vulture lists

110 Book-to-Screen Adaptations to Add to Your 2024 Reading List

Hearstopper season three comes to Netflix on October 3. Photo: Attila Szvacsek/HBO

This list is updated monthly with new upcoming television and movie adaptations of books.

There’s no time like the present to update your reading list, and 2024 holds many exciting and highly anticipated page-to-screen adaptations. Directors and showrunners are drawing from contemporary hits (It Ends With Us), enduring classics (Frankenstein), and epic sagas (Dune) for screen versions to be released throughout the year. From historical retellings and YA novels to action-packed comics, the sources of these 110 adaptations are well worth a read before you watch in the theater or on your screen.

Here, by Richard McGuire
$26
$26

Do you ever wonder about the people who lived in your home before you? Here ponders that very thought, chronicling one piece of land as people come and go, living out their lives in the same spot over centuries. This window into humanity illuminates the existence of multiple generations of families and couples as they create memories of laughter, love and loss.

Here, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Paul Bettany, is released theatrically on November 1.

Set during the Mexican Revolution, Like Water for Chocolate charts star-crossed lovers Tita and Pedro who are torn apart by their families’ clashing customs. Tita is heartbroken and flees to the kitchen to release her inner turmoil. She experiments with recipes — slipping in splashes of desire, sprinklings of passion, and heaped spoonfuls of rebellion — as she develops an intimate relationship with cooking. Like the women around her, Tita uses food as a means to control her life.

Like Water for Chocolate, starring Irene Azuela, Andrea Chaparro, and Andres Baida, premieres on Max on November 3.

The Jackal is the nickname of a ruthless English assassin who doesn’t miss a shot. He has managed to slip by every secret service and enter the most heavily guarded rooms on the planet. For years, the Jackal has escaped identification but he’s about to meet his match: a British intelligence officer hellbent on unmasking the man behind the gun. The officer sets out to catch the assassin in a deadly chase across Europe.

The Day of the Jackal, starring Eddie Redmayne, Lashana Lynch, and Úrsula Corberó, debuts on Peacock on November 7.

Christmas draws closer and coal merchant Bill Furlong is working hard so he can afford to warm his house for his wife and five daughters. However, his problems are far from the worst horrors that exist in his quiet Irish town. When delivering coal to the local convent Bill witnesses young women being controlled and tortured; he is torn between speaking out and staying quiet, facing the pressures of his town, church, and family.

Small Things Like These, starring Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, and Michelle Fairley, is in theaters on November 8.

Shift, by Hugh Howey
$9
$9

Season two of Silo is set to finish adapting the latter half of the first book of Howey’s series and venture into book two. Set in a toxic future, season one introduced viewers to the underground silo where society had taken shelter against the deadly elements outside. The second season is set to follow the mounting rebellion, who have begun to discover the truth about the world outside, trying to stay alive as they make a bid to escape. The upcoming season, like the second book, may also jump back in time to the origin story of the massive silos.

Season two of Silo, starring Rebecca Ferguson, Common, and Steve Zahn, is set to premiere on November 15.

Willis Wu is an extra on set, his life reduced to a background character with little to no dialogue in the never-ending cop show, Black and White. He dreams of becoming a lead character, but when he witnesses a crime, he’s thrust into a spotlight he wasn’t ready for. His life in Chinatown and his family’s buried history is uprooted, leaving Willis to unravel a criminal web which he seems to be at the center of.

Interior Chinatown, starring Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, and Chloe Bennet, premieres on Hulu on November 19.

Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
$16
$16

Wicked continues the ever-growing legacy of the epic musical fantasy. The movie is based on the stage show, itself based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire with characters from L. Frank Baum’s classic 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Set in the Land of Oz before Dorothy’s arrival, this story charts the complicated friendship of green-skinned Elphaba (Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (Glinda the Good). However, a meeting with the Wizard of Oz leads the witches to go from friends to rivals.

Wicked: Part One, starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Michelle Yeoh, is out on November 22.

Based on both Sisterhood of Dune and Frank Herbert’s Dune, Dune: Prophecy is a prequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 space epic and its sequel. Set 83 years after the Battle of Corrin, this tale turns its attention to the Harkonnen sisters as they establish the Bene Gesserit sisterhood sect. Alongside the Gesserit school training women, they are working to protect the future from falling into the hands of evil.

Dune: Prophecy, starring Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, and Travis Fimmel, premieres on HBO and Max on November 17.

Joan Hannington is a housewife trapped in a violent marriage who dreams of a better life for her 6-year-old daughter. When Joan’s husband leaves town to flee the police, she grasps the chance to embark on a new life. Desperate to survive in 1980s London, this single mother claims a new identity as a masterful jewel thief known as “the Godmother” in the criminal underworld.

Joan, starring Sophie Turner, Frank Dillane, and Kirsty J. Curtis, will air on the CW on October 2.

$10

The fourth book in Alice Oseman’s queer YA graphic-novel series is the basis for Heartstopper season three. The beloved high-school drama sees boyfriends Charlie and Nick broaching the big L-word, but who will say it first? As their summer holiday ends, a new school year arrives with many difficult challenges. Between parties and classes, mental-health struggles and sex, the show’s young couple face the looming prospect of Nick leaving town to go to university.

Season three of Heartstopper, starring Joe Locke, Kit Connor, and Jonathan Bailey, premieres on Netflix on October 3.

The Outrun, by Amy Liptrot
$16
$16

Fresh out of rehab for alcoholism, Rona is in the process of healing. After spending her 20s in London, she’s looking for a change of pace, so she moves back to Scotland’s remote Orkney Islands. Against a backdrop of the serene natural landscapes and surrounding cold sea, Rona begins to unpack her addiction. She sets out to tackle the loneliness that has plagued her and rebuild her life — if that is even possible.

The Outrun, starring Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, and Nabil Elouahabi, is set for release on October 4.

$20

A sleepy rural ranch becomes a prison for a southern neighborhood when a mysterious threat descends from the sky. The community must unite, overcoming their differences, after an alien crash-lands on Earth. The alien can assume human form and identity, so chaos erupts at the arrival of a bounty hunter who’s willing to kill anyone they suspect could be the extraterrestrial being. The surviving neighbors must try to find the alien among them, come together to protect each other, and save the rest of the world.

Teacup, starring Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman, and Chaske Spencer, premieres on Peacock on October 10.

Disclaimer, by Renée Knight
$15
$15

Famed documentary filmmaker Catherine Ravenscroft is shocked to her core when she discovers that she is the main character in a mystery novel, The Perfect Stranger. Hidden in the pages is Catherine’s darkest secret, which she believed she was the only keeper of. As the past threatens to haunt her present, she sets out to confront her secrets, locate the novel writer, and close this chapter of her life forever.

Disclaimer, starring Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, and Sacha Baron Cohen, premieres on Apple TV+ October 11.

Season three of legal drama The Lincoln Lawyer chronicles the continued battles of lawyer Mickey Haller, based on The Gods of Guilt, the fifth book in Michael Connelly’s series. Season two concluded with a former client of Mickey’s, sex worker Gloria, found dead, and her accused murderer is now asking Mickey to represent him. In the most personal case of Mickey’s career, he sets out to unmask the truth of Gloria’s death as he discovers much more about the woman he thought he knew.

Season three of The Lincoln Lawyer, starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Merrin Dungey, and Allyn Moriyon, debuts on Netflix on October 17.

Rivals, by Jilly Cooper
$13
$13

An adaptation of Dame Jilly Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles series, Rivals is set in the highly competitive milieu of 1980s British television. The ruthless world of broadcasting proves fertile ground for the social elite’s indulgence in power, drama, and sex. At the heart of Rivals is the clash between fresh-faced bad boy Rupert Campbell-Black and TV-franchise owner Lord Tony Baddingham as they spiral into controversy, which threatens to disrupt all they’ve worked for.

Rivals, starring Alex Hassell, David Tennant, and Aidan Turner, is on Hulu starting October 18.

In 1962, Elwood is accused of a crime he didn’t commit and shipped off to a brutal reform school called Nickel Academy (a fictionalized version of the Dozier School for Boys). While trapped within the school walls, he strikes up an unexpected but life-changing friendship with fellow “juvenile” Turner. The powerful connection between these two young African American men becomes central to their individual and collective journey to survive the school’s horrors. Together, the students try to keep their heads down and survive the emotional and physical abuse.

The Nickel Boys, starring Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, and Hamish Linklater, is in theaters on October 25.

Conclave, by Robert Harris
$14
$14

Cardinal Lawrence has one very important task: finding the Pope’s successor. In the Sistine Chapel, the vote of nearly 200 cardinals from all over the globe will decide the next leader of the Catholic Church. However, when a dark rumor about the former Pope is uncovered, it sparks concern about several leading candidates. These holy men, some who have dabbled in greed and power, begin a treacherous race for the papacy as judgment hangs over them.

Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow, will be theatrically released on October 25.

$18

Over the past three seasons, Apple TV+’s Emmy-nominated Slow Horses has followed Jackson Lamb and his ragtag team of British intelligence agents as they’ve stumbled over themselves to save England. In the espionage drama’s fourth season —based on Mick Herron’s fourth Slough House novel — retired MI5 officer David Cartwright is keeping deadly secrets. Unfortunately, his dementia means those secrets are a liability — and could be connected to a terrorist attack. His grandson, River is ready to throw away his own career on Jackson’s team to save his grandfather.

Season 4 of Slow Horses, starring Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, and Hugo Weaving, premieres on Apple TV+ on September 4.

$11

Tell Me Lies follows the tumultuous relationship of Lucy and Stephen over eight years. The first season, mainly set in 2007, charts the ups and downs of their connection. Season two will pick up with the pair returning to college after their catastrophic break-up at the start of summer. Lucy embarks on a jealous revenge mission after Stephen dated another woman during their break. Their friends will have a front-row seat to the pair’s messy escapades. Also, there’s a potential engagement on the horizon!

Season 2 of Tell Me Lies, starring Grace Van Patten, Jackson White, and Cat Missal, premieres on Hulu on September 4.

Photo: Retailers

Amelia’s wedding day should be the event of a lifetime as she marries into the wealthy Nantucket Winbury family. On the morning of the glamorous oceanfront nuptials, nerves are high but no one can predict what is about to interrupt the ceremony. The maid of honor is found dead in the harbor just a few hours before the big event. What should be the best day of Amelia’s life descends into chaos as she, the groom and his mystery-novelist mother are declared suspects and the investigation exposes secrets from the couple’s past.

​​The Perfect Couple, starring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, and Dakota Fanning, premieres on Netflix on September 5.

Orphaned siblings Jack and Lula have had it tough; their grandmother died in an accident and their parents died of smallpox. On the way to their uncle’s farm, things grow even more horrendous; their grandfather is murdered and Lula is kidnapped by a clan of bank-robbing bandits. Jack joins a bounty hunter crew to enact revenge on the outlaws. The chase leads them to the Thicket, a wild no-man’s-land with deadly potential.

The Thicket, starring Peter Dinklage, Juliette Lewis, and Esmé Creed-Miles, comes to theaters on September 6.

Set in 1930s London, the book follows struggling actor Nina as she witnesses an attempted murder which launches her into Soho’s underworld. In the film, the focus shifts from Nina to revered theater critic Jimmy who is left distraught when the owner of the Daily Chronicle newspaper dies. When the new boss says Jimmy’s job is under threat, his path crosses with Nina and the pair become entangled in a blackmail pact to preserve his position and boost her career.

The Critic, starring Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, and Mark Strong, will be released in cinemas on September 13.

Three Women, by Lisa Taddeo
$11
$11

Three Women follows (shock!) a trio of women and their unstable relationships with men and marriage. Suburban mom Lin’s marriage is fizzling out, when she begins an affair with an ex-boyfriend. Meanwhile Sloane’s husband encourages her to sleep with other men and women to further explore her desires. Finally, 17-year-old high school student Maggie is rumored to have had relations with her married English teacher. The allegation makes its way through the school and to a criminal trial.

Three Women, starring Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise, and Betty Gilpin, premieres on Starz on September 13.

Battling a rare condition, a gifted neurologist leads a group of interns in an unconventional hospital to research the most puzzling psychological cases. With a unique slant on patient care, the neurologist must push against his personal and professional boundaries to reach breakthroughs in perceptual and intellectual disorders all while never losing sight of his medical responsibility.

Brilliant Minds, starring Zachary Quinto, Dorrett White, and Gray Powell, premieres on NBC on September 23.

A robot called Roz finds herself without humans or purpose on an isolated island. With no clue on what to do, she taps into her survival instincts to adapt to her surroundings, finds shelter and escapes predators. During her journey across the island, she comes across native animals whom she gradually befriends. Roz develops a real soft spot for an orphaned gosling until her robotic design threatens her place on the island where she’s made a home.

The Wild Robot, starring Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, and Kit Connor, comes to theaters on September 27.

Five years ago, local schoolgirl Andie was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal, who then took his own life. The tragedy still lingers, but there’s something that doesn’t sit right with Pip, a high-school student turned investigator who was childhood friends with Sal. The evidence doesn’t add up. Pip reexamines the closed case and discovers dark secrets that lead her down a dangerous rabbit hole.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, starring Emma Myers, Zain Iqbal, and Asha Banks, premieres on Netflix on August 1.

The first attempt to adapt Crockett Johnson’s 1955 children’s book dates back to 1992. Nearly three decades later, Harold and the Purple Crayon is finally making it to the big screen. In the book, Harold is a child who discovers that anything and everything he draws with his purple crayon comes to life. In the movie, Harold is a grown-up who finds that the magic possibilities of his unlimited imagination present the opportunity for creatively dangerous high jinks.

Harold and the Purple Crayon, starring Zachary Levi, Lil Rel Howery, and Jemaine Clement, comes to theaters on August 2.

The fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy moves away from the comic-book series to wrap up the show. The last season threw the Hargreeves family into chaos after the superpowered siblings were set in a new timeline in which they were stripped of their abilities. As new enemies emerge from the shadows, the group members must navigate how to battle evil without falling back on their powers.

Season 4 of The Umbrella Academy, starring Elliot Page, Tom Hopper, and David Castañeda, will premiere on Netflix on August 8.

A spinoff of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem film, the latest animated show reunites the anthropomorphic turtle brothers Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo in New York City. The ninjutsu-trained turtles face their latest Big Apple villain, Bishop, who wants to destroy mutants and take over the city. The brothers must fight to save all mutants while navigating the angsty pitfalls of high school and adolescence.

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, starring Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., and Ayo Edebiri, debuts on Paramount+ on August 9.

Photo: Atria Publishing Group

It Ends With Us marks the first Colleen Hoover novel adapted for the screen and it will be far from the last. Lily escapes a traumatic childhood and makes a new life for herself in Boston, where she meets Ryle, the charming neurosurgeon who seems too good to be true and she falls hard. However, when Lily’s high school love, Atlas, reappears her life and relationship are thrown into disarray. She is left to make a painful decision that leaves her lost between head and heart.

It Ends With Us, starring Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, and Jenny Slate, is in theaters on August 9.

Bad Monkey, by Carl Hiaasen
$11
$11

Former police detective turned restaurant inspector Andrew Yancy is puzzled when he hears that a honeymooning tourist has discovered a severed arm in the Florida Keys. Yancy, seeing the opportunity to earn back his detective badge, goes rogue on the case, investigating the criminal underworld. Tracing the clues, Yancy ends up in the company of a local man and a (titular) bad monkey in the Bahamas who vehemently dislike the budding tourism trade on the island and who may hold the key to this mystery.

Bad Monkey, starring Vince Vaughn, Michelle Monaghan, and Jodie Turner-Smith, premieres on Apple TV+ on August 14.

The biographical drama charts the two lives of Rob Peace: one as a promising molecular-biochemistry and -biophysics student at Yale University and the other in Newark, New Jersey, with his struggling mother and incarcerated father. When his father is arrested and convicted of murder, Rob risks all he has worked for and turns to drug-dealing to earn money.

Rob Peace, starring Jay Will, Mary J. Blige, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, is scheduled for release on August 16.

Eric Draven and Shelly Webster are really in love but they meet a tragic end when the pair are brutally murdered. When Draven is granted the chance to be resurrected and avenge his wife, he lunges at the opportunity. The Crow charts Draven’s revenge journey splattered with blood and at the mercy of a beguiling love. He goes after their killers while straddling his existence as simultaneously dead and alive.

The Crow, starring Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs, and Danny Huston, is set for release on August 23.

Photo: Publisher

Pachinko jumps between timelines as the show chronicles four generations of a Korean family and their relationship with Japanese society. In the new sew season, Sunja reunites with Koh Hansu, a Zainichi Korean man, in a war-torn Osaka after nearly two decades apart. Meanwhile, Sunja’s grandson, Solomon, is exploring new opportunities for himself in Tokyo in 1989.

Season 2 of Pachinko, starring Soji Arai, Jin Ha, and Jun-woo Han, is set to be released on August 23.

Odette, Clarice, and Barbara Jean are known as The Supremes, three high school best friends who have stuck by each other’s sides through thick and thin, marriage and children, over four decades. However, their lifelong bond threatens to fracture when problem solver Odette faces a terrifying situation, Clarice discovers her husband’s infidelities, and a love affair in Barbara Jean’s youth threatens to haunt her present.

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, and Uzo Aduba, is streaming on Hulu on August 23.

The Rings of Power, based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s history of the Second Age of Middle-earth, is set thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The series, partly based on Unfinished Tales, depicts the iconic villain Sauron’s fabled rise to power. As evil brews across the land, the second season builds to a humongous two-episode battle where every corner of Middle-earth is under threat from the Orc and Elves armies.

Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, starring Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, and Owain Arthur, is streaming on Prime Video on August 29.

$17
Photo: Bloomsbury

The connection between human Amanda and her imaginary friend, Rudger, is the epitome of loyalty. But one day, imaginary friend hunter Mr. Bunting arrives threatening to destroy Rudger forever. Rudger runs away with other lost imaginaries to escape the evil Mr. Bunting but, alone and afraid, he desperately misses his best friend. Time is ticking to return to Amanda’s side before she forgets him and he disappears into just a memory of her childhood.

The Imaginary, starring Kokoro Terada, Rio Suzuki, and Sakura Andô, comes to Netflix on July 5.

The Dark Manual, by Colin O’Sullivan (Out of Print)

Photo: Betimes Books

A woman living in Japan descends into a state of devastating grief after her son and husband go missing in an assumed plane crash. In an attempt to help, her husband’s electronics company provides her with Sunny, a domestic robot to help assist her in the now-empty home. She is initially miffed by Sunny but learns to accept and even treasure the robot’s presence. As the truth of her family’s disappearance unravels, Sunny seems to hold the key to discovering the reality of her husband and son’s fate.

Sunny, starring Rashida Jones, Hidetoshi Nishijima, and Joanna Sotomura, premieres on Apple TV+ on July 10.

Photo: Hamish Clayton

Set in New Zealand circa 1830, The Convert chronicles a preacher who finds himself trapped between white settlers and Māori tribes as violence breaks out and colonizers wage war. The preacher undergoes a deep test of faith as blood is shed and his violent past bubbles to the surface. While trying to enforce the sixth commandment, thou shalt not murder, the preacher makes bold moves to keep the peace in his camp.

The Convert, starring Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, and Antonio Te Maioha, is in theaters on July 12.

Photo: Marvel

A Japanese snow monkey rules Tokyo’s crime underworld as a revered hit man, looking sharp in a suit and a tie in this adaption of a Marvel comic-book series of the same title. Perfecting his assassination skills, Hit-Monkey is trained by the ghost of American assassin Bryce Fowler. However, when the pair travel to New York City Hit, Monkey becomes known as the “killer of killers.” It is here he begins to reevaluate his career path and becomes determined to find a way out of his life of crime while Bryce sets out to fix the hurt he caused when he was alive.

Season two of Hit-Monkey, starring Ally Maki, Olivia Munn, and Nobi Nakanishi, debuts on Hulu on July 15.

Photo: Thomas Maier

This six-part docuseries based on Mafia Spies, a nonfiction work from the author of Masters of Sex, tells the story of two CIA-hired gangsters, Johnny Roselli and Sam Giancana, who set out to assassinate Fidel Castro during the Cold War. The ambitious espionage plot sees all corners of America involved, including the CIA, the mob, and even Frank Sinatra and his A-list buddies. With all its unexpected twists, the book pulls revelations from the JFK Files to investigate the dangerous clash of the 1960s criminal underworld and heated political scheming.

Mafia Spies airs on Paramount+ on July 16.

Photo: Daniel P. Mannix

Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 novel Those About to Die, re-published in 2001 under the name The Way of the Gladiator, chronicles the lives of gladiators in ancient Rome. Combining fiction and historical accounts, Those About to Die depicts the evolution of the Roman games and details the extraordinary and barbaric elements of gladiatorial entertainment that began in 264 BC. The show is set to examine the dark underworld of the gladiator business and the lengths to which fighters would go for the bloody sport.

Those About to Die, starring Anthony Hopkins, Dimitri Leonidas, and Jojo Macari, premieres on Peacock on July 18.

$11
Photo: Laura Lippman

Lady in the Lake adapts critically acclaimed crime writer Laura Lippman’s 2019 novel, which was inspired by two unrelated deaths in Baltimore in 1969. The TV show follows the intersecting lives of Maddie Schwartz, a middle-aged Jewish housewife turned investigative reporter, and Cleo Sherwood, a young African American woman whose murder has been forgotten. Maddie digs deeply into Cleo’s life, desperate to uncover the truth of her death, but Cleo’s ghost is not happy with the insistent investigation.

Lady in the Lake, starring Natalie Portman, Moses Ingram, and Y’lan Noel, is available to stream on Apple TV+ starting July 19.

Photo: Snowpiercer

After an extended delay, season four of Snowpiercer is finally here. The ever-changing postapocalyptic dystopian thriller is set in 2026, the world has become a frozen wasteland, and humans have made a new home in a perpetually moving train. Season three left off with the train passengers separated as some chose to remain with train conductor Melanie while others headed toward a New Eden with Snowpiercer leader Andre. With the final scene a glimpse of a launching missile, will the fate of Andre’s New Eden plan come to fruition? Or did Melanie’s decision to sit in safety save her?

Season four of Snowpiercer, starring Jennifer Connelly, Sean Bean, and Archie Panjabi, is set to debut on AMC and AMC+ on July 21.

Photo: Marvel

Deadpool 3. Yep, he’s doing it again. Ryan Reynolds is returning as the foul-mouthed vigilante for more fourth-wall-breaking antics for the first time under the MCU umbrella. Initial teasers reveal Wade Wilson living his regular life before he’s pulled through a time door and set on a secret mission. Wolverine is instantly at odds with Deadpool, so perhaps we have an enemies-to-lovers tale on our hands.

Deadpool & Wolverine, starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Emma Corrin, is in theaters on July 25.

$10

Queenie Jenkins, a 25-year-old Jamaican British woman, is reeling from a messy breakup with her long-term boyfriend. She’s having an awful year: She’s suddenly single, she’s overlooked by her boss, and her Caribbean family doesn’t listen to her wishes. As Queenie undergoes all this upheaval, her vibrant personality battles her troubled soul as she realizes she needs to rebuild her future.

Queenie, starring Dionne Brown, Samuel Adewunmi, and Bellah, debuts on Hulu on June 7.

In the 1970s, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld was not yet a household name but he was about to make waves in fashion. Hopping from Paris to Monaco to Rome, the legendary designer’s formidable story sees him rise from Parisian couture to a king in the glamorous world of fashion. During this time, Lagerfeld falls for French dandy Jacques de Bascher while entering a painful battle against his friend and haute couture rival, Yves Saint Laurent.

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, starring Daniel Brühl, Théodore Pellerin, and Arnaud Valois, will be released on Disney+ on June 7.

The fourth installment of The Boys continues where the Prime Video series left off with our vigilante Everyman heroes, the Boys, reunited to defeat the Supes, superpowered humans. Meanwhile, Victoria Neuman has secured the vice-presidential ticket and is one step closer to taking political control. Then there’s Butcher, who has just months to live and is clinging to his control of the Boys. With Starlight joining the gang, they must face their toughest challenge yet to save the world from dangerous forces.

Season four of The Boys, starring Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, and Antony Starr, debuts on Prime Video on June 13.

No, not the 1990 thriller. This Presumed Innocent is set in Chicago and follows a gnarly murder that sends a prosecuting attorney’s office into chaos. The murder case of a colleague arrives on prosecutor Rusty Sabich’s desk, and his life is forever changed. As he digs deep and uncovers more evidence, Rusty transforms from an accuser to the accused as he grows obsessed with the case.

Presumed Innocent, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, and Bill Camp, premieres on Apple TV+ on June 14.

The Watchers, by A. M. Shine
$13
$13

This creepy, supernatural horror takes place in a mystical forest in Ireland. After her car breaks down, Mina wanders into the woodland, where she finds three strangers. The group takes shelter in a concrete bunker, but when the sun sets, their situation becomes all the more terrifying. The Watchers awaken: mysterious creatures that stalk and torture humans if they don’t make it to shelter before nightfall. Mina is left to hatch an escape plan and save herself.

The Watchers, starring Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, and Oliver Finnegan, is in theaters from June 14.

An Auschwitz survivor and his music-journalist daughter travel across 1990s Poland to return to his hometown in this road-trip movie. Though they are united in their travels, father and child are both quietly navigating their individual agendas on the cross-country journey. Ruth is reflecting on her family’s war-torn history, while Edek has secret plans he’s keeping from his daughter. As the two traverse Poland, emotions and laughter score their reconnection.

Treasure, starring Lena Dunham, Stephen Fry, and Zbigniew Zamachowski, is in theaters starting June 14.

Photo: Publisher

Put down those negronis and prepare for another season of House of the Dragon! With the introduction of new dragons and a few new characters (though there were already enough), season two arrives after King Viserys’s death with the Targaryens warring over succession. As Princess Rhaenyra and Aegon II fight for the throne, the Seven Kingdoms are forced to take sides, and the Dance of the Dragons begins.

Season two of House of the Dragon, starring Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, and Emma D’Arcy, premieres on HBO on June 16.

$33

Initially published in 1968, The Bikeriders is a portrait of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club. Lyon photographed and interviewed bikers from 1963 to 1967 and documented the motorcycle gang’s presence in 1960s counterculture. During this time, the club becomes an unconventional, leather-wearing family that turns to crime to survive. However, in doing so, the group threatens the very notion of peaceful unity on which its community was founded.

The Bikeriders, starring Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy, comes to theaters on June 21.

Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII, is at the heart of this Tudor drama. Although, unlike her predecessors, she avoided divorce, beheading, and death while married to Henry, Parr still came face to face with the king’s cruelty. Her growing independence became a threat to the royal court, and its members planted seeds of paranoia in Henry’s mind. Through Parr’s story, we see a woman’s perspective on living in Tudor England, as well as her support for women’s education and how she helped her stepdaughter, Elizabeth, ascend to the throne.

Firebrand, starring Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, and Eddie Marsan, comes to theaters on June 14.

The first of the WondLa trilogy begins on a planet called Orbona. While celebrating her birthday with her robot caretaker, Muthr, teenage Eva’s bunker is destroyed, and she is left as the only human on this alien planet. She sets out in search of other humans, accompanied by a giant water bear named Otto and a bad-tempered alien. These unconventional companions journey with Eva on her quest for belonging in an otherworldly situation.

WondLa, starring Jeanine Mason, Teri Hatcher, and Brad Garrett, premieres on Apple TV+ on June 28.

A Man in Full, by Tom Wolfe
$14
$14

Tom Wolfe’s 1998 novel is the basis for David E. Kelley’s (Big Little Lies, The Undoing) new limited series. Real-estate mogul Charlie Croker’s life is thrown into jeopardy when he faces sudden bankruptcy. Atlanta’s local politics and business interests become interwoven with Croker’s debt as it’s revealed that he has dug himself into a deep hole, including that he owes a sizable sum of money to the president of a bank. Croker is left to fight tooth and nail to defend his empire from a disastrous fall from grace.

A Man in Full, starring Jeff Daniels, Diane Lane, and William Jackson Harper, debuts on Netflix May 2.

Set in China during the Han Imperial dynasty, Dragonkeeper is an animated film that follows the journey and unexpected connection forged between young orphan Ping and ancient dragon Long Danzi. Once, dragons and humans were allies, but man turned on the magical creatures and they become prey for humans to hunt. Decades later, Ping and Long Danzi find an extremely rare dragon egg and flee a remote fortress with the hopes of saving this banished, enchanting creature from extinction.

Dragonkeeper, starring Bill Nighy, Bill Bailey, and Anthony Howell, is coming to limited theaters on May 3.

From 2010 to 2017, Pretty Little Liars thoroughly engrossed viewers with its twisty melodrama. The need for more of its brand of dark thrills quickly led to two short-lived spinoff shows – 2013’s supernatural Ravenswood and 2019’s sequel series The Perfectionists. The latest PLL Universe installment, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin has now been renewed for a second season, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School. This new iteration follows the daughters of a ’90s teen-girl squad facing a mysterious assailant that once haunted their mothers.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, starring Chandler Kinney, Maia Reficco, and Bailee Madison, debuts on Max on May 9.

$13

Though Anna and Zoe are identical twins who are hard to distinguish in appearance, they could not be more different in personality. The Image of You follows their close bond that threatens to be torn apart with the arrival of a lover. Anna meets the charismatic Nick and quickly believes he is the man of her dreams. But Zoe is not so sure. While Anna is hopeful about romance, Zoe is convinced Nick is a liar and nothing is going to get in her way of proving that to her beloved sister.

The Image of You, starring Sasha Pieterse, Parker Young, and Mira Sorvino, is set for a theatrical release on May 10.

Bridgerton season three sees the ton turn its attention to Lady Whistledown herself. Penelope Featherington’s crush on her best friend’s brother Colin Bridgerton has soured after his disparaging comments about her in last season’s finale. But with the prospect of marriage with Colin slipping through her fingers, Penelope’s search for a husband takes her on new, exciting paths. Season three swaps the order of Quinn’s books and adapts the fourth Bridgerton installment, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, ahead of the third book, An Offer From a Gentleman, which focuses on Colin’s older brother, Benedict.

Bridgerton season three, starring Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, and Adjoa Andoh, begins streaming on Netflix May 16.

Set around 300 years after the events of War for the Planet of the Apes, this new entry to the Planet of the Apes franchise sees an advanced ape civilization that has evolved to the point that humans have become the prey. However, chimpanzee hunter Noa’s deep empathy draws him closer to Mae, a human girl, who makes him reconsider everything he knows. As the future of apes and humans is on the path for collision, Noa is left to decide if the life he has is the one he truly desires.

​​Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, starring Owen Teague, Freya Allan, and Toby Kebbell, is in theaters May 8.

Garfield, by Jim Davis
$10
$10

Everyone’s favorite tubby tabby, Garfield, is set to return to the screen and reawaken some youthful nostalgia. This new adaptation brings some fresh Garfield lore into the picture, including daddy issues, unexpected reunions, and a high-stakes heist. For this lasagna-loving indoor cat, the arrival of his scruffy father means the titular feline and his friend Odie must sacrifice their life of luxury and comfort to embark on … a dangerous journey into a criminal underworld? And we thought Mondays were bad.

The Garfield Movie, starring Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, and Harvey Guillén, is set to be theatrically released on May 24.

This biographical movie chronicles the life of Dr. Ming Wang, a world-renowned laser eye surgeon and philanthropist. Wang is a Chinese immigrant who fled his home country with little but his unfettered determination to become an eye surgeon. Overcoming his turbulent youth, he embraced his faith as well as his passion for science, eventually developing a breakthrough in biotechnology. Sight captures Wang as he harnesses his dual perspective — driven by faith and science — to embark on a mission to restore the sight of a blind orphan.

Sight, starring Terry Chen, Greg Kinnear, and Danni Wang, is in theaters on May 24.

$8

This animated tragicomedy lifts the silent story from Sara Varon’s picture book to the screen in an emotional tour de force. The connection between a dog and his robot companion goes from buddies to soul mates in 1980s New York City. After a Labor Day celebration, the robot is left immobile on a Coney Island beach, where the dog must leave him while he returns to his normal life. But memories of their friendship are powerful, and it’s not long before their mutual desire to be reunited leads to separate adventures to overcome loneliness.

Robot Dreams, starring Ivan Labanda, Albert Trifol Segarra, and Rafa Calvo, is in theaters on May 31.

Queer royalty, illicit affairs, and mischievous plots overflow from this upcoming miniseries, which follows the affair between James I and George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham. All the while, Mary Villiers, George’s mother, is grooming her son to seduce the king so they can grow in wealth, power, and title and become the most important mother-son partnership in the country. If I had a nickel for every time Nicholas Galitzine played a gay prince, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s interesting that it happened twice.

Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine, and Tony Curran, is now streaming on Starz.

The third and final installment of the Alex Rider adventure sees the teenage spy come up against Scorpia, an elusive criminal network plotting to take over the British government. With his closest friends, Tom and Kyra, Alex takes it upon himself to destroy Scorpia, his greatest enemy, once and for all. Having been raised in the world of espionage, however, Alex finds his connection with Scorpia runs deeper than he could have imagined.

Season three of Alex Rider, starring Otto Farrant, Stephen Dillane, and Vicky McClure, is now streaming on Amazon Freevee.

Sci-fi romance The Beast is loosely based on the thematic explorations of loneliness, fatalism, and unconventional love prominent in Henry James’s 1903 novella. In the near future, Gabrielle has purified her DNA to revisit her past lives. But then she meets Louis and feels as if she knows him from a former life. As the past clashes with the present, the couple must navigate what their relationship means across a grand timeline.

The Beast, starring Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, and Guslagie Malanda, is now playing in select theaters.

Beacon 23, by Hugh Howey
$11
$11

This existential story questions the very essence of what it is to be human. Set in a lighthouse, Beacon 23 follows the nail-biting story of a distress ship that raises an alarm only to encounter a beacon across the galaxy that lets the ship travel through the Milky Way. Aster and Halan find their lives forever altered when, trapped at the end of the universe, they must search for the lighthouse keeper who will ensure the ship’s safe passage.

Beacon 23, starring Lena Headey, Stephan James, and Marnie McPhail, is now streaming on MGM+.

Based on a true story, this narrative follows a group of young Mexican American men in 1957 who dream of golfing success. With limited practice space available, they find land in the South Texas brush country and, without professional help, create their own golf course and begin to train themselves. Their ultimate goal is to compete against all-white, wealthy Texas teams to win the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship.

The Long Game, starring Jay Hernandez, Julian Works, and Jaina Lee Ortiz, is now playing in select theaters.