The Story to Screen Report - June 24th

Matt Dinniman’s bestselling fantasy series 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' is officially heading to television, with Peacock giving the adaptation a straight-to-series order. 

The hit LitRPG books follow Coast Guard veteran Carl and a talking show cat named Princess Donut as they battle monsters, aliens and deadly challenges in a televised intergalactic survival game after Earth is destroyed. Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door is producing the series, with 'The Mandalorian' writer Chris Yost attached as writer and executive producer. No casting or release date has been announced yet, but the adaptation is now officially moving forward.

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestselling novel, the film follows Klara, played by Jenna Ortega, a solar-powered Artificial Friend designed to provide companionship to a lonely teenage girl. As their bond grows, the story explores themes of love, hope, loss, and what it truly means to be human.

 Directed by Taika Waititi and co-starring Amy Adams, the film pairs a futuristic setting with an emotional, character-driven story that already has audiences excited. With its stunning visuals and heartfelt tone, this is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases on the horizon.

The 'Twilight' universe is heading back to screens with a new animated series, 'Midnight Sun', coming to Netflix. Based on Stephenie Meyer’s 2020 novel, the series retells the events of the original 'Twilight' story through Edward Cullen’s perspective, giving fans a deeper look into the vampire’s thoughts, struggles, and romance with Bella Swan. 

While a release date and voice cast have yet to be announced, Meyer will be an executive producer alongside writer and executive producer Sinead Daly. For Team Edward, this could be the ultimate return to one of pop culture’s most iconic love stories.

Erin Hunter’s bestselling 'Warrior Cats' series is officially being adapted into an animated TV show for Disney+ and Disney Channel. Currently in production and slated for release in 2028, the series will adapt 'Warrior Cats: The Prophecies Begin', following the adventures, rivalries and prophecies of clans of wild cats. 

The adaptation will be led by showrunner A.C. Bradley ('What If...?', 'Ms. Marvel') and director Rodrigo Blaas, marking the first authorised animated adaptation of the hugely popular fantasy franchise, which has sold more than 90 million books worldwide.

Harlan Coben’s latest Netflix adaptation, 'I Will Find You', is already breaking records. The thriller series, starring Sam Worthington, debuted with 24 million views in just four days, making it Netflix’s biggest new series launch of 2026 so far. 

Based on Coben’s bestselling novel, the story follows a father serving a life sentence for the murder of his son who discovers evidence that the boy may still be alive, setting off a desperate search for the truth. The eight-episode limited series premiered on June 18 and quickly climbed Netflix’s global charts, proving once again that audiences can’t get enough of Coben’s twist-filled mysteries.

Tessa Bailey is celebrating the upcoming 'It Happened One Summer' movie adaptation, sharing her excitement over the casting of Nina Dobrev, Tyler Hoechlin and Virginia Gardner. The bestselling author described the trio as her "dream team" and praised the creative team bringing the beloved BookTok romance to life. 

Based on Bailey’s hit novel, the film follows socialite Piper Bellinger as she leaves her glamorous LA lifestyle behind and unexpectedly falls for rugged fisherman Brendan Taggart in a small coastal town. Production is set to begin on July 13 and we can’t wait!

Liz Moore’s bestselling mystery novel 'The God of the Woods' is officially being adapted into a Netflix series, with filming now underway. 

The adaptation stars Maya Hawke as investigator Judy Luptack and follows the disappearance of 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar from her family’s summer camp, uncovering decades of secrets within one of the region’s most powerful families. Kerry Condon, Damon Gupton and Ella Rubin also star, while Moore and Liz Hannah serve as co-showrunners. A release date has yet to be announced, but the project is now officially in production.

Netflix is developing a TV adaptation of Alix E. Harrow’s upcoming fantasy novel 'The Everlasting'. The series is set to be written and executive produced by Jennie Snyder Urman, best known for creating 'Jane the Virgin', with Harrow also serving as an executive producer. 

The story follows a woman who has lived countless lives across centuries, only to find herself caught in a battle against fate itself. While the project is still in early development, the adaptation is already generating buzz among fantasy fans eager to see Harrow’s latest story brought to the screen.

Ai Jiang’s Hugo Award-nominated novelette 'I Am AI' has been optioned for a feature film adaptation. The story is set in a future where artificial intelligence has largely replaced human creativity, following a world in which artists struggle to hold onto their place as machines take over more and more of the creative process. 

While details about the film are still under wraps, the adaptation marks another major milestone for Jiang, whose acclaimed speculative fiction has quickly earned a devoted following.

Jon Agee’s beloved children’s book 'Little Santa' is heading to the screen as a new animated feature from Apple Original Films. The musical comedy adventure will explore how Santa Claus became Santa, following a young Santa on a magical journey across the North Pole as he meets the friends who help create Christmas. 

Academy Award-winning director Peter Baynton is attached to direct, while 'Flight of the Conchords' star Bret McKenzie will write original songs for the film. With a screenplay from 'Toy Story 4' co-writer Martin Hynes, the project is shaping up to be a festive family adventure packed with heart, humour and music.

Brooke Averick’s bestselling debut novel 'Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It' is officially heading to Netflix as a feature film. The romantic comedy follows Phoebe, a woman approaching 30 who decides to take control of her love life by creating a checklist to help her overcome her fear of intimacy, only to find herself juggling multiple romantic prospects along the way. 

'Book Lovers' screenwriter Sarah Heyward is attached to adapt the novel, while producer Elizabeth Cantillon, who is also working on adaptations of 'The Nightingale' and 'The Love Hypothesis', will produce. Averick will serve as an executive producer on the project.

More than 25 years after 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' first hit cinemas, a sequel is officially in the works. Jim Carrey is in talks to return as the iconic green Christmas grouch, with original director Ron Howard also set to return. 

While plot details are still being kept under wraps, the project is being developed by Universal and Imagine Entertainment, with a script already in place. The news marks a surprising comeback for one of the most beloved holiday films of the 2000s and has fans excited to see the Grinch back on screen once again.

Filming for 'The Summer I Turned Pretty: The Movie' has reportedly faced a number of challenges as large crowds of fans continue to gather at shooting locations. According to reports, the constant attention has created privacy concerns for the cast and crew, caused production delays and made filming more difficult behind the scenes. 

The issues come after author Jenny Han and the production team previously asked fans not to share filming locations online. Despite the disruptions, work on the highly anticipated final chapter of Belly’s story is continuing.

Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of 'The Odyssey' is shining a fresh spotlight on Homer’s ancient epic, with renewed interest in the book and its many modern translations. 

Much of the conversation has centred on classicist Emily Wilson’s acclaimed 2017 translation, the first complete English translation of the poem by a woman, which Nolan has cited as a key influence on the film. Praised for its clear, contemporary language and nuanced take on characters like Odysseus and Penelope, Wilson’s version has introduced the story to a new generation of readers just as excitement builds for the blockbuster adaptation.

And that’s a wrap on this week’s Story to Screen Report! We’ll be back soon with more casting news, trailers, adaptation announcements, and all the latest book-to-screen news 🍿📚