Mickey 17 and 8 More Books to Read Before Their Adaptations Hit the Screens

Romance, thrillers, drama and fantasy — we have chosen the most interesting book adaptations that have been confirmed and will soon be hitting the big screen. Don't miss the names of the original sources that will soon be on everyone's lips.

1. Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

After his triumph with Dune, Denis Villeneuve is going to present an adaptation of another classic science fiction novel. Rendezvous with Rama, published in 1973, won author Arthur C. Clarke all the prestigious genre awards: Locus, Hugo and Nebula.

The plot revolves around a space patrol that notices a giant asteroid approaching the solar system. Due to the unusual shape of the celestial body, the patrol decides to send the spaceship towards it. But after landing on the asteroid, the crew comes to the conclusion that this is not a natural object.

The Rendezvous with Rama adaptation does not yet have a release date.

2. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

Gregory Maguire reimagined the classic story of the Wicked Witch of the Wizard of Oz in his book. The main character in his work is Elphaba. She encounters only trouble and misfortune on her way, including a meeting with Dorothy, which is just one of the dark events in her life.

Based on the book, a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical was staged in the early 2000s, and soon it will reach the big screen in two parts. Both are directed by Jon M. Chu, who also directed the second, third and fourth parts of Step Up. Glinda will be played by Ariana Grande, the headmistress of the boarding school by Michelle Yeoh, and the Wizard of Oz by Jeff Goldblum.

Wicked: Part One will hit the screens on November 27, 2024.

3. Mickey7 by Edward Ashton

Mickey7 is the seventh iteration of Mickey Barnes, an "expendable," one of the colonists on Niflheim. It is an inhospitable planet where humans face cold, hunger, and less than welcoming local inhabitants. Mickey must always be alone. But one day, as a result of a chain of accidents, there are two of them.

Threatened with destruction, Mickey 7 and Mickey 8, who are similar versions of the same man, are forced to hide the fact that there are two of them — and at the same time they have to do daily work, share a room and rations, and even date the same girl.

Mickey 17 is directed by Bong Joon-ho, the creator of the Korean hit Parasite. Judging by the title change — apparently the number was increased for the sake of drama — and Bong Joon-ho's style, the movie will most likely not follow the book strictly, but will add new lines and conflicts.

Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson, is scheduled to premiere on January 31, 2025.

4. The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin

In a world of the distant future, where a winter of any length can come at any moment, there is a group of "weather wizards" called Orogenes. They can draw energy from nature and transform it at will.

The author has created a large-scale, three-volume saga at the intersection of fantasy and dystopia, with an interesting social structure — and, unfortunately, not very expressive characters. But it is precisely this last point that a successful movie adaptation can correct.

The Fifth Season adaptation does not yet have a release date.

5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone immerses us in a carefully written world of the once happy land of Orisha, many of whose inhabitants possessed magic. Each sorcerer had their own talent. But the cruel King Saran decided to get rid of magic. On his orders, the wizards were killed. In one night, magic left the land.

On that terrible night, Zelie Adebola lost her mother. After 11 years, Zelie has a chance to overthrow the tyranny and bring magic back. But to do so, she must fight Prince Inan.

The book weaves West African myths and beliefs with real-life issues of racism, police brutality, and slavery — topics not typically found in this genre.

Children of Blood and Bone does not have a release date.

6. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

After graduating from college, Lily left her hometown for Boston, where she opened her own business. Behind her were difficult memories of her father, who was always nice to strangers, but rarely held back in the family circle. And her mother, who did nothing to curb her father's aggression.

Now Lily's life is filled with new experiences. After meeting neurosurgeon Ryle, she realized she had found her one true love. Immersed in a new romance, Lily suddenly remembers Atlas.

Her first love, a man in whom she felt a kindred spirit, suddenly reappears on the horizon. Lily realizes that everything she has worked so hard to build with Ryle could fall apart in an instant.

The movie starring Blake Lively will be released on August 9th.

7. Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman

The plot tells the story of Maddie Schwartz, a housewife who in 1996 decides to leave her husband and fulfill her long-held dream of becoming an investigative journalist. She decides to investigate the mysterious death of another woman, Cleo.

The series is based on the novel of the same name by Laura Lippman. The author was inspired by two real-life murders that occurred in her youth.

Starring Natalie Portman, the series will premiere on Apple TV+ on July 19.

8. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman's fifth novel is often called a sequel to American Gods. It takes place in a universe where we meet the same characters, but the story here is quite independent. The title is the name of the West African spider god Anansi. Yes, the book is not for the arachnophobic.

The main character, shy and unambitious Charlie Nancy, suddenly learns not only of his father's death, but also that he has a twin brother. After his brother's visit, Charlie's life changes dramatically, strange things begin to happen to him, and he himself embarks on a path of adventure only to discover that he has an incredible ability.

Anansi Boys does not have an exact release date, but is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video in 2024.

9. The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag

The Swedish artist's graphic novel Electric State is not well known, but it is an interesting variation on the topic of a post-apocalyptic alternate past. A man-made disaster has occurred on Earth, and most of America has become uninhabitable.

19-year-old Michelle and her robot assistant drive a stolen car across the country to an unknown destination, contemplating the ruins of modern civilization and remembering what brought it to such an end.

The movie does not yet have a release date, but is expected to be released on Netflix in 2024. The Russo brothers, known to audiences as the creators of Avengers: Infinity War, are the directors.