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Original poster

Books you really want to make it to the screen

127 replies

Ineedtocleanmywoodenblinds · 15/12/2022 13:12

I've been reading the Rivers of London books recently and I love them and I'd love to see a TV adaptation of them (already I've cast Regé-Jean Page as Peter Grant). Also I would love to see Secret History by Donna Taart.

Anyone else have any ideas for book to TV.

OP posts:
Candlemas · 15/12/2022 13:14

'Hotel' by Arthur Hailey. It is dated now but would make a great film.

Candlemas · 15/12/2022 13:15

I've just checked, it is a film. Must see where I can watch it.

bookworm14 · 15/12/2022 13:16

A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel would make an amazing TV series. I can’t understand why it’s never been done. The BBC bought the rights several years ago but I haven’t heard anything since.

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FuckabethFuckor · 15/12/2022 13:17

Ha! You beat me to it re Rivers of London. In my head I had either Regé-Jean Page or Lucien Laviscount as Peter and I alternate between the two. I'm fairly sure I read somewhere that Simon Pegg's TV production company had the option on this series, although I don't know if it's stuck in dev hell. If you haven't already, the audiobooks narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith are brilliant; he has really captured the feel of the series and his accents are all perfect.

Continuing with a fantasy theme (and I know they tried this 15 years ago and it didn't take) I'd like to see a long-running TV series of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.

Ooh also Skulduggery Pleasant although I don't know how you'd do that faithfully without it ending up like The Boys, as there's actually a lot of gory violence in those books!

QueenOfThorns · 15/12/2022 13:17

I saw the thread title and headed here to say Rivers of London, but you beat me to it OP!

I’d also love to see the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman on screen, that would be all steampunky and stylish!

Needhelp101 · 15/12/2022 13:21

Definitely The Secret History!
I've cast that so many times in my head.

nobird · 15/12/2022 13:21

I’m re-reading The Secret History at the moment and just the other day read an article about why it was never made into a film. Just google ‘Secret History film’ and it’s one of the first results.

I agree with the Rivers of London books. I would also say the Chronicles of St Mary’s series.

I would have said the Richard Osman books but I know the first book is about to be made into a film.

I can see A Gentleman in Moscow working on screen too. Ahh - just checked - that too is in the pipeline.

FermisLeftFoot · 15/12/2022 13:21

bookworm14 · 15/12/2022 13:16

A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel would make an amazing TV series. I can’t understand why it’s never been done. The BBC bought the rights several years ago but I haven’t heard anything since.

Agreed - but wish they’d hurry up and film the second series of Wolf Hall first! Looked it up and apparently it may potentially film in 2023.

purpleme12 · 15/12/2022 13:22

Summer Sisters- Judy Blume

Wtafis · 15/12/2022 13:22

I would love Jodi Taylor’s chronicles of St Mary’s

LuciferRising · 15/12/2022 13:24

So happy The War Lord Chronicles and The Witching Hour are.

Would love Robin Hobb's world to make it to screen.

defi · 15/12/2022 13:24

The painted man series. Was my gateway drug to fantasy genre

PortableVirgins · 15/12/2022 13:25

Needhelp101 · 15/12/2022 13:21

Definitely The Secret History!
I've cast that so many times in my head.

I've cast it too, but now my original cast are far too old, or actually dead! (Philip Seymour Hoffmann was my casting as Bunny, and he would have been excellent...)

WeDontNeedToTalkAboutJamie · 15/12/2022 13:27

Philippa Gregory's Wideacre trilogy.

And a true to book version of Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (plus sequels)

EmmaGrundyForPM · 15/12/2022 13:35

Am I the only one on here who hated Rivers of London?

I'd like to see a film/mini series of Barbara Kingsolver's "The Poisonwood Bible".

DaisyChristmasBauble · 15/12/2022 13:37

The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern

Needhelp101 · 15/12/2022 13:41

PortableVirgins · 15/12/2022 13:25

I've cast it too, but now my original cast are far too old, or actually dead! (Philip Seymour Hoffmann was my casting as Bunny, and he would have been excellent...)

Show quote history

Oh, he would have been a perfect Bunny!

Apparently Gwyneth Paltrow planned to produce it at one point, she would have been a good Camilla. Obviously far too old now, sadly.

GrouchyKiwi · 15/12/2022 13:52

I need some excellent Heyer adaptations for when I'm feeling low.

Original poster
Ineedtocleanmywoodenblinds · 15/12/2022 15:12

Lots of votes for Rivers of London - it would be amazing if Simon Pegg's company did do it. I always imagine Lady Ty to be Thandie Newton.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ineedtocleanmywoodenblinds · 15/12/2022 15:14

Also Fates and Furies by Furies by Lauren Groff with Cate Blanchet as Mathilde.

OP posts:
LabradorsLoveSausages · 15/12/2022 15:16

No way The Secret History. It's too perfect a book to be made into a film.

I'd love to see Brother of the more Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido. Not sure how well known the book is, but it's wonderful with the most excellent characters. I even know who I'd want to play each one.

And a new adaptation of Tales of the City. Gorgeous.

Andsoforth · 15/12/2022 15:16

Absolutely none. I hate watching movies of books I’ve loved yet it’s an absolute compulsion to watch.

ChessieFL · 15/12/2022 15:19

On the one hand I would love to see all the following as they’re some of my favourite books, but on the other hand I don’t because they wouldn’t be done properly in the way I picture things!

St Mary’s series

Shopaholic series

Marian Keyes’s Walsh sisters series (there was an adaptation of Watermelon but other than the name and the very basic story outline it was nothing like the book at all)

The Cazalet Chronicles (there was a
series that was really good but it stopped after one or two books - I would like to see the whole thing)

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 15/12/2022 15:20

A bit niche but a proper three film adaption of 'A Canticle for Leibowitz' would be brilliant.

SpotlessMind88 · 15/12/2022 15:21

It ends with us by colleen hoover. I'd want a series though, similar to Big little lies.