Fall Adaptations We Can’t Wait to See

Room, by Emma Donaghue
It’s a gift when the screenplay adaptation of a beloved novel is written by the author, especially when that author is Emma Donaghue, who can spin a thought-provoking yarn better than most. The story of Room, both book and film, centers on Ma, kidnapped and confined in a 10-by-10 room, and her son, Jack, for whom “Room” is the world. Ma’s built a life for 5-year-old Jack in this prison, but the time has come to escape. But how do you acclimate a child whose whole life has been encompassed in a single, isolated space to civilization? That’s the heartbreaking challenge explored in this book, which is ultimately an uplifting reminder that a good mother can help you survive anything.

The Martian, by Andy Weir
There’s been a robust publicity campaign for the Matt Damon-starring film adaptation of The Martian—NASA even went and found water on Mars for the occasion! Once you’ve seen Ridley Scott’s version, it’s imperative you get your hands on Weir’s novel. On the page, you’ll get even more insight into the mindset of Mark Watney, the star-crossed, foul-mouthed astronaut who finds himself abandoned on the red planet, but still very keen on remaining alive. There’s a new space race: to get to the thrilling end of the book. 

Bridge of Spies, by Giles Whittell
Steven Spielberg directs Tom Hanks in a historical espionage drama centered on a 1960 incident in which a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the former Soviet Union and its pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was captured. Initially the U.S. tried to disavow the incident, until the Soviets came forward with hard evidence of their culpability, igniting an international firestorm and leading to a high-profile prisoner exchange. The story of the Russian agent American intelligence was forced to relinquish is just as exciting as a secret mission in an experimental plane. The film adaptation stars Amy Ryan and Alan Alda.

Brooklyn, by Colm Tóibín
Award-winning Irish author Tóibín nabbed his dream hometown cast—including Oscar-nominees Saoirse Ronan and Jim Broadbent—and no less than Nick Hornby to pen the screenplay for the adaptation of his 2009 novel about a small-town Irish girl in the years after World War II dreaming of a better life in Brooklyn. The film, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, was directed by Irish theater veteran John Crowley (who recently helmed several episodes of HBO’s True Detective).

Trumbo, by Bruce Cook
Emmy-winner Bryan Cranston stars as legendary screenwriter Dalton Trumbo in the film adaptation inspired by Cook’s 1977 biography. Trumbo was a celebrated, highly paid talent in Hollywood during the Golden Age of movie-making—until the 1940s, when, with the Red Scare in full swing, Senator Joseph McCarthy made Tinseltown ground zero for a Communist witch hunt. Refusing to reveal the identities of other Hollywood players who had been involved in Communist organizations, Trumbo was placed on the infamous “black list,” and barred from working in the industry for more than a decade (at least under his own name—films he’d written won two Oscars during his period of exile). The film, by Jay Roach, who previously adapted the 2008 election drama Game Change, follows the arc of Trumbo’s life and career and also stars Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, and Louis C.K.

The Danish Girl, by David Ebershoff
Eddie Redmayne brings his post-Oscar glow to the story of Lili Elbe, the artist and transgender pioneer, to the adaptation of The Danish Girl. The natural drama of Elbe’s life-altering journey, and its effects on her marriage, is well-suited to the big screen, but it also makes for a compelling read in Ebershoff’s novel of the same name. It’s a story about love, ambition, and identity, and an unconventional look at an unconventional 20th-century woman. Romance and heartbreak go hand in hand, just like books and movies.