Among all the tentpole franchise films releasing in 2025, whether it be sequels, superhero flicks, orvideo game adaptations, the silver screen will also see its fair share of movies adapted from books. From more family-oriented fare, toterrifyingStephen King adaptations, plenty of best-selling novels will be making their way to the big screen (and some for the small screen) for book fans and newcomers alike to enjoy. Here are each of the book adaptations hitting theaters in 2025.
June 06, 2025
Based on the best-selling children’s books by Dav Pilkey,DreamWorks’Dog Manis the latest of Pilkey’s work to make its way to the big screen, after 2017’sCaptain Underpantsadaptation, also from DreamWorks. Following a hybrid human-dog police officer,Dog Manwill see the super cop take on the dastardly feline villain, Petey the Cat, voiced byPete Davidson. Also starringIsla Fisher(Now You See Me),Poppy Liu(Hacks),Billy Boyd(Lord of the Rings),Stephen Root(Office Space), andLil Rel Howery(Get Out), the animated action-comedy is sure to be a delight for kids and parents alike.
August 19, 2025
It’s been nearly nine years since audiences last sawRenée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones, who is soon returning for her fourth outing,Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. The fourth film in theBridget Jonesseries will follow a widowed Bridget as she navigates life as a single mom, all the while encountering some new potential love interests. The film is also the first in the series to bypass theaters (in the US, at least) in favor of a streaming release on Peacock, but that shouldn’t make fans any less excited about what the next chapter in Bridget’s story holds.
‘The Monkey’
July 04, 2025
The first of two Stephen King stories seeing the adaptation treatment in 2025 is directorOsgood Perkins' follow-up to 2024’sbreakout horror success,Longlegs,titledThe Monkey. The horror-comedy starsBedlam’sTheo Jamesand follows two brothers who’ve returned to their hometown to confront a killer toy monkey that had been thought to have been destroyed years prior. Tonally quite different from Perkins' previous work,The Monkeylooks to do the Stephen King short story justice, all the while offering up a fun time for hardcore horror fans.
‘Mickey 17’
July 02, 2025
The long-awaited follow-up toBong Joon-ho’s Best Picture-winningParasite, sci-fi flickMickey 17will be adapted fromEdward Ashton’s 2022 novel,Mickey7.The story will focus on Mickey Barnes, a man who applies to be an “expendable” (someone who is perpetually cloned with the purpose of completing dangerous missions) and embarks on a perilous journey to colonize an ice planet. StarringRobert Pattinson(The Batman),Naomi Ackie(Blink Twice),Steven Yeun(Minari),Toni Collette(Hereditary), andMark Ruffalo(Poor Things),Mickey 17is one of 2025’s most star-studded affairs, and one of the year’s most promising films in general.
‘The Electric State’
August 25, 2025
Yet another sci-fi book adaptation, Netflix’sThe Electric StateadaptsSimon Stålenhag’s graphic novel of the same name and follows an orphaned teenager (Stranger Things’Millie Bobby Brown) who traverses a dystopian America alongside an eccentric drifter (Chris Pratt) in pursuit of her younger brother. Directed byAvengers: Endgamedirectors Anthony and Joe Russo,The Electric Statelooks to be a fun sci-fi dystopian romp for Netflix, and, hopefully, a faithful adaptation of its source material.
‘The Friend’
August 17, 2025
Based on Sigrid Nunez’s novel of the same name,The FriendstarsNaomi Watts(The Impossible) as a novelist who adopts a Great Dane, previously owned by her late friend/mentor. The film was a hit on the festival circuit, reviewing well out of major festivals such as Telluride, TIFF, and the New York Film Festival, and looks to be a solid drama showcase for the terrific Watts.
‘A Working Man’
July 01, 2025
Director David Ayerand starJason Stathamare uniting for a second timefollowing their 2024 action hit,The Beekeeper, 2025’sA Working Manis an adaptation ofChuck Dixon’sLevon’s Trade, the first novel in Dixon’sLevon Cadebook series. Written bySylvester Stallone,A Working Manfollows Levon Cade (Statham), a mysterious construction worker with a special set of skills, who is forced to return to the shadowy world he used to inhabit when his friends' daughter is kidnapped. The film looks like a classic Jason Statham action romp, and will hopefully make for a fun adaptation of Chuck Dixon’s novel.
‘The Amateur’
June 16, 2025
StarringAcademy Award-winner Rami Malek,The Amateuris an adaptation ofRobert Littell’s classic spy thriller of the same name. The film follows Charles Heller (Malek), a CIA cryptographer who is in pursuit of the terrorists responsible for his wife’s murder. Also starringLaurence Fishburne(The Matrix),Jon Bernthal(The Punisher),Caitríona Balfe(Belfast), andRachel Brosnahan(Superman),The Amateuris a 90s-esque spy thriller that is sure to please fans of the genre.
‘The Life of Chuck’
June 14, 2025
The second Stephen King short story adaptation of 2025 isThe Life of Chuck, starringLokistar Tom Hiddleston. The film, directed byMike Flanagan,follows three chapters in the life of an ordinary working man, Charles Krantz (Hiddleston). While both King and Flanagan are more known for their stories of terror,The Life of Chuckis a refreshingly life-affirming and light-hearted tale that will capture the hearts of audiences, as well as do justice to King’s work.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’
August 16, 2025
Serving as both an adaptation ofCressida Cowell’s book and a live-action remake of DreamWorks' beloved animation,Dean DeBlois’How to Train Your Dragonwill be one of Universal’s biggest films of 2025. DeBlois previously directed the originalHow to Train Your Dragontrilogy (co-directing the first film withThe Wild Robotdirector, Chris Sanders). Also returning from the original films isGerard Butler’s Stoick the Vast, one of the best characters in the trilogy. From the look of the teaser trailer, the film is shaping up to be a very faithful remake, bringing this classic tale to life like never before.
