2023 is a year full of book-to-movie adaptations, but some are shaping up to be better than others. So far, moviegoers can expect several classic novels to make their way to the big screen in new and exciting ways. They can also expect several romantic comedies and dramas to get the movie treatment.
While all book-to-movie adaptations have value, some of the best-selling books from the last decade are getting long-awaited film adaptations that are sure to fill theaters and be streamed in mass. Several sequels to previous box office hits are adaptations released in 2023. Regardless of their favorite genre, book and movie fans are getting great adaptations in 2023.
10 The Color Purple
The Color Purple By Alice Walker
The Color Purple was already adapted into a movie starring Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg in the 80s. But the book is being adapted once again, but this time the film will follow the story depicted in the Broadway musical based on the novel. The tragic tale follows the lives of Black women in the Southern United States in the early 1900s.
Audiences can expect a star-studded and musically talented cast with Taraji P. Henson, Halle Bailey, Ciara, and H.E.R., having parts in the film. The film is scheduled to release on December 20, 2023, and is currently in post-production, according to IMDb.
9 Love Again
Text For You By Sofie Cramer
Love Again is a romantic drama based on the novel Text For You by Sofie Cramer. The story follows a woman after the death of her fiancé; the woman texts her fiancé's phone but receives responses from the number's new owner. The woman and the person responding spark up a relationship. The movie discusses grief and moving on in life after losing a romantic partner.
Love Again seems straightforward in its storyline but includes Celine Dion, who plays herself in the movie and conspires to keep the newfound couple together. The movie is Priyanka Chopra Jonas's first American romance drama film as she takes on the starring role of Mira.
8 Oppenheimer
American Prometheus: The Triumph & Tragedy Of J. Robert Oppenheimer By Kai Bird & Martin J. Sherwin
Oppenheimer is one of the most highly anticipated biopics coming in 2023, with Cillian Murphy and Christopher Nolan teaming up again for what is set to be another award-winning film. The movie is based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, which chronicles the life of the father of the atomic bomb.
This has been a long talked about film due to its star-studded cast and director. Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. are just a few of the big names appearing in the film alongside Cillian Murphy. Oppenheimer will have a theatrical release on July 21, 2023.
7 Dune: Part 2
Dune By Frank Herbert
Dune: Part 2 continues the story laid out for audiences in the first film, with the cast from the first film returning to their roles. The film's production has wrapped and is set to hit theaters on November 3. Austin Butler and Florence Pugh will play newly introduced characters in the franchise, rounding out the cast of young stars.
Dune: Part 2 follows the story written in Dune by Frank Herbert. The book and the movie are intense sci-fi adventures that follow Paul Atreides as he tries to get revenge on the people who ruined his family.
6 The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes
The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes By Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games trilogy showed the saddest deaths in the famous book trilogy. Now The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will explain how The Hunger Games came to be and how the deaths happened. As a prequel to the rest of the series Suzanne Collins wrote, the movie follows Coriolanus Snow before he comes to power.
According to IMDb, the film is in post-production and will release on November 19, 2023. The film packs tons of star power, with Hunter Schafer, Rachel Ziegler, Viola Davis, and Peter Dinklage playing various roles in the movie. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes promises to be as tragic and emotional as the original trilogy.
5 Red, White, & Royal Blue
Red, White, & Royal Blue By Casey McQuiston
The best-selling young adult novel Red, White, And Royal Blue was a debut smash for author Casey McQuiston and is now being turned into a romantic comedy for Prime Video. The book follows the son of the President of the United States and the Prince of Wales as they engage in a fake dating scheme to ward off the bad publicity they caused by having a public argument.
The movie is currently in production and has no release date, but it is expected to start streaming before the end of the year. Red, White, And Royal Blue depicts a woman as president and will be played by Uma Thurman. Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez will have the burden of bringing Prince Henry and Alex to life on screen.
4 The Meg 2: The Trench
The Trench By Steve Alten
The Meg 2: The Trench comes five years after The Meg, which focused on the prehistoric creature the megalodon being discovered and attacking the team that discovered it. The films are based on the Meg series by Steve Alten. Fans of the series are still waiting for the official announcement about the film's plot. This will reveal if the movie's plot is exactly like the book or if changes are made.
The Trench is set four years after the first book in the series, where another science expedition is exploring the Marianas Trench when a creature attacks them. If the movie stays faithful to the novel, Jonas will return to the ocean to take on a Kronosaurus. The film is set to release on August 4.
3 The Last Voyage Of The Demeter
Dracula By Bram Stoker
The Last Voyage Of The Demeter is based on a chapter within Bram Stoker's novel Dracula, significantly impacting how vampires are depicted in media today. With the movie being based on only one chapter of the book, there is no telling how detailed the film will be in its depictions of the unfortunate crew and their mysterious cargo.
Many films based on Dracula solely focus on the famous vampire living in a castle in Transylvania and feeding from unknowing victims. The Last Voyage Of The Demeter takes a lesser-known passage, bringing about an old vampire story with a fresh adaptation. The movie will be coming to theaters on August 11.
2 Salem's Lot
Salem's Lot By Stephen King
Many of Stephen King's books have been adapted to film, with 2023 promising yet another one of King's books to make its way to film. The film has wrapped production and was supposed to be released in 2022. Deadline reported the film's release was pushed back until April 2023 due to COVID-related delays.
The Salem's Lot film adaptation will follow the plot of the book. An author returns to his hometown, where the residents are being turned into vampires. This film will breathe new life into the vampire sub-genre of horror as classic movie monsters have taken a back seat to other characters in recent cinema.
1 One True Loves
One True Loves By Taylor Jenkins Reid
One True Loves is Taylor Jenkins Reid's second book adaptation of 2023, with the Amazon Prime series Daisy Jones & The Six being the first. One True Loves will star Simu Liu, Phillipa Soo, and Luke Bracey. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film is set to release in a select amount of theaters on April 7 and will start streaming on April 14.
The film follows a woman who has married her high school sweetheart, but she finds new love when he is suspected of being dead after going missing. When she finds love with a new man, her husband returns, causing her to choose who her real love is. One True Loves is set to be one of the most dramatic and romantic movies for Spring 2023.