6 books to read before movie adaptations premiere

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker has prepared a selection of books for those who prefer to read first, and only then watch the film adaptation.

1. "It" by Stephen King

One of the most significant novels in the bibliography of the king of horror Stephen King, which served as the reason for the appearance of an evil clown in the nightmares of children around the world. "It" tells the story of old friends who faced a mysterious evil in childhood - a terrifying monster that can take any shape.

If the recently released "Dark Tower" disappointed many with excessive Hollywood and inept simplification of the original, then "It" has every chance of becoming an excellent horror movie. In the film adaptation, the actors of the first echelon are not announced. Recognizable faces include Bill Skarsgard (Hemlock Grove) and Finn Wolfard (Stranger Things).

Premiere date in Russia: September 7.

2. The Mercenary by Vince Flynn

Vince Flynn's bestseller tells the story of a simple guy, Mitch Rapp, who survived the death of his girlfriend. Thanks to this fact and sporting achievements, the CIA became interested in the hero, recruiting young people to eliminate dangerous criminals. The book tells about what happens when a civic duty comes into conflict with the desire to avenge the death of a loved one.

Dylan O'Brien (TV series Werewolf) will play the protagonist, and Michael Keaton (Birdman, Batman) will play Mitch's mentor.

Premiere date in Russia: September 28.

3. "Mountains Between Us" by Charles Martin

The story of two people who got into a plane crash and found themselves in the mountains without people, signs of civilization and special chances for salvation. The novel not only keeps in suspense all the time, but also surprises with an unexpected ending.

An excellent book - a film adaptation with great actors. Ben Bass will be played by Idris Elba (28 Weeks Later, Rock 'n' Roll), and Alex Martin will be played by Kate Winslet (Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind).

Date of the premiere in Russia: October 5.

4. The Chinaman, Stephen Lieser

The story of a former military man whose wife and daughter were killed in a terrorist bombing in the vicinity of London. The hero has to remember the skills gained in combat in order to take revenge on the killers.

Jackie Chan has not been pleased with excellent action films for a long time, and the recent film "Reckless Companions" completely disappointed the fans of the actor. In the trailer for The Foreigner, we see an atypical image of Jackie. He does not try to come to a peaceful solution to the problem, but he himself becomes the initiator of blood feud. The second member of the tandem is Pierce Brosnan.

Date of the premiere in Russia: October 12.

5. "Snowman", Yu Nesbo

The story of the work of the Norwegian detective Harry Hole, investigating the case of the first serial killer in Oslo. The maniac was nicknamed "Snowman", he hunts exclusively for married women and on the day when the first snow falls.

The adaptation of an interesting story was not without famous actors: the detective was played by Michael Fassbender, known for the film "12 Years of Slavery" and the role of the young Magneto in "X-Men". Hole's partner is played by Rebecca Ferguson (The White Queen, Mission Impossible: Outcast Tribe).

Date of the premiere in Russia: October 26.

6. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

The classic of criminal fiction - the novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - is part of a series of works about the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. This time he is investigating a mysterious murder on the train. An American named Ratchett was found dead, who had offered Poirot a substantial sum for his defense the day before. The hero has to find out which of the passengers on the train is the killer.

The trailer is intriguing: it is not known whether the film adaptation will have the same ending as in the book. It is also unclear how the dynamics of modern filmmaking will work in conjunction with the measured narrative of the 1934 novel. This work of Agatha Christie is filmed not for the first time. The most successful was the 1974 film of the same name, which is also worth watching in anticipation of a new interpretation.

The cast is full of stars: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, William Defoe. The role of Poirot will be played by Kenneth Branagh, who played Zlatopust Lokons in the movie "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."

Date of the premiere in Russia: November 9.