If you've heard it once, you've heard it a million times—the book was better! There's nothing like debating the differences between a favorite book and its translation to the screen. But if you don't know your beloved series is coming out as a movie or that the fun-looking preview you saw was adapted from a book, how can you join the debate? The Library is here to the rescue! Here, we will be exploring the movie adaptations soon to hit screens big and small, and give you the chance to read before you view.
Coming This December
Merrily We Roll Along by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
Told in reverse chronological order, Merrily We Roll Along follows a trio of friends as their friendship and lives devolve over the years. First written as a play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, it was adapted into a musical by the one and only Stephen Sondheim in 1981. The film adaptation starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez will premiere in theaters on December 5, 2025
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Inspired by the little-known story of William Shakespeare’s son, who died tragically young, Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet explores the personal life of the bard and how it may have influenced his most famous work. Starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, the film adaptation will premiere in theaters on December 12, 2025.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
Trying to get her life back together after a stint in prison, Millie is excited by the opportunity to work as a live-in housemaid for a wealthy family. But all is not as it seems in the glamorous Winchester household, and soon Millie finds herself trapped in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, the film adaptation of Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid will premiere in theaters on December 19, 2025.