhat less so when I re-read it a few years ago as an adult.  I've seen the trailers about a million times as seemingly a trailer for "A Wrinkle in Time" has played before every movie for the last 6 months or so.  And while it looks visually pretty cool and has Oprah and Reese Witherspoon in it (though in small roles), I have to say the trailer has not really piqued my nor my kids' interest in seeing the movie.  If it gets good reviews I'll probably take the kids to see it though.

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline (March 30) - This book was published back in 2011, but I didn't get around to reading it until last year.  It's a cool and fun book that's both futuristic and retro, set in a near future world where conditions are pretty bad so most people spend all their time in a virtual reality world called the Oasis.  When the creator of the Oasis dies, he announces a competition in the Oasis (with lots of 80s trivia), the winner of which will inherit the whole Oasis.  The plot seems perfect for a movie, and Steven Spielberg is the director, so although the trailer didn't look amazing, I'm pretty excited to see it.

Where'd You Go Bernadette - Maria Semple (May 11) - This was a funny novel that made a lot of people's top 10 lists back in 2012 (though it just missed the cut for me).  Kind of a comic satire taking on everything from overbearing private school parents, eccentric rich people, precocious teenagers, and the culture of people who work at Microsoft, it traces the events that lead up to the disappearance of the Bernadette of the title, and the aftermath.  I think the comedy and satire should transition well to the screen, it just may lose a little of the originality of the book which included lots of e-mails, memos, etc. along with more traditional narrative.

The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters (August 31) - A gothic novel set in Britain about a formerly rich family and their decaying - and possibly haunted - mansion.  I think of myself as a fairly intelligent person, but I really didn't get the ending of this book at all.  The atmospherics of the book could make for a good movie, but if they don't make the ending more understandable, I'm not sure how popular it will be.

Other Upcoming Book Adaptations

I generally am someone who likes to read the book before I see the movie - both because in most cases, the book is better, and so I don't have preconceived notions of the characters, plot, etc.  On the other hand, if you read the book right before you see the movie you may find yourself making *too many* comparisons between the two.  So since I am interested in all of these, will have to decide if I'm going to read the books first, and/or delay seeing the movie.

Annihilation - Jeff Vandermeer (February 23) This is an acclaimed and somewhat crazy sounding science fiction (and horror?) novel about an "Area X" which has been cut off from civilization for a while, and where an all female team goes on an expedition to see what is going on there.  The trailer looked pretty cool (though maybe a little scary for me as I am a wimp), and love the idea of a strong female cast led by Natalie Portman and Gina Rodriguez.

Red Sparrow - Jason Matthews (March 2) - Have been meaning to read this one forever, a spy thriller with a female main character, and the first book in a trilogy.  Starring Jennifer Lawrence who is pretty much always great, whatever the movie.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli  (March 16) - The movie adaptation changed the title, and is now called "Love, Simon" - maybe the original title was just too long.  Supposed to be a terrific young adult novel about a gay teenager, and the trailer looks really good.

Crazy Rich Asians - Kevin Kwan (August 17) - I've been meaning to read this one forever too, and the movie actually already got an Entertainment Weekly cover.  Also the first in a trilogy, it's supposed to be a very funny book about super rich Chinese families and what happens when one of them brings his Chinese-American girlfriend to a wedding in Singapore.