When it comes to page-to-screen adaptations, 2026 has plenty of bookish reasons to be excited about cinema these days, with big-budget adaptations like Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three and Georgia Oakley‘s Sense and Sensibility primed to hit theaters this year.
But the small screen is no slouch in the adaptation department either: From classic literature like Lord of the Flies and The Count of Monte Cristo to modern-day romcom faves like Every Year After, there’s something for every bookworm and TV lover to get excited about!
Here’s a comprehensive look ahead at some of the buzziest TV shows based on books that are coming to your screen in 2026, with classic tales from Jane Austen, Stephen King, Agatha Christie and more getting the streaming treatment.
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26 Major Books That Are Being Adapted for Television in 2026
FX
1. ‘The Beauty’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Written by Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley, The Beauty is a graphic novel series from Image Comics, which ran six volumes from 2015 to 2021. The freaky reads blend body horror, crime thriller and science fiction, focusing on a sought-after sexually transmitted disease that makes the infected downright gorgeous. However, when the disease starts turning deadly, a pair of detectives are put on the case and find themselves entrapped in a dark conspiracy.
The show: Created by Ryan Murphy and Matthew Hodgson, FX’s television adaptation of The Beauty premiered on Wednesday, Jan. 21, with an all-star cast: Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall play the detectives, while Ashton Kutcheris the tech billionaire behind the looks-boosting drug. Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope, Isabella Rossellini, John Carroll Lynch and Bella Hadid also star.
2. ‘His & Hers’ (Now Streaming)
The book: A modern-day take on the country-murder mystery tradition, Alice Feeney’spsychological thriller centers on the killing of a local woman in small-town Blackdown, England. The case is told through alternating perspectives: that of news reporter Anna Andrews and her estranged husband Detective Jack Harper, the latter of whom soon becomes a murder suspect himself.
The show: Moving the action from a quaint English village to a historic Georgia town, Netflix’s American adaptation of His & Hersdropped on Thursday, Jan. 8, with Tessa Thompson as the female lead (whose performance was widely praised by critics) and Jon Bernthalas her male counterpart.
3. ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Set almost a century before the A Song of Ice and Fire tales we know from Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin‘sThe Tales of Dunk and Egg is a set of prequel novellas that trails the countryside adventures of hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (affectionately known as Dunk) and his young squire Egg, whom Westeros diehards know is the future King Aegon V Targaryen (great-grandad of the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys).
The show: Given how well Westeros has done for HBO (Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon), it wasn’t a shock that the network opted to adapt the Dunk and Egg books: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premiered on Sunday, Jan. 18, with Irish actor Peter Claffey as Dunk and child star Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg.
Related: 20 Most Anticipated Books Coming in 2026, from Colleen Hoover’s New Thriller to Brandy’s Memoir
Netflix
4. ‘Bridgerton’ (Now Streaming)
The book:Julia Quinn‘s Bridgerton books make up one of the most successful romantic series around, with eight novels each centered on a Bridgerton sibling as they navigate the marriage mart in a heightened high-society England. Three Bridgerton novels (The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me and Romancing Mister Bridgerton) previously received small-screen adaptations, with An Offer From a Gentleman joining those ranks earlier this year.
The show: As mentioned, An Offer from a Gentleman—the third book in Quinn’s series— served as the focus of Season four of Netflix’s uber-popular Bridgerton drama, starring Luke Thompson as bohemian nobleman Benedict Bridgerton andYerin Ha as the mysterious housemaid he unexpectedly falls for.
5. ‘Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials’ (Now Streaming)
The book:Agatha Christie—the reigning Queen of Crime—cranked out 66 detective novels and 14 short-story collections, one of which was 1929’s fun and fast-paced thriller The Seven Dials Mystery. A lavish country house party hosted by a self-made millionaire and his wife turns deadly when a practical joke goes fatally awry, leaving amateur sleuth Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent to investigate and uncover a shocking conspiracy involving secret societies and state espionage.
The show: The latest in a long line of Agatha Christie adaptations, Netflix released Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials—a three-part take on Christie’s classic mystery—starring Martin Freeman and Helena Bonham Carter as party hosts Lord and Lady Caterham and Mia McKenna-Bruce as Bundle—on Jan. 15.
6. ‘Finding Her Edge’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Romance fans will find many fan-favorite genre tropes in Jennifer Iacopelli‘s 2022 YA novel Finding Her Edge—from a tension-filled love triangle to a fake-dating scheme—all set in the world of competitive ice dancing. Figure skater Adriana Russo is forced to enter a PR relationship with her new partner Brayden to drum up interest and save her family’s beleaguered ice rink, all the while still harboring feelings for her former skating partner Freddie.
The show:Heated Rivalry isn’t the only Canadian ice-rink romance heating up streaming platforms this year—Netflix adapted Iacopelli’s novel into a sporty teen drama featuring Madelyn Keys as Adriana, Cale Ambrozic as Brayden and Olly Atkins as Freddie. It was so popular with romance fans that a mere week after its Jan. 22 premiere, it was renewed for a second season.
Related: All the CoHo Books You Should Read—You Won’t Be ‘Regretting’ Catching Up With Colleen Hoover
BBC
7. ‘Lord of the Flies’ (May 4, 2026)
The book: Given that it’s basically required reading for school-aged kids worldwide, it can be easy to forget that Lord of the Flies was English author William Golding‘s first-ever novel. The 1954 literary classic centers on a group of pre-teen British boys who get stranded on an isolated island following a wartime evacuation; soon, the surviving youths descend into feral, violent behavior as they try to create a society for themselves.
The show: Golding’s novel got its first television adaptation courtesy the BBC’s Lord of the Flies, written by Jack Thorne (Adolescence) and directed by Marc Munden (Utopia, National Treasure). The four-part drama first premiered on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the U.K. and is set to come stateside on Netflix on May 4.
8. ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Equal parts mystery thriller and family drama, Laura Dave‘s 2021 bestseller The Last Thing He Told Me focuses on Hannah Hall, whose husband Owen disappears out of the blue one day, leaving behind a duffel bag full of cash and a teenage stepdaughter, Bailey, who wants nothing to do with her. With an FBI investigation underway, both women will have to contend with what they thought they knew about their respective husband and father.
The show: A die-hard book lover, Reese Witherspoon’sHello Sunshine media company purchased the rights to turn Dave’s novel into a TV show. With its second season having dropped on Feb. 20, the suspenseful Apple TV series is led by Jennifer Garner as Hannah, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Owen and Angourie Rice as Bailey.
9. ‘Vladimir’ (Now Streaming)
The book:Julia May Jonas‘s darkly funny debut novel Vladimir is set against the backdrop of a small liberal arts college, where we meet our unnamed narrator, a middle-aged English professor. She’s reeling not only from the distressing accusations being lobbed against her husband by his own former students, but also her growing obsession with the handsome and much younger novelist who recently joined the faculty.
The show: A rarity in most book-to-screen adaptations, the author herself created the subsequent Netflix limited series and wrote four of its eight episodes. The provocative watch stars Oscar winner Rachel Weisz as our dangerously besotted narrator, as well asLeo Woodallas Vladimir, the object of her affection, and John Slattery as John, her wayward husband.
Related: How to Read All of Kristin Hannah’s Books in Order—Including the ‘Firefly Lane’ Series
Photo: Connie Chornuk/Prime
10. ‘Scarpetta’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Crime novelist Patricia Cornwell found great success with her long-running Kay Scarpetta book series, which centers on a female medical examiner (reportedly inspired by former Virginia Chief Medical Examiner Marcella Farinelli Fierro) who utilizes forensic science and cutting-edge technology to solve violent crimes in Richmond, Virginia. To date, there are 29 novels in the series, the most recent being 2025’s Sharp Focus.
The show: The seemingly indefatigable Nicole Kidmanadded to her laundry list of TV projects with Prime Video’s Scarpetta adaptation, playing the titular character and leading a cast that includesJamie Lee Curtis, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker and Ariana DeBose. The crime drama premiered on the Amazon platform on March 11.
11. ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Alexandre Dumas’s iconic French novel follows the life of Edmond Dantès, a sailor falsely accused of treason who, upon escaping imprisonment in the Château d’If off the coast of Marseille, adopts a new identity (take a guess!) and plots retribution against those who wronged him.
The show: This eight-part PBS Masterpiece sees Daisy Jones & the Six star Sam Claflin take on the title role; he’s joined in the classic revenge story by Jeremy Irons as Abbé Faria, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard as Gérard de Villefort and Ana Girardot as Mercédès Herrera, among others.
Related: Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Books Are Taking Over Hollywood—Here’s Every Movie and TV Adaptation in the Works
12. ‘Imperfect Women’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Araminta Hall’s gripping 2020 novel Imperfect Womentells the story of three women whose decades-long friendship is fractured forever when one of the three turns up dead. In investigating the crime, the remaining pair are left to unpack dark secrets and deep betrayals that suggest that their lifelong bond may not have been as close as it seemed.
The show: Released on March 18, Apple TV’s take on Hall’s psychological thriller stars the formidable trio of Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washingtonand Kate Mara—with Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Sandrine Holt, Ana Ortiz and Leslie Odom Jr. rounding out the cast.
Related: Elisabeth Moss and Kerry Washington Reveal Their Favorite Roles Aren’t What You Think (Exclusive)
Prime Video
13. ‘Young Sherlock’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Few names are as synonymous with literature’s detective genre as Sherlock Holmes; the creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle appeared in four novels and 56 short stories over the course of four decades. But the iconic sleuth has also been interpreted by other authors, such as British scribe Andrew Lane, who was given permission from Sir Doyle’s estate to write and publish the YA-focused Young Sherlock Holmes book, which sees Holmes as a teenager in the 1860s and 70s.
The show: Lane’s novel series was plucked by Prime Video for a streaming adaptation this year, which premiered on March 4. Guy Ritchie is behind the camera as director of the eight-episode prequel, with Hero Fiennes Tiffin starring as a 19-year-old Sherlock studying and solving crimes at Oxford University.
14. ‘Outlander’ (Now Streaming)
The book:Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone is the ninth and most recent title in Diana Gabaldon’sOutlanderbook series, all of which have been adapted for the screen. (A tenth and final book, reportedly entitled A Blessing for a Warrior Going Out, is being written.) The 2021 novel catches up with Jamie and Claire Fraser in 1779 North Carolina, where the political tensions and physical dangers of the Revolutionary War threaten their peaceful existence with daughter Brianna, son-in-law Roger and their children in Fraser’s Ridge.
The show: Though there’s more Outlander to come for book lovers, for fans of the long-running Starz series, the end is nigh: Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan have reprised their roles as Claire and Jamie for the show’s eighth and final season, which is airing now and will wrap up with a series finale on May 8.
15. ‘The Testaments’ (Now Streaming)
The book: Twenty-five years after her seminal 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwoodreleased this 2019 follow-up, which gives insights into a new generation of Gilead women. Told from three perspectives, the harrowing book reunites readers with the devout enforcer Aunt Lydia as well as two young, marriage-ready women—Agnes and Daisy—who have connections to Atwood’s O.G. housemaid June Osborne.
The show: One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti and BAFTA-winning Blue Jean star Lucy Halliday star as Agnes and Daisy, respectively, in Hulu’s new The Testaments series, which also sees Ann Dowd reprise her Emmy-winning role as the spine-chilling Aunt Lydia. The dystopian drama premiered April 8 and is executive produced byThe Handmaid’s Talelead Elisabeth Moss.
Related: How To Read Best-Selling Author John Grisham: All His Books in Order
Apple TV
16. ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ (April 2026)
The book: This hilarious 2024 novel from Rufi Thorpe finds an unlikely heroine in Margo Millet, a young woman from an unconventional working-class family (mom’s a Hooters waitress and dad’s an ex-pro wrestler), who has a baby on the way after a misguided affair with her English professor. With bills piling up and her due date looming, Margo decides to turn to OnlyFans and create fetish content online to keep a roof over her head.
The show: Fresh off the awards-show circuit for her Oscar-nominated role in Sentimental Value, Elle Fanning takes on the role of Margo Millet for the Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles dramedy, which will debut on April 15. The star-studded ensemble also includes Nick Offerman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Greg Kinnear, Thaddea Graham and Nicole Kidman.
17. ‘Off-Campus’ (May 2026)
The book:Elle Kennedy‘s Off-Campus book series is another hockey-romance juggernaut, this one set at the fictional Briar University and following the relationships of the school’s hockey players and their girlfriends. There are five books in the YA series, each dedicated to a different couple (Garrett and Hannah, John and Anna, etc.), with the most recent being 2021’s The Legacy, which catches up with the series’ various characters three years after graduation.
The show: Skating onto Prime Video on May 13, the first season of the Off Campus TV series will take its story from Kennedy’s first book, The Deal, with Belmont Cameli starring as Garrett Graham and Ella Bright as Hannah Wells. And good news for fans: It’s already been picked up for a second season!
18. ‘Every Year After’ (June 2026)
The book:Carley Fortune is a heavy hitter in the contemporary romance genre thanks to her bestselling beach reads like Meet Me at the Lake, One Golden Summer and Every Summer After, the latter of which will see a streaming adaptation this spring. The 2022 novel is a story of second chances, with leading lady Persephone “Percy” Foster returning to the lake town of her childhood to attend a funeral and confront both her past choices and present feelings regarding old friend Sam Florek.
The show: Just one of several Carley Fortune books being made into screen projects, Prime Video’s upcoming romantic series Every Year After adapts Every Summer After, with Sadie Soverall as Percy and Matt Cornett as Sam. Aurora Perrineau, Abigail Cowen, Michael Bradway, Joseph Chiu and Elisha Cuthbert round out the ensemble. Find the series on the Amazon streamer beginning June 10.
Related: How to Read ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Author Jenny Han’s Books in Order
Apple TV
19. ‘Cape Fear’ (July 2026)
The book: Despite numerous film adaptations titled Cape Fear, the actual name of John D. MacDonald‘s famous 1957 thriller is The Executioners. The suspenseful story centers on lawyer Sam Bowden, whose life and family are terrorized by Max Cady, a sadistic convict seeking revenge against Bowden for helping get him locked up for thirteen long years.
The show: After getting the big-screen treatment with the 1962 and 1991 film versions, MacDonald’s novel is being turned into a TV miniseries for Apple TV. Set for release on July 5, the 10-episode drama stars Patrick Wilson as Bowden, Amy Adams as his wife Anna and Javier Bardem as Max Cady.
20. ‘Lucky’ (July 2026)
The book: Lucky Armstrong is a con artist on the run whose background gets in the way after she wins the lottery, but cannot collect the millions in earnings without facing jail time. As Lucky tries to avoid capture and make a future for herself, the Marissa Stapley-penned novel sees the scrappy protagonist having to come to terms with the father she’s too much like, the mother she never knew and the man she thought she loved.
The show: Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy takes on the role of Lucky Armstrong in the Reese Witherspoon-produced Apple TV adaptation, which also features Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in its high-profile cast. The series is set to premiere on July 15.
21. ‘Little House on the Prairie’ (July 2026)
The book: Written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Little House on the Prairie book series has been a children’s classic for nearly a century, with nine semi-autobiographical novels pulling inspiration from Wilder’s own upbringing in the American Midwest. Written during the Great Depression, the book franchise memorably showcases both the rustic struggles and the triumphant joys of frontier life.
The show: Wilder’s novels were iconically adapted back in the 1970s with ABC’s Little House on the Prairie, which ran for nine seasons and 204 episodes. That beloved show is getting a 2026 reboot with Luke Bracey as Charles Ingalls, Crosby Fitzgerald as Caroline Ingalls, Alice Halsey as Laura Ingalls and Skywalker Hughes as Mary Ingalls. The remake already secured a second season ahead of its series premiere on Thursday, July 9.
Peacock
22. ‘The Five-Star Weekend’ (July 2026)
The book: Beach-read queen Elin Hilderbrand is behind this captivating 2023 novel, which centers on famed food blogger Hollis Shaw. Our protagonist copes with the tragic loss of her husband by bringing together four friends from different eras of her life to spend a weekend together in Nantucket. (Where else? This is a Hilderbrand book, after all.)
The show: Peacock is getting a TV version of The Five-Star Weekend on July 16. The eight-episode drama will star Jennifer Garner as Hollis (who also serves as an executive producer) with a starry ensemble that includes Regina Hall, Chloë Sevigny, Gemma Chan, D’Arcy Carden and Timothy Olyphant. Bekah Brunstetter (This Is Us, Maid) serves as creator, writer and executive producer of the series.
Related: ‘The Perfect Couple’ Author Elin Hilderbrand Says She Might Not Be Retiring After All
23. ‘Carrie’ (October 2026)
The book: The famous debut of horror icon Stephen King, this 1974 novel focuses on shy and socially awkward Maine teen Carrie White, who not only has to deal with locker room bullying at school, but also abuse from her mother at home. When her classmates pull a cruel prank at senior prom, she unleashes her repressed telekinetic powers and takes revenge on all who wronged her.
The show: There are more than 20 Stephen King adaptations in the works, one of which is a Carrie miniseries developed by Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher) for Prime Video, with Summer H. Howell in the titular role.
Related: Nearly 50 Years After Carrie, Sissy Spacek Reveals Why the Horror Classic Still Hits So Hard (Exclusive)
24. ‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ (May 2026)
The book: The show is based on Holly Jackson’s bestselling YA mystery series of the same name. Season 2 is coming in May and is based on the second novel—Good Girl, Bad Blood. The story follows teen detective Pip Fitz-Amobi, who’s trying to keep a low profile after her last earth-shattering case. But everything changes when a key witness for an upcoming trial suddenly vanishes and Pip springs back into action.
The show: Emma Meyers (Wednesday) returns as Pip and all six episodes will hit Netflix on May 27, 2026.
25. ‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ (TBD 2026)
The book:Ali Novak‘s YA-friendly Walter Boys novel series kicks off with 2014’s My Life with the Walter Boys, a coming-of-age romance about Jackie Howard, a New York teen who is left orphaned after her parents die in a tragic car accident. She is then sent to leave the big city and move to a Colorado ranch to live with her new guardians, the Walters, who have eleven—yes, eleven—sons. Things get plenty complicated for Jackie when she ends up falling for two of them—Cole and Alex—kicking off quite the fiery love triangle.
The show: The Netflix drama series of the same name (starring Nikki Rodriguez as Jackie, Noah LaLonde as Cole and Ashby Gentry as Alex) premiered its second season on August 28, 2025; a third season has officially been greenlit, which is expected to arrive on the streamer later this year.
26. ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (TBD 2026)
The book: At the heart of Jane Austen‘s 1813 masterpiece is Elizabeth Bennet, the witty but headstrong daughter of a country gentleman. Along with her four sisters, she must navigate the marriage mart in Regency-era England to secure an advantageous marriage. However, when she meets the wealthy but proud Mr. Darcy, she’ll have to get over her own prejudices about the haughty fella if she wants to find true love.
The show: Lizzie Bennet has been immortalized countless times on screen, and we can add yet another adaptation to the list: Netflix’s upcoming Pride and Prejudice miniseries will see Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet, Jack Lowden as Mr. Darcy and Olivia Colman as Lizzie’s mom Mrs. Bennet.
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