Read these books before they become movie adaptations

Esquire.com: It’s an age-old argument and a great ice-breaker question for any first date: Book or movie? This is the question that can inform what a person really appreciates about a story. Do they like the pure elements that were developed from an author’s mind or the repurposed plot that’s been reimagined by a screenwriter with his or her own ideas of what the story should be?

This argument might never end when it comes to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Harry Potter’ franchises, especially because it’s now impossible to imagine the boy wizard as anyone other than Daniel Radcliffe.

There are some books that are so good that they have been adapted over and over again. Jane Austen and Roald Dahl might not have imagined that their books would make it to the screen so many times, but it’s not a bad thing to feel that nostalgia over and over. These are the best books becoming movies in 2020 with everything from the sci-fi masterpiece ‘Dune’ to a Charles Dickens classic.

‘Dune’

Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi masterpiece is getting its most promising screen adaptation since David Lynch took on the challenge in the ’80s. Arrival director Denis Villeneuve is a promising fit to adapt the famously unadaptable book. The film stars Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, and Zendaya.

‘The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle’

The second of the Hugh Lofting novels has been adapted into a movie starring Robert Downey Jr. in the titular role as a physician who finds out he can talk to animals. The film is simply called ‘Dolittle’ and comes out January 17.

‘P.S. I Still Love You’

The first of Jenny Han’s trilogy of YA novels made its way to Netflix in 2018’s ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,’ starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo. The second in the series has been adapted for Netflix and will be available to watch on 12 February — two days before Valentine’s Day. This story will focus on Lara Jean’s new relationship with Peter Kavinsky. But wait! This is a high school romance movie, so it is required to feature a love triangle (and does).

‘Emma’

Regardless of how the late writer might feel, Emma is coming to theatres on 21 February. The book was adapted in 1996 in the Douglas McGrath-directed film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, but it’s been 24 years, so it’s time we do it again, right? The new version features Anya Taylor-Joy in the lead role as the meddlesome matchmaker. Bill Nighy stars as Mr. Woodhouse and Johnny Flynn is George Knightley. Autumn de Wilde directed.

‘The Call of the Wild’

If someone gave you exactly five seconds to shout out who should be in an adaptation of Jack London’s 1903 book ‘The Call of the Wild,’ would you immediately shout out ‘Harrison Ford’? There really isn’t a more perfect answer. This story is set in Yukon, Canada and is about a sled dog surviving in the wild of Alaska during the Klondike gold rush. The film comes out 21 February.

‘The Invisible Man’

Elisabeth Moss stars in the modern adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel. This version, a psychological horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell, is a loose take on the Wells book. The story focuses on a woman who, after her ex allegedly dies by suicide, thinks she is being hunted by someone she can’t see. The movie is out 28 February.

‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’

The original full title of this 1850 Charles Dickens novel was a lengthy one: ‘The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account),’ but that’s not a great movie title, is it? The movie, from by Veep’s Armando Iannucci, stars Gwendolyn Christie, Simon Blackwell, and more is out 8 May.

‘The Woman in the Window’

Amy Adams does love a good drama adapted from a book. In HBO’s ‘Sharp Objects’ (2018), she played a woman from a creepy dollhouse life in small-town Missouri with a lot of dark secrets. In this film, an agoraphobic woman drinks wine all day and spies on her neighbours. Nothing bad will come from that, right? Find out on 15 May. Or read the book now.

‘Artemis Fowl’

Disney’s upcoming Kenneth Branagh-directed adaptation of the beloved fantasy story will cover the first two books of the ‘Artemis Fowl’ series. Artemis Fowl is a 12-year-old criminal mastermind who kidnaps a fairy to pay for the search for his missing father and restore the Fowl family fortune. The film releases 29 May.

‘The Secret Garden’

This 1911 novel is about an orphan, Mary Lennox, who has to live with her uncle on a country estate in Yorkshire. Colin Firth stars; the release date for the film is 17 April.