5 BookTok Movie Adaptations We Can't Wait For

There are so many treasures floating around BookTok. The bibliophile group within TikTok shares obsession-worthy reads, and many of these hits gain cult followings on the social media site, so much so that they influence movie and TV production. There are several pending film and series projects based on BookTok favorites, but we're focusing on a few of the major hits that gained a ton of traction on the platform. We're not just narrowing in on one genre, though. There's a nice, healthy range of adaptations coming, based on romance novels, fantasy, historical fiction, and more. There's even a beach read on the list to inspire further summer reading (and viewing). We're going to have some serious binging to do when these flicks come out! 

We've already sourced several BookTok favorites that need to be adapted into movies and TV series ASAP, but things haven't started for those books (yet). Fortunately, the books we've sourced for this literary hunt have been confirmed by production companies. Since they are definite works in progress, we're sure to enjoy the new, visual interpretations of these beloved stories.   

On March 24, 2022, Netflix took to Instagram to announce that it would be coming out with the film, "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." The novel, written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, hit shelves in 2017 and has gone on to gain an enormous amount of attention on BookTok, earning such catchphrases as: "BookTok made me read it." The novel captures Hollywood siren Evelyn Hugo late in her life, as she retells her story to a budding journalist named Monique Grant. As it uses her many marriages as chapters for her life, "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" serves some genuine surprises and makes Hugo herself richly flawed and fascinating. 

Considering the mammoth success of Jenkins Reid's novel, it's no wonder that Netflix excitedly announced that it was ready to enter into production. On June 29, 2023, Netflix announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Leslye Headland would be directing the film, while Liz Tigelaar would be writing the screenplay. There has been frenzied speculation as to who will play Hugo herself, and Jessica Chastain had to shut down rumors that she was cast as the lead. Fans have even made a faux movie trailer, releasing it on YouTube and sparking great confusion. Such is the anticipation for this BookTok favorite. Netflix has still not announced a release date, but there's no doubt it's going to be devoured by viewers when Jenkins Reid's novel reaches TV. 

R. J. Palacio's graphic novel "White Bird" brings forward some characters from the author's previous works, "Wonder" and "Auggie & Me." Fans of these works will already be familiar with the figure of Grandmère, Julian's grandmother. In "White Bird," Grandmère gets her own story, one of her survival as a Jewish girl from the Nazis in war-torn France. A family hid her to protect her, and a series of friendships and connections blossom because of this kindness. While "White Bird" is targeted towards YA readers, fans on BookTok urge everyone to pick up the remarkable work. Reader @booknerdsinmn gave a review of the book on TikTok, and said that there was no age limit for such a wonderful story. 

"White Bird" then became slated as a film, directed by Marc Forster with the screenplay written by Mark Bomback and Palacio. It was supposed to come out in 2022, but the movie was delayed, and later delayed again in 2023 because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. While the film has already been released in parts of the world, with great success in countries like Italy and Poland, "White Bird" won't be released in the United States until October 2024. 

For fans of romance novels, Emily Henry's "Beach Read" as a movie production is ideal. The prolific author has many novels that have garnered the attention of moviemakers. "Beach Read" hit shelves in the summer of 2020, and was a huge success, so it's no wonder that readers wanted to see the relationship between Augustus Everett and January Andrews played out on the big screen. The charming love story follows the lives of authors Everett and Andrews. He writes acclaimed literary fiction while she writes romance novels, and in that fictitious tension, Henry speaks to cultural stigmas around the literary genre that's so widely loved. 

Yulin Kuang was announced as the film's screenplay writer as well as its director. The movie will be made for 20th Century Studios and Original Film is producing it. There isn't a set release date, though we are eagerly anticipating its arrival. Henry herself addressed this on her website, and let readers know that she has a few other books in film production as well. "'Beach Read,' 'People We Meet on Vacation,' and 'Book Lovers' are all in development to be films," Henry began. "Things tend to move very slowly on this front, and even once they are moving, there are specific guidelines for when you're able to share that information." So she knows her fans are eager! 

Scott Westerfeld's "Uglies" was first published in 2005, telling a dystopian, futuristic tale of a young woman who lives in a world where teenagers undergo mandatory plastic surgery at 16 to become attractive. Once no longer ugly, these people get to live in a tech-based paradise where they focus solely on enjoying life. "Uglies" was the first in a series of novels that included "Pretties," "Specials," and "Extras." Westerfeld's first novel was certainly a success, as were the others, but many critics claim that the horrifying concept of living in a futuristic society, where one is rated on popularity and looks, was too ahead of its time. Now, nearly twenty years after its first publication, "Uglies" has become more relevant than ever and YA readers, as well as adults, are revisiting the fantastic novel. In fact, many give Westerfeld credit for instigating the YA dystopian novel. 

The rise of BookTok is also responsible for the resurrection of "Uglies." Avid readers are all over the site, sharing their thoughts on "Uglies" and urging others to read the dark novel. So it's no wonder that the book is finally getting the cinematic recognition that it deserves. In July 2024, Westerfeld jumped on X to share that "Uglies" the movie would be streaming on Netflix on September 13, 2024. Joey King will play Tally Youngblood, and will no doubt deliver a stellar performance.

Rebecca Yarros's novel "Fourth Wing" is the first book in her Empyrean series. The fantasy novel was published in 2023 to massive success and garners some of its inspiration from the things that made "Game of Thrones" so successful. Its characters have magical powers, it's set in a dystopian fantasy land, and there are tons of dragons. Plus, Yarros has planned for five books in total for her series. What's not to love? 

Movie makers responded to the fan feedback over "Fourth Wing," and Amazon MGM Studios snatched the chance to make it into a series. Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society has also made a deal with the studios in the creation of this highly anticipated TV series. As of yet, there has been no release date stated. There's one interesting hurdle with production; in "Game of Thrones," the dragons were potent characters, but they weren't in that many shots, largely because the CGI required to make them was so expensive. "Fourth Wing" demands dragons in almost every scene, and so production is facing issues with budgets. A huge reason for the explosive popularity of "Fourth Wing" is BookTok. The novel garnered over one billion views on hashtags pertaining to Yarros's novel, and people have responded in droves to her fantasy world. One TikToker, @joelsvnny, even composed a soundtrack for "Fourth Wing." Honestly, it's stunning.