The Force is strong in Ali Hazelwood's art.
After all, her best-selling romance novel The Love Hypothesis—which is being adapted into a film starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman—originally came from a galaxy far, far away.
That's right, Hazelwood, a longtime fan of Star Wars, first published the fanfiction story that would become the TikTok sensation in 2018. Inspired by the 2015 film The Force Awakens, the original iteration, Head Over Feet, reimagined Princess Leia and Han Solo's son Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) in an academic setting.
"I was really, really into writing fanfiction," Hazelwood told Collider in 2021. "Then what happened is that I started slowly thinking about trying to write something original, just to challenge myself and to do something different."
It turns out, her now-agent Thao Le had read some of her work on the fanfiction website Archive of Our Own (AO3), and reached out believing her stories had the potential to be a hit.
"That's how I took the fanfiction of mine that I thought was the most reworkable," Hazelwood recalled of their first conversation, "and I sent it to her and then I signed with her."
After "approximately 70 billion more revisions," her fanfiction was transformed into The Love Hypothesis, with Kylo becoming Professor Adam Carlsen and Rey turning into PhD student Olive Smith.
To legally bring her story to life, Hazelwood—like other fanfiction writers who went mainstream—had to remove any details that tied to the original intellectual property.
But Hazelwood is far from the first writer whose fanfiction became a sensation. After all, E.L. James' best-selling Fifty Shades of Grey books were based on Stephanie Meyer's Twilight saga.
"Just after Christmas, I sat down and read the books, and I escaped for five days," James told the Chicago Tribune in 2012. "I just loved them. It's just such a fabulous love story. I read them and reread them and reread them."
Two weeks after sinking her teeth into the series and the 2008 film, James went on to write Master of the Universe, which saw Edward Cullen and Bella Swan's story refashioned in a big corporate setting. And like the series on which it was originally inspired by the Fifty Shades trilogy was adapted into its own successful film series starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan.
And while some writers found their inspiration in fiction, other writers found their muse onstage. For Anna Todd, it was One Direction that ultimately changed the story of her life. As a Directioner, she spent a lot of time reading fan-written stories about Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson online.
"I was reading fan fiction on Wattpad, but they were taking a little bit to update the stories, so I started writing my own stories to entertain myself," she told E! News in 2014. "I didn't think anyone would read it."
That story, After, became such a hit that it went on to become a five-film franchise starring Hero Fiennes-Tiffin as a character inspired by the "Watermelon Sugar" singer. The story follows the complicated love story of bad boy Hardin and Tessa.
Despite the stigma around fanfiction, especially when it's traditionally published, Todd sees the value it brings to the art.
"Just as a reader, there's something so special about the passion you can feel when you're reading someone's fanfic because it's not a contracted thing," she explained to Swooon in October 2024. "They're doing it purely out of love. Some of the best stuff I've ever read came from fanfic."
Now, for more books that are turning into movies and TV shows, keep reading.
Hamnet
Based on: Maggie O’Farrell 2020 Novel
Starring: Paul Mescal, Jessie Buckley, Joe Alwyn and Emily Watson.
Premieres: In theaters December 12
Why We’re Excited: A fictional account of the tragic death of William Shakespeare’s 11-year-old son in the mid-16th century, this book flew off shelves with good reason: it’s utterly engrossing. And with an all-star cast being directed by bold name Chloé Zhao—who co-wrote with O’Farrell—this film will be a devastating can’t miss.
The Housemaid
Based On: Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar and Michele Marrone
Premieres: In theaters December 19
Why We’re Excited: The cast alone is enough to have us seated for the adaptation, which follows a maid to a wealthy family with some very sinister secrets bubbling under the surface. But Paul Feig, who is no stranger to a twisty story with A Simple Favor—and its sequel—is at the helm so it’s safe to say we’re in for quite a ride.
His & Hers
Based on: Alice Feeney’s 2020 Novel
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Jon Bernthal, Pablo Schreiber, Crystal Fox, Sunita Mani, and Rebecca Rittenhouse
Premieres: January 8, 2026, on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: A twisty thriller that brings a recluse back to their hometown is always an immediate yes, and in this limited series, it’s Thompson’s Anna whose return following a murder captivates a local detective (new Emmy winner Bernthal) who is also investigating the crime.
People We Meet on Vacation
Based On: Emily Henry's 2021 novel
Starring: Tom Blyth, Emily Bader, Lucian Laviscount, Jameela Jamil, Lukas Gage and Sarah Catherine Hook
Premieres: January 8, 2026, on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: Henry has already taken women’s literature by storm in recent years, so it was only a matter of time before her novels got the big screen treatment. And after major turns in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and My Lady Jane, respectively, Blyth and Bader have proven they may just be the perfect Alex and Poppy.
The Last Thing He Told Me Season 2
Based On: The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave, on sale January 6, 2026
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Angourie Rice, David Morse, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Judy Greer and Rita Wilson.
Premieres: February 20, 2026, on Apple TV
Why We’re Excited: The past always catches up—at least, that’s what Hannah Hall (Garner) and stepdaughter Bailey (Rice) are learning in real-time in season two of the acclaimed Apple series. Five years after the events of The Last Thing He Told Me, the duo have settled into their new normal without Hannah’s husband (and Bailey’s dad) Owen (Coster-Waldau), only for him to resurface right before a shocking family tragedy sets off a string of events that leads the duo in a race for their lives.
Bridgerton Season 4
Based On: Julia Quinn's 2001 Bridgerton novel An Offer From A Gentleman
Starring: Luke Thompson, Yerin Ha, Jonathan Bailey, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Katie Leung, Michelle Mao and Isabella Wei.
Release Date: Part One: January 29, 2026; Part Two: February, 26, 2026, on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: After three seasons trying to cement a place in his family and discovering himself, fan-favorite Benedict Bridgerton at last finds love in the upcoming installment. And newcomer Ha is joining the Netflix hit’s ever-growing ensemble as his love interest Sophie Baek.
Wuthering Heights
Based on: Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel
Release Date: In theaters February 13, 2026
Starring: Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie
Why We’re Excited: Cue the Kate Bush classic, we’re heading back to the moors. Filmmaker Emerald Fennell is reteaming with her Saltburn collaborators—Elordi starred and Robbie produced—for a take on Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff that we’ve surely never seen before.
Reminders of Him
Based On: Hoover’s 2022 novel
Starring: Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford, Lainey Wilson and Nicholas Duvernay.
Premieres: In theaters February 13, 2026
Why We’re Excited: After five years, Kenna returns to her hometown looking to reunite with her daughter. Instead, she finds solace in a local bar owner who remains one of the few who is willing to give her another chance. While the next few years see several of the best-selling novelist’s books hitting the screen, she’s a big part of bringing this book to life as she co-wrote the script with Lauren Levine.
Kay Scarpetta
Based On: Patricia Cornwell's mega-popular series of the same name that has 26 books in total
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana DeBose, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker and Jake Cannavale
Premieres: March 11, 2026, on Prime Video
Why We're Excited: If it's based on a book and Kidman stars in it, we will binge the s--t out of it. (See: Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing and the fact that this is her second appearance on this list.) Add in that the Oscar winners will be playing crime-fighting sisters and it's already become our favorite new show of the year.
Project Hail Mary
Based On: Andy Weir’s 2021 novel of the same name
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller and Milana Vayntrub
Release Date: In theaters March 20, 2026
Why We’re Excited: Sure, Gosling’s been to space as the first man, but his latest mission takes him out of this galaxy as he wakes up from a coma as the sole survivor in an expedition to the Tau Ceti solar system—a cool 12 light-years away from Earth. Things only get worse now that he’s solo and must continue his mission to reverse solar dimming and save humanity from extinction. NBD!
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Based on: Rufi Thorpe’s 2024 novel
Starring: Elle Fanning, Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman
Premieres: April 15, 2026, on Apple TV
Why we’re Excited: Is it really a limited series if it doesn’t have Kidman popping up in it? Thorpe’s book—following the daughter of a former Hooters waitress and a onetime pro-wrestler who turns to OnlyFans after becoming a single mom at 20—is already excellent on its own. But this casting has certainly placed this eight-episode series at the top of the must-watch list.
Verity
Based on: Hoover's 2021 book
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett
Premieres: In theaters May 15, 2026
Why We're Excited: For starters, we can look no further than Anne, Dakota and Josh. The book—which follows a struggling writer who is asked to complete a best-selling series after the author's mysterious accident—is already a wild, twisty ride. And with this trio at the center, seeing it brought to life on screen is all the more exciting.
Practical Magic 2
Based On: The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Stockard Channing, Dianne Weist, Joey King
Premieres: In theaters September 18, 2026
Why We’re Excited: Another midnight margarita night is finally on the books. Nearly three decades after the original movie, the sequel, based on Hoffman’s 2021 novel, follows Sally (Sandra), Gillian (Nicole), Frances (Stockard) and Jet (Dianne) contend with their family’s curse as it begins to plague the next generations of Owens ladies.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Based On: Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel
Starring: Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jesse Plemons and Ralph Fiennes.
Premieres: In theaters November 20, 2026
Why We’re Excited: On the same day Collins’ latest trip to Panem was announced, Lionsgate confirmed it would be adapting the much-anticipated story following a young Haymitch Abernathy—Peeta and Katniss’ famously haunted mentor in the 74th Hunger Games—during his winning battle in the 50th Games.
The Love Hypothesis
Based On: Ali Hazelwood’s 2021 Novel of the Same
Starring: Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman
Premieres: TBD
Why We’re Excited: The fake dating romance that sent #BookTok into a spiral is heading to the big screen. And the novel that has roots in fanfiction centered on Star Wars characters Rey and Kylo Ren is starring none other than Rey actress Daisy Ridley’s IRL husband Tom—joined by the Riverdale alum. And if that’s not a reason to be excited by what’s to come—or at least curious—we don’t know what is.
The Husbands
Based On: Holly Gramazio’s 2024 novel
Starring: Juno Temple
Premieres: TBD on Apple TV
Why We’re Excited: Prepare to meet more than one hundred husbands. Indeed, the story follows Lauren, who arrives home to be greeted by her husband Michael—only she has never seen him before in her life. A different husband soon takes his place, and she soon learns a seemingly-endless supply of spouses are coming from her attic. As she navigates this complicated romantic journey, key questions emerge, namely, what does she want from life and will she take the reins to get it?
Five-Star Weekend
Based On: Elin Hilderbrand’s 2023 novel
Starring: Jennifer Garner
Premieres: TBD on Peacock
Why We’re Excited: Hilderbrand is the queen of Nantucket beach read. Add in a megastar like Garner and its place in our queue is solidified. The Alias alum stars as Hollis, a food blogger whose life is turned update down by tragedy. As part of her healing journey, she resolves to host a “five-star” weekend with her closest pals—only for it to go awry as the cracks in her friendships deepen and game-changing secrets emerge. Yep, we are firmly seated.
Midnight Sun
Based On: Stephanie Meyer’s 2020 novel
Starring: TBD
Premieres: TBD on Netflix
Why We’re Excited: While fans had to wait more than a decade for Meyer to release the retelling of Twilight from Edward Cullen’s POV, viewers will soon see an animated version of the story coming to their screens. And it’s safe to say catching a glimpse of an animated killer’s sparkly skin will be must-see TV.
Lucky
Based On: Marissa Stapley's 2021 book
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Drew Starkey, Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
Premieres: TBD on Apple TV
Why We’re Excited: If seeing Anya and Drew leading the cast isn’t enough of a draw—and it should be!—the story itself is pretty thrilling, a young woman returning to the con artist life she was raised in an attempt to secure her future. And with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine producing and a stellar supporting cast, we are already seated.