As we near the end of the year, the book adaptations are really ramping up, especially with awards season just around the corner. Wicked: For Good highlights the month, but there is a lot more than that, from smaller independent films to TV miniseries.
There are plenty of adaptations to dig into this month. Let’s dive into the list and see what we’re watching.
New Film Adaptations
The Running Man, written by Stephen King under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, was released as a film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987. However, that adaptation only took bits of the original book. The 2025 adaptation, due out on November 7th, is a more faithful adaptation of King’s original vision.
The 2025 version of The Running Man is directed and co-written by Edgar Wright, and stars Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Emilia Jones, Lee Pace, and William H. Macy.
Nuremberg will be released on November 7th, 2025. The movie takes place during the Nuremberg trials and stars Russell Crowe as Hitler’s right-hand man, Hermann Goring, and Rami Malek as a psychiatrist charged with interviewing Nazi military members to determine whether they are fit to stand trial.
The film is based on 2013’s The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai. Nuremberg releases in theaters on November 7th. [Trailer]
Tonya Bolden‘s 2014 book Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America. The book is the little-known true story of Sarah Rector, who was once the wealthiest Black girl in America. In 1920, at the age of 18, Rector was worth a million dollars.
The film adaptation is directed and co-written by Cyrus Nowrasteh. Naya Desir-Johnson stars as Sarah Rector, with Zachary Levi playing Bert Smith. Sarah’s Oil releases in theaters on November 7th. [Trailer]
Ready for Christmas? New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury must be as the adaptation of The Christmas Ring hits theaters on November 7th. The religious story follows a military widow who falls in love while searching for a lost family heirloom.
Guillermo del Toro‘s Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Mia Goth as Lady Elizabeth Harlander, and Jacob Elordi as The Creature. The film has debuted at numerous festivals and had a brief theatrical run. The latest adaptation of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley‘s classic makes its Netflix debut on November 7th. [Trailer]
Mason Deaver‘s I Wish You All the Best was adapted by Tommy Dorfman, who wrote, directed, and produced the film.
The film adaptation premiered at South by Southwest way back in 2024, but is finally coming to theaters on November 7th. [Trailer]
Die, My Love was well-received at the Cannes Film Festival and will make its stateside debut in theaters on November 7th. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, and is directed by Lynne Ramsey.
The 2012 novel Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz serves as the basis for this film. The movie releases in theaters on November 7th, 2025.
Train Dreams, based on the novella by Denis Johnson, releases on Netflix on November 21st. There will also be a limited theatrical release on November 7th. It stars Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier.
The original novella won an O. Henry Award in 2003 and the 2002 Aga Khan Prize for Fiction. [Teaser Trailer]
Written and directed by Ira Sachs, Peter Hujar’s Day is a biographical film starring Ben Whishaw as photographer Peter Hujar and Rebecca Hall as writer Linda Rosenkrantz. It is inspired by a book of the same name by Rosenkrantz. Early reviews have praised the film. Peter Hujar’s Day releases in theaters on November 7th. [Trailer]
Hamnet, which has been getting a lot of Oscar buzz, releases in theaters on November 27th. The film stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William Shakespeare as they deal with the tragic death of their son, Hamnet. An event that inspired the creation of Hamlet.
The film is based on Maggie O’Farrell‘s 2020 novel. Hamnet releases in theaters on November 27th, 2025.
Pillion, based on Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones, stars Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård in a tender love story. Pillion releases in UK theaters on November 28th. [Trailer]
The Thing with Feathers is written and directed by Dylan Southern and stars Benedict Cumberbatch. The story follows a father left to raise his children after the unexpected death of his wife.
The film is based on the book Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter. The Thing with Feathers releases in theaters on November 28th. [Trailer]
This month’s biggest release is Wicked: For Good, the second part of the Jon M. Chu-directed adaptation. The film is based on the second half of the music, which was based on Gregory Maguire‘s 1995 novel Wicked.
Wicked: For Good releases in theaters on November 23rd.
New TV Show Adaptations
Death by Lightning is a miniseries that follows U.S. President James A. Garfield and his admirer, and later shooter, Charles J. Guiteau. It stars Michael Shannon as Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as Guiteau,
The series is based on the 2011 book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. Death by Lightning premieres on Netflix on November 6th, 2025. [Trailer]
Nick Cave, best known for his music, has also carved out a well-received career as a novelist. He is the author of The Death of Bunny Munro which has been adapted to a television series for Sky Atlantic.
The Death of Bunny Munro follows a misogynistic middle-aged salesman who takes his son on a road trip to Sussex at the same time as a serial killer is inhabiting the area. The show stars Matt Smith and Rafael Mathé in the lead roles. It premieres on Sky on November 20th. [Trailer]
All Her Fault is a mystery thriller series premiering on Peacock on November 6th. The eight-episode series stars Sarah Snook, Jake Lacy, Michael Peña, Sophia Lillis, and Dakota Fanning.
The series is based on Andrea Mara‘s 2021 novel of the same name.
Returning TV Show Adaptations
Maxton Hall Season 2 premieres on Prime Video on November 7th. The series is based on the Maxton Hall Series by Mona Kasten. [Trailer]
That’s all for this month. We’ll see you in December for another big month of book adaptations, including Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vince is the Entertainment Editor at Book Notification. His first book was Green Eggs & Ham by Dr. Seuss, and his passion for reading took off from there. He'll read just about anything, but can usually be found re-reading his favorite Pynchon novels and Seattle Mariners box scores.