Story to Screen - 13/08/26

Welcome to this week's 'Story to Screen Report', where Sacha rounds up the biggest news from the world of book-to-screen adaptations.

 Grab some popcorn!

Disney is developing a live-action adaptation of Miye Lee’s bestselling Korean fantasy novel 'The Dallergut Dream Department Store', with 'A Monster Calls' author Patrick Ness writing the screenplay. The story follows Penny, a new employee at a mysterious department store where customers shop for dreams. The book has sold more than a million copies in Korea and launched a wider series.

Brittany Snow is the latest name to join 'The Housemaid's Secret', the sequel to Freida McFadden’s smash-hit adaptation 'The Housemaid'. She’ll play Marybeth alongside returning stars Sydney Sweeney and Michele Morrone, with Kirsten Dunst and Paul Anthony Kelly also joining the cast. Paul Feig is back to direct, with the sequel set to hit cinemas in December 2027.

The first trailer for 'Verity', the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling thriller, has finally arrived and wow - it delivers! Anne Hathaway stars as Verity Crawford alongside Dakota Johnson as Lowen Ashleigh, who uncovers disturbing secrets inside the Crawford home. The film also stars Josh Hartnett, and judging by this incredibly intense first look, it looks like we’re in for a wild ride.

Netflix is bringing Roald Dahl’s 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' back to the big screen, with a theatrical release planned before it lands on the streamer. The new adaptation will once again follow Charlie Bucket and his journey inside Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory. It marks the latest project from Netflix’s wider partnership with the Roald Dahl Story Company, following its acquisition of the company in 2021.

Nicholas Hoult has reportedly been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO’s 'Harry Potter' series, taking on the brilliantly vain Defence Against the Dark Arts professor introduced in 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'. Hoult is the latest big name to join the growing cast as the series continues to take shape. We have to say, this could be the most perfect casting yet.

Victoria Wilder’s bestselling romantic suspense novel 'Bourbon & Lies' is being developed into a TV series at MGM Television, with Sophia Stallone’s Callisto Media and Sylvester Stallone’s Balboa Productions behind the project. Set in Kentucky, the story follows ex-cop Grant Foxx and mysterious newcomer Laney Young as romance, danger and buried secrets collide. 'The Flight Attendant' duo Meredith Lavender and Marcie Ulin will create and executive produce the series.

Charlie Gillespie and Justice Smith are joining season two of the hit series as Troy Barrett and Harris Drover. The pair are at the centre of Rachel Reid’s 'Role Model', which follows hockey player Troy as he gets a fresh start with the Ottawa Centaurs and falls for the team’s social media manager, Harris. Their storyline will be woven into season two alongside Shane and Ilya’s story from 'The Long Game', with the new season expected in spring 2027.

Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' has officially become the highest-grossing film of his career, passing 'The Dark Knight Rises' with more than $1.1 billion worldwide. The adaptation of Homer’s epic has also become the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time, overtaking 'Avatar'. It’s an incredible result for a nearly three-hour, R-rated adaptation of a story almost 3,000 years old, and its theatrical run isn’t over yet.

The BBC has joined Working Title’s new TV adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s 'Jane Eyre', with Aimee Lou Wood set to star as the iconic heroine. 'Succession' writer Miriam Battye is adapting the classic, which follows orphan Jane on her search for love, independence and equality. The series is being developed ahead of the novel’s 180th anniversary in 2027, and we’re very excited to see Wood take on such a beloved literary character.

Kit Harington stars as troubled lawyer Sydney Carton alongside François Civil and Mirren Mack in this new four-part adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 'A Tale of Two Cities'. Set against growing tensions between Britain and France, the story centres on a complicated love triangle as Lucie Manette searches for her father, who was believed dead for nearly 20 years. The first trailer promises a sweeping, intense and emotional take on the classic, with the series premiering September 6.

Jack Gleeson, James Nesbitt, Tamsin Greig and James D’Arcy are among the new names joining Edward Bluemel in the upcoming Agatha Christie series 'Hercule'. The six-part series will explore Poirot’s early years and centre on three of Christie’s stories, while introducing some of his closest allies and a new nemesis. Filming is set to begin soon in Liverpool, with the series arriving in 2027.

Netflix is bringing us a female-led reimagining of Alexandre Dumas’ classic 'The Count of Monte Cristo', starring Audrey Fleurot as Mercedes Herrera. This version puts Mercedes at the centre of the story, following her quest for revenge after Edmond Dantès is betrayed, imprisoned and ultimately killed during an escape attempt. The lavish eight-part French series reportedly has a total budget of around US$30 million and is expected to arrive on Netflix later this year.

Alex Michaelides’ bestselling psychological thriller 'The Silent Patient' is moving forward as a feature film, with Sony Pictures joining Annapurna and Plan B on the adaptation. The story follows celebrated painter Alicia Berenson, who murders her husband and never speaks again, and therapist Theo Faber, who becomes determined to uncover why. The project is being fast-tracked, with the team hoping to bring a writer on board in the coming months.

The first trailer has arrived for 'Flint', the upcoming Western based on Louis L’Amour’s classic novel, with 'Yellowstone' star Josh Holloway leading the cast as James Kettleman. The story follows Kettleman as he returns to the frontier, assumes the name of the notorious killer who raised him and becomes caught in a dangerous range war. Holloway also produces the film, which is directed by Ryan Whitaker and is set to hit cinemas this September.

The first trailer has arrived for 'Flint', the upcoming Western based on Louis L’Amour’s classic novel, with 'Yellowstone' star Josh Holloway leading the cast as James Kettleman. The story follows Kettleman as he returns to the frontier, assumes the name of the notorious killer who raised him and becomes caught in a dangerous range war. Holloway also produces the film, which is directed by Ryan Whitaker and is set to hit cinemas this September.

That's a wrap on this week's 'Story to Screen Report'! Which adaptation are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below, and don't forget to check back next week for more casting news, trailers, first looks and all the latest book-to-screen updates.