Be it comic book, biography or anything in between, it seems as though stories inspired by the print medium have come to dominate box-office revenue. With the success of big-budget YA stories such as, “The Hunger Games” and “Maze Runner,” along with real-life dramas such as, “The Finest Hours,” and thriller, “The Girl on the Train,” it’s clear that the stories on screen that sell are those that originated behind a paperback covering first.
With 2017 just kicking off, the year promises a slew of anticipated book to film adaptations — ranging from young adult drama to historical fiction. But before you buy your ticket, hit the shelves for some thrilling reads before you see some beloved characters up on the big screen.
‘The Zookeeper’s Wife,’ Diane Ackerman
Release Date: March 31, 2017
This non-fiction story details the incredible efforts of Antonina Żabinski and her husband Jan, who was the director of the Warsaw Zoo in Poland before its closure as a result of the Nazi invasion in 1939. While many of the animals and the structure itself was destroyed as a result of neighborhood bombings, the couple utilized the nearby villa they resided at as well as remnants of the zoo itself to smuggle and shelter persecuted Jews within the country.
The Żabinskis, upon the invasion of Poland, became involved with the Polish underground resistance, helping many Jews survive while keeping a semblance of peaceful living with the animals that did remain under their care. This period-drama will star Academy-Award nominee Jessica Chastain from “Zero Dark Thirty” will portray Antonina in the film adaptation out late March.
‘Wonder,’ R.J. Palacio
Release Date: April 7, 2017
Starring Julia Roberts from “Eat Pray Love,” Owen Wilson from “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Night at the Museum,” and “Room” breakout-star Jacob Tremblay, “Wonder” tells the story of Auggie, a young boy born with severe facial deformity who begins private school after years of being educated at home. Roberts and Wilson play 10-year-old Auggie’s parents who, because of the numerous surgeries required by his condition, chose to home-school him for most of his life.
The book (and subsequent film) chronicles the challenges faced by Auggie as he navigates through feelings of inadequacy, judgment and the potential to be ostracized by his peers. It is an inspiring read, with themes aimed at finding the beauty within rather than focusing on external extremities. What tugs at the heart-strings is the centering of such a story on a young child, and with Tremblay’s moving performance in last year’s Oscar-nominated drama “Room,” this adaptation is sure to convey the same feelings of encouragement and sincerity that the book itself boasts.
‘The Circle,’ Dave Eggers
Release Date: April 28, 2017
“The Circle” is a 2013 novel that centers on the powerful tech company The Circle, an organization whose vast technological advancements and employee perks at the onset appear nothing short of amazing. The book’s protagonist, Mae Holland — played in the film adaption by Emma Watson from “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and the Harry Potter franchise — is similarly impressed by The Circle’s scope. However, the company — run by the mysterious “Three Wise Men” — harbors ‘big-brother’ tendencies that far exceed the expectations or imaginations of both its employees and the wider, unsuspecting public. In a society that thrives on the all-encompassing presence of social media platforms, “The Circle” is a suspenseful read that is both foreboding and cautionary.
‘My Cousin Rachel,’ Daphne Du Maurier
Release Date: July 14, 2017
A period romance/drama, “My Cousin Rachel” deals with mystery, suspense, and romantic intrigue set on the Cornish coast of England. Originally published in 1951, the novel is in keeping with author Du Maurier’s penchant for mystery-romances, exemplified in her more famous publication, “Rebecca.” The plot centers on young Philip who must deal with the internal and external consequences of falling in love with his cousin, Rachel, a woman whose motivations may not entirely be what they seem.
The film adaptation will include the gray, earthy visual palette typical of romantic period dramas produced today, and stars Sam Claflin of “Snow White and the Huntsman” and “Me Before You,” a British actor who is no stranger to dramatic period pieces. Claflin will star as Philip, with his Rachel being performed by the so-dubbed ‘English Rose’ Rachel Weisz of “The Constant Gardener” and “The Lobster.”
‘The Glass Castle,’ Jeannette Walls
Release Date: TBD
“The Glass Castle” is another non-fiction tale that tells the story of author Jeannette Walls and her unconventional childhood and early adulthood. Walls, the second oldest out of four children, moved around the U.S. with their parents who adopted the nomadic lifestyle to avoid debt and other varied responsibilities. Both of Jeannette’s parents’ eccentricity trickles down into the everyday dynamics of the family that the book details, allowing deeper insight into a deeply interesting — albeit dysfunctional — life that is made even sharper when one remembers that all the characters and situations are in fact real.
The film adaptation, out in late 2017, will star last year’s Oscar winner for Best Actress Brie Larson as Walls, with Woody Harrelson from “Zombieland” and Naomi Watts from “King Kong” playing her mother and father.
