We’re calling it now: 2018 is going to be THE year for young adult book-to-movie adaptations. Here are five we absolutely can’t wait for:
Love, Simon (March 16, 2018) – based on Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
As the first film featuring a gay main character’s love story from one of the big film studios, this film adaptation is a big deal. If it’s anything like its source material (and based on the trailers, we’ve got a good feeling), this movie is going to be a fun and important movie. We can’t wait to be first in line to support Love, Simon, Oreos in hand.
The Darkest Minds (August 3, 2018) – based on the novel by Alexandra Bracken
Alexandra Bracken’s The Darkest Minds is one of those books that you’ll read in a single sitting because you won’t be able to put it down. With a killer cast that includes Amandla Stenberg, Mandy Moore, and Gwendoline Christie, we are anxiously looking forward to this adaptation. And the wait just got a little shorter – the movie’s release date has just been moved up to August 3rd, 2018!
Are you one of us? 08.03.18 #DarkestMinds pic.twitter.com/uw5FIxkhsS
— The Darkest Minds (@DarkestMinds) February 16, 2018
The Hate U Give (Release Date TBA) – based on the novel by Angie Thomas
If you haven’t read Angie Thomas’s debut novel yet, may we suggest you buy it or borrow it from the library ASAP? Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, The Hate U Give was one of the most important, relevant books published in 2017, and the film adaptation has another stacked cast: Amandla Stenberg, Issa Rae, Regina Hall, and Common, among others. Props to Fox for choosing to recast and reshoot parts of the movie when one of the white actors was found to have made recent racist comments; this is another movie we can’t wait to support.
Dumplin’ (Release Date TBA) – based on the novel by Julie Murphy
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Dumplin’ is one of our favorite contemporary YA novels and we can’t wait to see a movie about a fat girl living her life without being about her size or losing weight. Starring Danielle Macdonald and Jennifer Aniston, this body positive story has the potential to make a splash. And as a bonus, because main character Willowdean is a Dolly fan, Dolly Parton is writing new music for the movie!
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (Release Date TBA) – 
Jenny Han’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a super fun novel about what happens when all of the secret love letters you’ve written – but never meant to send – to five boys somehow make their way to the unintended recipients. This film adaptation features Lana Condor as Lara Jean Covey. We can’t wait to see a romantic comedy with an Asian-American lead actress!
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What movie adaptation are you most looking forward to in 2018?
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