The Summer I Turned Pretty had everyone gravitating to their laptops/TVs for the past three months. Every Wednesday, audiences tuned into the show in their most comfortable pajamas, They would then perform a careful scrutiny of whether the show had lived up to the books or not. This analysis, also known as fidelity criticism, is the evidence of a reader’s devotion to seeing characters materialize outside the written word.
This list can help anyone pick the best from an ever-growing ocean of books that turned into movies. To maintain objectivity, the list looks at two parameters. These are–the earnings of a particular production and the critical acclaim it has garnered, either through awards or exceptional ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, Letterboxd, etc. So, friends and Romans, prepare to geek out with these 25 books that became motion pictures and left fans content with their honesty to the source material.
1. The Harry Potter Series By J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Children’s Books
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling was a trailblazer in kids’ books that turned into movies. The series follows Harry Potter and his friends from Hogwarts, grappling with the evil Lord Voldemort. The movies that came out from 2001 to 2011 in 8 parts, captured the books so flawlessly that they became a masterclass in adapting books to film.
he potions, the spells, the flying brooms (and cars!), and the camaraderie between its characters were the most fascinating and endearing simultaneously. The movies enjoyed consistent critical approval and won several awards including the prestigious BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award. In total, the eight movies grossed $7.7-7.8 billion, globally.
2. It by Stephen King
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Fantasy
Although there is no dearth of Stephen King books that were made into movies, what makes It an absolute watch is its sincerity towards its source material. The story revolves around a group of seven friends, collectively called the ‘losers’ club. The Losers Club is boxed in a corner by a mysterious paranormal presence twice in their lives. It also attempts to highlight how differently children and adults view the world and its horrors.
The book was adapted into a motion picture in 2017 and was made into two parts. It broke multiple box office records, including being the highest gross for a Stephen King adaptation in North America. It enjoys an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as well.
3. The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Young Adult
If you were a teenager in the 2010’s, it would have been almost impossible to go about your life without categorizing yourself as either Team Jacob or Team Edward. The four-part love triangle romance book series following Bella Swan’s foray into the world of vampires and werewolves quickly garnered a cult following, especially amongst young adults, and was first adapted into a film in 2008.
The entire story was released on the big screen in five parts and got progressively popular with each release. The Twilight Saga won many fan choice awards, such as the People’s Choice and Teen Choice Awards, and collected $3.3-3.6 billion worldwide.
4. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction
Set against the backdrop of World War II, The Notebook is a shining example of romance books made into movies. The protagonists of the story, Noah and Allie, fall hopelessly in love with each other over the course of one such summer. However, the class differences between their families tear them apart. The plot follows Noah and Allie as they find their way back to each other.
This romance classic was made into a movie in 2004 and collected more than four times its budget at the box office at US$117-118 billion worldwide. The film’s lead pair, Rachel MacAdams and Ryan Gosling also shared an unforgettable, iconic moment on the stage while receiving the MTV Movie Awards for the Best Kiss.
5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Genre: Classics, Young Adult, Literature
Little Women’s Jo March laid down the blueprint of what it meant to be a tomboy before it became cool to be one. It is a tale of four sisters exploring themes of love, ambition, responsibilities, war and peace. The sisterhood in the story is an accurate depiction of the love and messiness of our relationships.
This book has been adapted into the visual medium five times with the first one released almost a century ago in 1918 and the latest one released in 2019. A timeless piece of work, the latest edition of the movie collected over US$110.8 million across the globe and enjoys an approval rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Genre: Romance, Classics, Historical Fiction
Any list of the best book to movie adaptations would remain incomplete without mentioning Jane Austen. The year 2025 also marks 250 years since the birth of this pathbreaking author. The core of the novel, a love story between the witty and free-spirited Elizabeth Bennett and the seemingly detached and indifferent Mr Darcy, is a trope that has been attempted by several writers and filmmakers since but was created for the very first time by Austen.
Published first in 1813, Jane Austen’s seminal work, Pride and Prejudice, has been made into 17 literary movies. The Keira Knightley starrer that premiered in 2005 remains one of the most famous adaptations with an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
7. The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy
The Hunger Games series is set in a dystopian world where the Capitol reigns supreme with an iron fist. To keep the outlying districts in check, the Capitol forces all of them to send one girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in an annual fight to the death on live TV. Katniss Everdeen is the bold and defiant main character of this saga of survival.
The five-part franchise enjoyed massive success on the big screen, grossing over $3 billion worldwide, setting various box office records. The series also has an impressive 84% critic approval and has had 167 nominations and 65 wins throughout its run.
8. The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
In a world populated by humans, elves, dwarves, and hobbits, J.R.R. Tolkien takes us on a journey with a young hobbit and his companions in the pursuit to destroy a ring that has the power to control the entire world. An immensely popular novel, The Lord of the Rings was brought to the screen with beautiful visuals and was a huge hit across the world.
The franchise first premiered in the year 2001 and went on to bag 30 Academy Award nominations, of which it won 17, including for Best Picture and Best Director. It was also a huge commercial success, collecting almost $2.9-3.0 billion across the world.
9. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Gone Girl revolves around two questions-’What happened to Amy?” and “Did her husband Nick have something to do with what happened to her?”. A classic ‘whodunnit’ murder mystery book that explores themes of marital discord, infidelity, with commentary on the intricacies of acceptable womanhood, it is also the first of its kind in the vast ocean of mystery books. The movie adaptation is as gripping, if not more, as the book, with stellar performances from the cast.
The film was released in 2014 and became David Fincher’s highest-grossing film at the time, collecting $369.3 million at the worldwide box office. It also enjoyed widespread critical acclaim, with Rosamund Pike getting a nomination for Best Actress at the Oscars.
10. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction
In John Green’s romance classic, Hazel Green, a terminally ill cancer patient who has little enthusiasm left for life, clashes with the infectious optimism of Augustus Waters. Together, they try to rediscover a little bit of joy, despite a life that has actively marched towards their deaths since their births. The story quickly became a treatise on love and loss after it came out and had everyone hugging their partners tighter.
The cinematic version of the heartwarming tale of Hazel and Augustus came to theatres in 2014. One of the most successful examples of YA books being made into movies, the film collected more than 25 times its production budget and won 23 awards across different categories.
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11. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Genre: Contemporary, Coming of Age, Young Adult
Transforming books to screen requires an extraordinary understanding of the source material. The Perks of Being a Wallflower stands out as a motion picture where this was achieved with perfection. Through Charlie, the writer explores the dilemmas of being in high school and being conflicted between being passive and being passionate.
Dealing with themes of mental health and sexual abuse, this work of fiction is a carefully crafted coming-of-age story that was dramatized for the big screen in 2012. The film bagged 51 nominations across categories of acting, writing, and art direction, and won 20 of these. It was also a commercial hit, making twice its production budget.
12, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel
Based on the author’s real journey of rediscovering herself after her life falls apart in all directions, Eat Pray Love is an articulate and moving memoir of reclaiming one’s being when all seems lost. Elizabeth Gilbert writes about how she wanted to investigate all three of man’s basic instincts to eat, pray, and love, in her travels to Rome, India, and Bali. Julia Roberts is phenomenal in the feature as a woman dealing with a midlife crisis and delivers an empowering performance.
The film’s debut was in 2010 and became an instant hit with its viewers. Grossing over three times its production budget, it made US$204.6 million after being made at a budget of approximately $60 million.
13. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
As the title suggests, Crazy Rich Asians is about an extremely wealthy Asian family. The plot follows the family coming to terms with their son bringing home his ABC or American Born Chinese girlfriend. Set against the larger than life opulence of the Singaporean elite, the novel is extremely funny in its explorations of class differences wrapped up in the warmest form of storytelling.
The book was reworked for the big screen in 2018 and went over with a bang. It won Best Ensemble Cast at the National Board of Review and Best Comedy at the Critics’ Choice Awards. It earned around $239 million, more than 7 times its production value.
14. Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan
Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography
Marley & Me is the extremely touching and entertaining story of the writer’s life as a dog owner. It chronicles the life of Marley from puppyhood to his last breath. It was given a screen adaptation in 2008. The plot explores the fortunes of being loved by a canine who will always be by your side. The Grogans weren’t the best dog trainers in the world, but they loved Marley and were devoted to his care.
It became one of the best movies based on novels, collecting around $247.8 million. The motion picture has an audience approval rating of 75% based on over 250,000 ratings. It also polled a grade of ‘A’ on CinemaScore on ‘A+ to F’ scale.
15. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Genre: Classics, Fiction, Literature
To Kill a Mockingbird is a literary classic that is as relevant today as it was almost 65 years ago in 1960 when it was first published. It is an extremely important work that tries to make sense of a deeply racial world through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch. Atticus Finch, the father of the two siblings, is a lawyer trying to save his client from wrongful incarceration and a prejudiced social order.
The book tops the list of classic books made into beautiful movies and was translated into a motion picture in 1962. It won various accolades at the Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Art Direction.
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16. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance
If you have ever wondered if your boss eats actual human souls for lunch, then The Devil Wears Prada was written for you. Miranda Priestly is the high-profile and immensely successful editor of a fashion magazine. Andrea Sachs, a small-town girl, has just landed a job as her assistant. The film has a cult following and is one of the most impactful movies based on books on Netflix.
Portraying the role of an impossible boss in the history of impossible bosses, Meryl Streep delivers a powerful performance in the 2006 screen adaptation of this novel. She also went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy for the film.
17. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Genre: Horror, Fiction, Mystery
Although the second part of the Hannibal Lecter book series, The Silence of the Lambs, is more popular than the first part. This is largely because of its screen adaptation, which came out in 1991. Undoubtedly, one of the best films based on books, the plot follows an investigation into a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill.
After hitting a wall, the FBI decides to make use of another inmate with a gory history, to do a profile on their current suspect. A significant financial success, the film made around $276 million with a mere $19 million budget. It also won Academy Awards in 5 categories that year including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor and Actress in a leading role.
18. Dune by Frank Herbert
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Classics
One of the most popular movies based on books on Netflix, Dune is an impeccably researched account of what the future could look like according to its author. The narrative revolves around Paul Atreides, the noble heir tasked with ruling a world falling into chaos over ‘spice’- a drug capable of adding numerous years to one’s life and youth. The theatrical release of the film was in the year 2021.
The film won several Academy Awards for its stunning visuals, including the awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography. It also earned an impressive $411 million at the worldwide box office.
19. The Shining by Stephen King
Genre: Horror, Classic, Fiction
Stephen King’s magnum opus was transformed into one of the most famous movies ever by a legendary director, Stanley Kubrick, in 1980. This work of fiction is unique because of its layered portrayal of the horrors of alcoholism and anger issues in a family. What makes this one of the most iconic horror books/films to ever exist is that it delves into the human psyche to scrape out the fact that no ghost or alien is scarier than human vices.
With over 1.2 million user ratings, it holds an 8.4 out of 10 on IMDb. On Rotten Tomatoes as well, it has an audience approval rating of 93%. The film is also a decent financial success, having collected around $47.5 million.
20. Dead Poets Society by Nancy H. Kleinbaum
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Classics
We have all had that one teacher who inspired us so deeply that they ended up changing the course of our lives without ever even knowing it. The Dead Poets Society is a story of one such flamboyant English professor, played with an ever-endearing smile by Robin Williams. The students revive the Dead Poets Society, which has no expectations of its members and lets them run wild and free.
Released in 1989, the film remains relevant even today for its infectious enthusiasm for life. It was a noteworthy success, collecting over 14 times its production cost at $143.6million at the international box office. It also holds a rating of 8.1 out of 10 on IMDb.
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21. Alan Turing: The Enigma as The Imitation Game by Andrew Hodges
Genre: Biography, Nonfiction, History
Inspired by a true story, The Imitation Game is a bold and haunting adaptation of Alan Turing’s biography. The movie came out in 2014 and is based on one of the books that are movies on Netflix. Alan Turing was an important part of the Second World War, whose work made the Allied-American control of the Atlantic possible. However, none of his achievements and contributions could save him from the backlash he received after coming out as a homosexual, eventually leading to his suicide in 1954.
The film’s box office collection was more than 16 times its production budget. It also won an Academy Award for the Best Adapted Screenplay and has an audience approval rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
22. The Martian by Andy Weir
Genre: Space, Science Fiction
What would you do if you got stuck on Mars with the next flight out of there almost four years away? Well, Andy Weir’s protagonist, astronaut Mark Watney, chooses to pen down some of the best jokes he can come up with in his journal. The Martian is a refreshing take on a space survivor thriller and will have you gasping for breath while laughing between its pages.
The film adaptation of the same name came to the theatres in 2015 and was a smashing hit subsequently, making 6 times its production budget. It also won two Golden Globes in the Best Motion Picture and Best Actor categories.
23. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Contemporary
Life of Pi is the story of a young Indian boy traversing across the Pacific on a lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger that used to live in his father’s zoo. It is astonishing to see an apex predator betray his most basic instincts to hunt but that is what this exercise in survival is about. It was also recognized for its stunning visual effects and the magic spun by the musicians working on the movie.
The motion picture adaptation of the book received four Academy Awards, including Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Score. It also garnered financial success, grossing approximately $609 million.
24. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a mystery that will suck you in within its first few pages. It is captivating because of how it has combined family drama, love story, and murder mystery in one 500-page book. It is everything that the audiences have to come to expect from a Scandinavian noir with its multiple dark, complex, twisted, and disturbing storylines. It is an unmissable work of fiction in a medium of one’s choice.
The novel has several prestigious awards to its name and was made into a movie of the same name in 2005. It also won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing and bagged several other nominations and collected blockbuster earnings, grossing worldwide at $130.1 million.
25. The Green Mile by Stephen King
Genre: Horror, Fiction, Fantasy
A horror veteran, Stephen King is at the top of his game in this masterpiece, which revolves around the inmates at Cold Mountain Penitentiary. The newest prisoner, on the block, sentenced for raping and murdering two young girls, seems like he has outdone the cumulative evil within the cells of that jail. Tom Hanks delivered an unforgettable performance as the prison guard in the theatrical adaptation of the book, which was released in 1999.
The movie enjoys a rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and is also a box office hit, making approximately $286.8 million, which is 4.8 times its production budget.
Conclusion
It is imperative to acknowledge the monumental amount of effort that goes into translating the written word into visuals. To be in the hall of fame of books that turned into movies is not an easy feat. Each genre has its limitations. While ‘fantasy’ suffers from translating inconceivable worlds and beings, ‘horror’ might get reduced to jump scares. And as such, taking on the challenge of telling a story that has been told before and doing it well is an effort worth applause.
From romance to fantasy to biographies, logistical and narrative issues abound. However, each and every variant of storytelling that is listed above succeeded in cementing its place in the audience’s heart and deserves a special place in either your bookshelves or your OTT subscriptions.
FAQs
1. Which books were made into movies in 2025?
Major book to movie adaptation of 2025 include The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, The Running Man by Stephen King, Wicked: For Good by Gregory Maguire, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding, and You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
2. What are the upcoming movie adaptations from books in 2026?
Some of the books coming to screen in 2026 are Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, Verity by Colleen Hoover, and The Hunger Game: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.
3. Which is the most famous book to movie adaptation ever?
While there are some very well-deserved contenders for this title, The Lord of The Rings trilogy can be considered the most famous book to movie adaptation ever. This is because it excelled at gaining both commercial and critical success–it grossed over $2.9billion worldwide and holds an approval rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
