Hayley breaks down the book adaptations making their way to screens in the coming months, featuring The Testaments, Carley Fortune and The Devil Wears Prada 2.
The Testaments
With The Handmaid’s Tale taking its final bow for Hulu (Disney+ for us) in April 2025, the streamer is wasting no time replacing it with a follow-up series based on Margaret Atwood’s Booker Prize-splitting 2019 sequel, The Testaments, with Bruce Miller stepping back into the showrunner role. Set several years after the original series, the story follows dutiful Agnes, (June’s daughter, previously named Hannah) and outsider Daisy as they bond in Aunt Lydia’s preparatory school for future wives of Gilead. One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti leads the series as Agnes, with Ann Dowd returning as Aunt Lydia and newcomer Lucy Halliday starring as Daisy.
The Testaments streams on Disney+ from April 8.
Margo's Got Money Troubles
I’m always a little wary when a book I loved is up for adaptation, but I have a feeling this one’s gonna be good. Rufi Thorpe’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles was a hit in 2024, with Apple TV+ snapping up the adaptation rights before the book was even released, and they're now bringing it to the small screen as a mini-series. Elle Fanning stars as Margo, who, after having a baby with her married university professor, creates a unique persona on OnlyFans to support herself, reconnecting with her pro-wrestler father (Nick Offerman) along the way to gain some insight into the world of performance. TV juggernaut David E. Kelley is acting as showrunner for the series, with Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicole Kidman and Greg Kinnear in supporting roles.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles begins on Apple TV+ on April 15.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
With a release almost definitely timed to coincide with the biggest fashion event of the year (the Met Gala, taking place, as always, on the first Monday in May), the long-awaited sequel to The Devil Wears Prada is clacking into theatres. It might be a bit of a stretch to call it an adaptation this time around though, because it sounds like the film is forgoing the widely criticised sequel to the book written by Lauren Weisberger and opting for a different plot: Andy returns to work with Miranda Priestly at Runway Magazine amidst a changing landscape for print media, and the two attempt to join forces with Emily, who now runs a luxury brand. Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci are all reprising their roles, with director David Frankel also returning.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 comes to theatres on April 30.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Shelby Van Pelt’s Remarkably Bright Creatures, a heartwarming story of two aquarium workers and an octopus, was an instant hit after its 2022 release (and one of those books that librarians never actually see because it just has constant holds), selling over two million copies and earning a Netflix adaptation which is now making its way to screens. Directed by Olivia Newman (Where the Crawdads Sing), the film stars Sally Field as Tova, a 70-year-old widow who works the night shift cleaning her local aquarium, while Lewis Pullman plays Cameron, a lost 30-year-old who joins her in the job. And then there’s Marcellus (voiced by Alfred Molina), a giant octopus nearing the end of his lifespan, who observes these humans and their struggles from inside his tank.
Remarkably Bright Creatures arrives on Netflix on May 8.
Cape Fear
You might never have heard of The Executioners by John D. MacDonald, but you’ve likely heard of its adaptations: all three of them, all retitled to Cape Fear. The first came in 1962, led by Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum, followed by the more well-known Martin Scorsese remake in 1991 starring Robert DeNiro, Nick Nolte and Jessica Lange. Apple TV+ is now taking the material to the small screen, with Channel Zero and Brand New Cherry Flavour showrunner Nick Antosca at the helm. Javier Bardem, with big shoes to fill, is stepping into the formidable role of Max Cady, a convicted rapist who seeks revenge on his public defenders (played by Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson) after being released from prison.
Cape Fear releases on Apple TV+ on June 5.
Every Year After
Carley Fortune has been making a big splash in recent years with her summertime romance books, and her 2022 smash hit Every Summer After is getting the television treatment from Prime Video (retitled to Every Year After). From the writers of And Just Like That…, the series stars Sadie Soverall and Matt Cornett as Persephone and Sam, two teenagers whose friendship blossoms into more and then fractures them apart over the course of six summers spent together in the lakeside town of Barry’s Bay, until they reunite a decade later to fix what was broken. The novel has a sequel released last year, One Golden Summer, following a different character with a different story in the same town, which could also be ripe for an adaptation if the series proves to be a success.
Every Year After streams on Prime Video from June 10.
Supergirl
James Gunn’s new Superman reboot blasted into cinemas to favourable reviews and box office takings last year, creating a promising start to the new DC Universe and teasing a follow-up with Supergirl, played in a cameo by House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock. Director Craig Gillespie is bringing us the new film, which looks like a blend of John Wick and Guardians of the Galaxy, with Kara Zor-el/Supergirl embarking on a mission across the universe to save her dog, the very adorable Krypto, after he’s poisoned by some shady spacy pirates, and bringing another vengeful young girl with her along the way. It also features Matthias Schoenaerts, David Krumholtz and Jason Momoa, making a return to the DC film universe in another role after leaving Aquaman behind.
Supergirl comes to theatres on June 25.
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