Search icon

Feature

20th Dec 2016

15 Books To Read Before The Film Comes Out In 2016

katedemolder

Ever see a film on a cinema listing and wish you had time to read the book beforehand? Well, now you can. 

2016 is promising a whole load of cracking films, to suit everyone from old to ancient – and if you start now, you can make a dent in some of these books before the film hits the big screen. Or you could try anyway…

1. The Taliban Shuffle by Kim Barker

Film: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Kim Barker’s memoir of her time as a war reporter in Pakistan is described as a ‘war comedy’ – a sparse genre, but one populated by greats such as Good Morning Vietnam and Dr Strangelove.

This is gonna be a big one with the massively famous cast of Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman and Nicholas Braun.

Coming out this week.

2. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Film: Allegiant

Allegiant is the third instalment of the very successful Divergent trilogy, and continues the story of Beatrice (Tris) and what lies beyond the gates of the closed and controlled society she has always known. The second half, Ascendant, will be released in 2017.

An impressive cast of Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort and the lovely Naomi Watts.

Coming out March 18.

3. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Film: The Jungle Book

Yes, everyone’s favourite jungle story is coming to the big screen – you may have seen the Disney take, but the book documenting Mowgli’s adventures is worth a look. Another high-profile cast made up of Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray, Neel Sethi.

Coming out April 15.

4. Through The Looking-Glass, And What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll

Film: Alice Through The Looking Glass

This is the film sequel to 2010’s Alice in Wonderland. Back again are Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp, reprising their roles as Alice and the Mad Hatter respectively, and Tim Burton at the helm. Naturally

Coming out May 27.

5. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Film: Me Before You

In this love story, young Lou Clark forms a bond with Will Traynor, the paralysed man she is employed to help.  Emilia Clarke is playing Lou, opposite Sam Claflin as Will.

Coming out June 3.

6. The BFG by Roald Dahl

Film: The BFG

This is not a drill: Roald Dahl’s classic is coming to the big screen this July and we can’t wait. Directed by Steven Spielberg, so you know this’ll be a good’un – and the book is one you’ll read in a single sitting.

Coming out July 1.

7. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Film: The Legend of Tarzan

The tale of the outrageously ripped and perfectly coiffed jungle man who was raised by apes – based around Burroughs’s creation, who was introduced in this novel. Starring Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L Jackson and Margot Robbie.

Coming out July 1.

8. The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

Film: The Girl on the Train

A psychological thriller in which a woman thinks she may know something about a crime involving a couple she sees on her train commute every day.

Starring Emily Blunt.

Coming out October 7.

Emily

9. Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: And a Thousand Cocktails by Mike and Dave Stangle

Film: Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates

This is the story of how two brothers actually used Craigslist to find dates for their cousin’s wedding and how their outrageous ad went viral. Starring Anna Kendrick, Zac Efron, Aubrey Plaza and Adam DeVine.

Coming out July 8.

10. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Film: A Monster Calls

A young boy attempts to deal with bullying and his mother’s illness by concocting a fantasy world filled with mythical creatures. Starring Felicity Jones, Liam Neeson and Sigourney Weaver.

Coming out October 14.

11. Inferno by Dan Brown

Film: Inferno

Another member of the The Da Vinci Code series, which follows Robert Langdon’s latest adventure as he tries to stop another international scheme by following the clues in Dante’s The Divine Comedy.

Starring the high profile cast of Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones and Ben Foster – the book isn’t exactly intellectually challenging, but hey, we all have holidays coming up.

Coming out October 14

12. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

Film: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

This is going to be huuuuuge.

Rowling revisits the Harry Potter universe in this book about Newt Scamander, who wrote the textbook that Potter and his classmates would go on to study – not a part of the actual seven books, but an interesting add-on nonetheless. Eddie Redmayne will star and David Yates has signed on to direct.

Coming out on November 18.

13. Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain

Film: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

Set during the Iraq war, the novel explores the gaping national disconnect between the war abroad and the war at home. 

Starring Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel, Steve Martin, Chris Tucker

Coming out November 11.

14. Silence by Shusaku Endo

Film: Silence

This book follows the story of Jesuits who are trying to bring Christianity to 17th-century Japan. Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver and Liam Neeson, also directed by Martin Scorsese. 

Opening in November.

Silence Novel

15. Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Film: Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

In this novel, a teenager named Jacob explores the ruins of a house on an island near Wales.

Starring Eva Green and Asa Butterfield. And, Tim Burton is directing.

Opening December 25

11745924 755501331225070 8537813031847057816 N 1

READ NEXT: The Most Irish Things That Have Happened This Week

Topics: