Pages To Silver Screen: Recent Must-Watch Adaptations To Look Out For
BY FASLA FADHI
21 November, 2025
For a devoted reader, the announcement of their favourite novel’s adaptation to film ushers in a rush of memory – a chance to witness your most cherished characters alive on screen and immerse themselves once more in the world you adored. We can all agree this is a specific form of bliss.
It’s a challenge to pick out the most anticipated list of adaptations, but we have curated them for you. Engage yourself in this list and revisit these stories, renewing your faded memories.
The Running Man- Stephen King
Stephen King’s novel The Running Man, written in the 1980s under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, depicts a dystopian America in 2025, characterised by economic collapse, widespread poverty and societal decay. Within this barren landscape lives Ben Richards, the face of decaying America. Amid rising unemployment and unaffordable healthcare, he struggles to earn enough to save his dying daughter from pneumonia. Driven by his daughter’s illness he signs away his life for a sadistic game where contestants evade government- assigned professional killers.
King’s vision of a spectacle- obsessed society dominated by reality television, and anesthetised to human pain. He is not a scryer, but his vision of media-driven violence and societal deterioration nearly becomes true.
Transforming from a dystopian odyssey into a campy action spectacle, this adaptation has proven to be a spectacular portrayal of the novel. Edgar Wright reinvented this odyssey through his lens, co-written with Michael Bacall and starring Glen Powell. Produced and directed by Wright, this version offers a more faithful translation of King’s vision, unlike Paul Michael Glaser’s 1987 film. An echo between King’s America and today’s fractured reality, the film is both a mirror and warning of the thin line between tragedy and entertainment.It was theatrically released on November 14.
The Housemaid- Freida McFadden
Imagine being trapped in a house that appears wealthy and perfect on the outside, yet something constantly gives a weird feeling about the people around you. You can’t quite name that feeling, but danger seems lurking just beyond the door. Still, you are totally vulnerable; it’s an existential issue of survival. For a parolee, getting trapped in another prison feels overwhelming. That’s exactly what happens to Millie.
Millie Calloway, a parolee, takes a job as a live-in maid at seemingly perfect Winchester’s house. Despite its outward luxury, she feels unsettling danger from her employer Nina, who is both affectionate and cruel, her husband Andrew and their pale daughter Cecelia. Millie moves to her reserved tiny attic room which only opens from outside. As days pass, Millie couldn’t swallow Nina’s utter mood swings but stays silent for safety. She soon discovers Nina’s dark past and receives cryptic warnings from Enzo, the gardener, realising the dread this mansion buries.
McFadden crafts a thick atmosphere of unease throughout the novel, where no character can be trusted – not even Millie herself. The unreliable narration keeps the reader second-guessing every twist and revelation. The final chapter is an acceleration of suspense and betrayal.
When this novel hits the screen, expecting something beyond the novel’s narration is quite natural for the readers. The film will feature Sydney Sweeney as Millie, Amanda Seyfried as Nina, Brandon Sklenar as Andrew and Michele Morrone as Enzo and it will be directed by Paul Feig.
Vilyath Buddha - G.R. Indugopan
Vilayath Buddha is a one-sitting novella set against the backdrop of Marayoor, centering on the rivalry between Bhaskaran Master – a lawful, righteous man, and his former student Double Mohanan, a skilled sandalwood smuggler. Bhaskaran plants sandalwood to reclaim the dignity, which he lost in the society. Here, the Double Mohanan, however, makes his entrance with his mind already set on that sandalwood and what happens thereafter makes for a gripping narrative.
The novel exhibits a powerful social critique of society. The shame Bhaskaran Master carries as a social being reflects the shallowness society upholds. Most importantly, the author doesn’t attempt to take sides between the characters – who is right or wrong.
On the appreciation note for this novella, the late director Sachi had expressed his desire to make it a movie, but unfortunately, he couldn’t. To fulfil his dream, Sachi’s associate, Jayan Nambiar, has taken on the direction of the film, featuring Prithviraj Sukumaran as Double Mohanan and Shammi Thilakan as Bhaskaran Master.
Vilayath Buddha, presented as an action‑packed thriller, is now in theatres and is receiving positive reviews.
Hamnet- Maggie O’Farrell
An obscured history behind Shakespeare’s most elusive play finds expression in Hamnet. In the novel, William Shakespeare is mentioned without actually using his name; he is only referred to through his various roles as Latin tutor, husband, father, and son. However, this bard never occupies centre stage in the story; he exists entirely through the relationships and roles of the other characters.
The novel focuses on Agnes, a most admired woman who builds a home with her husband and three children on Henley Street, Stratford. It was a normal family until their child Hamnet died at the age of eleven in 1596; from that moment on, their life took twists and turns. After a while, her husband flew to London in the passion of writing, leaving his children and wife behind. Four years after their child’s departure, the father pens a tragedy entitled Hamlet, which brings her back to her husband.
The novel’s core is motherhood – its elation, anxiety, self-doubt, and raw despair. It is Agnes that commands the stage; the narrative alternates deftly between Agnes’s youth and the shattering moment of loss. O’Farrell captures the essence of Anna Hathaway’s life through her portrayal of Agnes.
The novel is being adapted into a film by Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, with Paul Mescal set to star as Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as Agnes. Łukasz Żal is handling the cinematography for this highly-anticipated movie, which will be released on December 12th.
People We Meet on Vacation- Emily Henry
There is something uniquely romantic about loving someone you know inside out, a bond built through years of friendship. Among Sci-Fi’s, horrors, and historical dramas, this stands as a pleasure to read.
Two years ago, Poppy’s and Alex’s Croatia getaway shattered their bond. To win him back, she invites him for a final vacation to Palm Springs, hoping to mend their fractured connection. Poppy is daring, vibrant, impulsive, and thrill-seeking, whereas Alex is serene, meticulous, scholarly and composed – a complete contrast falling for each other. Poppy’s eccentricity and Alex’s reserved nature create a balance that’s irresistibly charming.
Emily presented Poppy as the narrator, and navigated complex emotions precisely and elegantly through her, allowing the reader to inhabit her character fully and share her emotions. It’s a slow-burn romance, a beautifully crafted work by Emily Henry.
The upcoming adaptation of this novel hopes to remain faithful to Henry’s novel. The chemistry between Emily Bader as Poppy and Tom Blyth as Alex seems electric and effortless in the teaser. Brett Haley will direct this movie. The movie is scheduled for release on January 9th, next year.