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Eagerly Anticipated Sci-Fi & Fantasy Adaptations
It's been a stellar year for science fiction and fantasy adaptations—and we're only halfway through the year!
Summer television has brought us Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale (Hulu), Neil Gaiman's American Gods (Showtime), and Stephen King's The Mist (Spike). And with George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones (based on A Song of Ice and Fire series) back on HBO for its seventh season, why even bother with the beach this season?
Check out some of the upcoming book-to-screen adaptations below. Which ones are you most excited about? And which books do you still need to catch up on?
August 4
Get ready: This is the movie many of you have been eagerly or anxiously anticipating. Stephen King's epic fantasy will star Matthew McConaughey, Idris Elba, and Katheryn Winnick.
August 25
Based on the Japanese manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, a high school student comes across a supernatural notebook that has the power to kill. The movie stars Lakeith Stanfield and Willem Dafoe.
September 10
Season three of Diana Gabaldon's adapted series will follow Voyager, as Claire and Jamie struggle to reunite with each other across time (the 1960s and the 1700s, to be more precise). It stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.
October 6
Based on Philip K. Dick's classic sci-fi Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (and a sequel to the classic movie now 30 years old), a young blade runner (Ryan Gosling) discovers a secret that leads him to a former blade runner (Harrison Ford, who reprises his role as Rick Deckard).
October
Season two of this Terry Brooks' adaptation is moving from MTV to the Spike Channel and picks up a year after the events of the first season with The Four Lands in chaos as magic users are hunted down.
February 16, 2018
The Marvel character recently got an update from Between the World and Me author Ta-Nehisi Coates. Next spring the black superhero gets his movie starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, and Lupita Nyong'o.
March 9, 2018
Director Ava DuVernay (best known for Selma) brings Madeleine L'Engle's classic alive in this Disney’s fantasy epic starring Chris Pine, Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah Winfrey.
March 30, 2018
Steven Spielberg will direct Ernest Cline's homage to the 1980s and video games set in a very bleak American future. It stars Tye Sheridan, T.J. Miller, and Simon Pegg.
2018
This film is based on Jeff VanderMeer's 2015 Nebula Award-winning book about a biologist who signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition; it will star Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
2018
The world ends on Saturday and the armies of Good and Evil are amassing in this comic novel by two of fantasy's favorite authors, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Gaiman is adapting the novel into a six-episode series.
2018
The first book in Richard K. Morgan's 25th-century world of the Takeshi Kovacs series—where people's consciousnesses can be stored and downloaded into new bodies—is slated to air on Netflix next year.
2018
The Syfy Channel’s adaptation of James S.A. Corey's solar system colonization series, The Expanse, will return for season three in early 2018.
TBD
Matt Ruff's novel that imagines Jim Crow America melded with Lovecraftian horror and fantasy is getting the TV-series treatment with Get Out director (and comedian) Jordan Peele heading up the adaptation.
TBD
Nnedi Okorafor's supernatural fantasy of post-apocalyptic Africa is slated to air as an HBO series with none other than George R.R. Martin signing on as an executive producer.
TBD
Many know of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher saga because of its wildly popular video game adaptation. Next, the mutated monster hunter is coming to Netflix.
TBD
The AMC network is poised to turn Dan Simmons' creepy thriller into a 10-episode TV series that will follow explorers in 1847 seeking the Northwest Passage—and instead finding a mysterious predator.
TBD
The BBC is partnering with Netflix on this new animated mini-series based on the beloved Richard Adams classic. It will star James McAvoy, John Boyega, and Ben Kingsley.
TBD
Kvothe may have a long journey to a movie or TV screen near you. But the Patrick Rothfuss' series has been picked up by Lionsgate and Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda, who are working on the adaptations.
See the complete coverage of Sci-Fi & Fantasy Week including:
Top 50 Favorite Fantasy Novels on Goodreads
Author Kim Harrison's Favorite Fantasy Series
Top 50 Science Fiction Books on Goodreads
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Phoenix2
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Jul 29, 2017 12:39PM
Wow, Death note!! Though, after the Japanese adaption I can't say this one will measure up to it... Still, the rest look interesting ^ ^
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Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines is (finally!) being adapted by (Sir) Peter Jackson. Due out December 2018 according to IMDB.
Can't wait for A Wrinkle in Time and Ready Player One!!
Sanderson's universe is also being adapted, with Mistborn: The final Empire being done first.
Krzysztof wrote: "Sanderson's universe is also being adapted, with Mistborn: The final Empire being done first. "Is it, though? I know they working on a script but that doesn't mean they'll fim it.
I might be not updated, though.
Maybe i'm too eager to see this! The most recent (May) news seems to be that while DMG has committed significant funds to make it happen, they are looking for a big studio to partner with them on the project.
Krzysztof wrote: "Maybe i'm too eager to see this! The most recent (May) news seems to be that while DMG has committed significant funds to make it happen, they are looking for a big studio to partner with them on t..."15K$, but for the Stormlight's pitch
How has someone not snatched up the Dragonrider series? I know it's been in and out of play with different production companies but with all the GOT dragon hype this should be a no brainer for a company with bigger pocketbook than the ones that have had rights to it. The first book is practically a screenplay-dragons, love-hate romance between two interesting characters, baby dragons, strong male and female leads, time travel, social politics, 3-4 key big dramatic moments, oh, and telepathic dragons. Heck there's even a makeover. How is this not already a show??
Death Note and Ready Player One look awesome. Am enjoying Game of Thrones and am looking forward to seeing Wynonna Earp Season 2 on Netflix since Season 3 is coming out next year and Preacher is pretty good too. I'll watch the Kingskiller chronicles after the book series is finally finished.
Stacey wrote: "How has someone not snatched up the Dragonrider series? I know it's been in and out of play with different production companies but with all the GOT dragon hype this should be a no brainer for a co..."Perhaps because Peter Jackson had plans to do His Majesty's Dragon for quite some time and with How to Train Your Dragon also dominating the market and the Eragon disaster before that, they were worried about swamping the "dragon riding" demographic.
I hope the movie is close to being as good as the book "A Wrinkle in Time."
Outlander is coming on Season 3. So not something new. But still hella excited for Season 3!Also, Ready Player One says A Wrinkle in Time, right below A Wrinkle in Time. lol
:/ Ready Player One was sooo bad, I just don't get why people love it so much. I know it's got a lot of Member Berries, but really? It's pretty much a novelized version those vapid "Things children of the *Fill in the Decade* will remember" facebook lists.Do yourself a favor are read a real LitRPG.
I didn't know they were doing Ready Player One! I can't wait to see it. Also The Dark Tower this week ~~~
Wheel of Time? I'm pretty sure that's being made into a TV series.
Stoked to see that The Terror is being made int a series. Despite the cheesy title, it's a gem of a horror novel.
Witcher tv show yaassss!!! Im really excited about a lot of these though!
wait a minute! In the name of Wind??? seriously? OMG!
Krzysztof wrote: "Sanderson's universe is also being adapted, with Mistborn: The final Empire being done first. "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh
If it was done right, I want the Riddlemaster of Hed series brought to the big screen. What do I mean by 'done right'? Not made for the Twilight, Et Al crowd...
Krzysztof wrote: "Sanderson's universe is also being adapted, with Mistborn: The final Empire being done first. "Way is King is being produced 1st.
Most important one left off the list: the upcoming BBC production of "His Dark Materials"
Wow, I had no idea they were turning The Terror into a TV series! I really wish someone would finally take on the monstrosity that is The Hyperion Cantos, but I can settle for one of his other works while I wait. (They'll probably announce Hyperion as I'm on my death bed.)
I can't wait for Good Omens. The Amazon adaptation of American Gods was excellent so they've set some high standards!
The Terror? Wow. Dan Simmons is the most talented writer who to the best of my knowledge has never been adapted. One thing he shares with King is a complexity that baffles the jackals of Hollywood. I would love to see the Hyperion books hit the screen just for the outrage from the Catholic community, but they would suffer in the translation. I think Flashback would adapt fairly smoothly.
Amaranth wrote: "I didn't know they were doing Ready Player One! I can't wait to see it. Also The Dark Tower this week ~~~"It actually has a trailer out. It was released at Comicon.
Oh wow! GRRM is producing Nnedi Okorafor's Who Fears Death !! I can't wait, BUT GRRM needs to finish his gorram GOT books first!! Best of luck to Ms. Okorafor and it's about frakking time we get some female authors of color in the mainstream, esp in SciFi.
Brian wrote: "Most important one left off the list: the upcoming BBC production of "His Dark Materials""Really looking forward to that one.
Stacey wrote: "How has someone not snatched up the Dragonrider series? I know it's been in and out of play with different production companies but with all the GOT dragon hype this should be a no brainer for a co..."Dragonriders did have a studio but it fell through. I can't remember who has it now, I think WB. Check Todd's website.
Can't say I'm "eagerly anticipating" any of those. I would get excited about a Dragonflight movie.I've also read about a possible adaptation of Starship Troopers. I'd love to see that... from what I've read, the people involved have actually read the book. Yeah, I've seen "Doogie Howser, S.S." and still watch it now and again when I'm in the mood for a comedy monster hunt, but it's not Starship Troopers.
Altered Carbon! I hope it is true. There has been talk for a movie for ages now and it just gets shoved and abandoned each time. I won't believe anything until filming has started and we got a trailer.
Looking forward to Good Omens (you know more of Terry Pratchett should be adapted for the big/small screen) as well as Watership Down. I do have some reservations about this one though. It will be interesting to see how they stay true to the themes of the book without being as brutal as the original movie.
Shannara Chronicles part one were bite my own arm off,awful,embarassing,clunky.Definitley a green tomato.Rights may be snapped up but doesn't mean the production will do the book proud.....
Seen The Dark Tower yesterday.During the whole movie I was thinking that I HAVE TO read those books again. I was also confused about the timeline.
Idriss Elba is a creditable Roland, and Matthew McConaughey Is a creepy Man in Black.
Other, than that, it's not quite meh, but not astounding either.
