17 Film And TV Adaptations Based On Young Adult Books That Are Coming To Screens Soon
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1.This Is My America
What it's about: For the last seven years, Tracy has been writing to Innocence X every week to ask them to help her father, an innocent Black man on death row. In the midst of running out of time, Jamal, Tracy's track star older brother, is accused of killing a white girl, and he goes on the run. Tracy is determined to discover what really happened between Jamal and Angela down at the Pike.
Type of adaptation: TV, HBO Max
Most recent updates: Jessica Watson will adapt, and Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage will produce this show.
2.More Happy Than Not
What it's about: After a family tragedy leaves him reeling, Aaron Soto is slowly reconnecting with happiness thanks to his girlfriend, Genevieve, and his new best friend, Thomas. But as Thomas and Aaron get closer, Aaron makes discoveries that threaten to shatter his newfound contentment.
Type of adaptation: TV, HBO Max
Most recent updates: Adam Silvera will be producing this one-hour series alongside Drew Comins.
3.They Both Die at the End
What it's about: Mateo and Rufus are looking for new friends, and they find each other on an app called Last Friend. Both teens have gotten a call from Death-Cast telling them they're going to die today, and they're going to meet up for one last great adventure in a single day.
Type of adaptation: TV
Most recent updates: Silvera is set to write the adaptation, produced by the same folks working on More Happy Than Not at HBO Max.
4.What Girls Are Made Of/Hot Pink
What it's about: Nina will do anything for the boy she loves to prove she's worthy of him, but she is lost when he breaks up with her. After, she tries to discover the conditions of love through her volunteer gig at a high-kill animal shelter, and through memories of the time her mother took her to Italy to see statues of saints who died for their unending devotion.
Type of adaptation: TV, Amazon
Most recent updates: Sarah Michelle Gellar is set to star in the pilot of this adaptation created by Elisabeth Holm.
5.I Believe in a Thing Called Love
What it's about: Anything is possible if you have a plan, which is why Desi Lee has created her list of "K-drama Rules to True Love." Using the Korean dramas that her father obsessively watches, she decides to use this list to tackle her love life — and go after the moody artist Luca.
Type of adaptation: Movie, Netflix
Most recent updates: Netflix is set to make a film version of this book with Lee Byung-hun set to produce and star as Desi's dad.
6.Clap When You Land
What it's about: Camino lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic, but his plane never arrives. Yahaira is in New York City, where she's called to the principal's office to face her mother and the news that her father has died in a plane crash. Until now, the girls haven't known about each other, but now they're forced to face a new reality.
Type of adaptation: TV Show, Made-up Stories
Most recent updates: This was announced back in December, with Elizabeth Acevedo set to write the pilot in addition to executive-producing.
7.The Girls I've Been
What it's about: Nora, her girlfriend, and her ex-boyfriend walk into a bank. There are a few problems here. One, Nora is the daughter of a con artist who targeted criminal men (but her mom ended up falling for her last mark instead of conning him). Two, Wes, her ex-boyfriend, doesn't know that she and Iris are dating, even though they are all friends. Three, there are two guys robbing the bank and holding them hostage.
Type of adaptation: Movie, Netflix
Most recent updates: Millie Bobby Brown is set to star and executive-produce this thriller.
8.Red Queen
What it's about: In a world divided by blood (Red = commoners, Silver = superpowered elites), Mare will discover that, despite her red blood, she possesses a power that threatens the current regime, leading them to declare her a long-lost Silver princess.
Type of adaptation: TV Show, Peacock
Most recent updates: Red Queen is being developed as a one-hour drama, with Elizabeth Banks set to executive-produce (alongside author Victoria Aveyard and showrunner Beth Schwartz, who co-wrote the pilot), direct, and appear.
9.On the Come Up
What it's about: Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time, filling the big shoes of her father, an underground rap legend who died before he hit big. But after her mom unexpectedly loses her job, Bri no longer just wants to make it...she has to.
Type of adaptation: Movie, Paramount Players
Most recent updates: Sanaa Lathan was announced to direct, making her feature-film directorial debut!
10.The Summer I Turned Pretty
What it's about: Belly has spent every summer at Cousins Beach, home of her favorite people: Susannah, her mother's best friend, and her sons Conrad and Jeremiah. She's hopeful this summer will be different. After all, she's been chasing Conrad for as long as she can remember, and the lingering looks from Jeremiah (and a new guy named Cam) seem to suggest this summer will change everything.
Type of adaptation: TV Series, Amazon
Most recent updates: Jenny Han, in addition to writing the pilot, serves as co-showrunner and executive producer. The show has already cast Lola Tung, Christopher Briney, and Gavin Casalegno, who will play Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, respectively.
11.One of Us Is Lying
What it's about: Five students walk into detention. Four walk out. This mystery follows Bronwyn (the brain), Addy (the beauty), Nate (the criminal), and Cooper (the athlete) after the death of Simon (the outcast) who was the creator of Bayview High's gossip app and who planned to post juicy reveals about the other four the next day...making them the prime suspects.
Type of adaptation: TV Series, Peacock
Most recent updates: Watch the teaser trailer now, and stream the show soon!
12.Somewhere Only We Know
What it's about: K-pop star Lucky is just about to make her breakout debut on The Tonight Show, but right now she's in her fancy hotel in Hong Kong, desperately craving a hamburger. Jack is a reporter who sneaks into the fancy hotel where Lucky is staying in order to follow a story about two other stars when he runs into her on her hamburger quest. Though he can't quite place her at first, once he realizes who she is, he tries to figure out how to use the information for his job — if he doesn't fall for her first.
Type of adaptation: Film, Netflix
Most recent updates: Lana Cho is set to adapt this rom-com for Netflix.
13.Children of Blood and Bone
What it's about: Zélie Adebola remembers what it was like before magic disappeared from her land — before maji were killed under the orders of a ruthless king. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic...but to do so, she must outrun the crown prince, who wants to eradicate magic for good.
Type of adaptation: Movie, Lucasfilm
Most recent updates: Lucasfilm is developing this one, as announced by Disney last December, and we're anxiously awaiting more updates.
14.Heartstopper
What it's about: Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. Charlie overthinks things. The thing he's overthinking right now? His crush on Nick, a rugby player at his school. While he doesn't think he has a chance, Nick soon develops feelings of his own for Charlie, and their love story begins.
Type of adaptation: TV, Netflix
Most recent updates: Season 1 has finished filming, so we should hopefully know about a release date soon. Charlie and Nick will be played by Joe Locke and Kit Connor, respectively.
15.The Upside of Unrequited
What it's about: Molly Peskin-Suso has had 26 crushes, but never a relationship. After all, she's always known that fat girls have to be careful when it comes to putting yourself out there. But her cynical twin, Cassie, is now smitten with her new girlfriend — who, luckily for Molly, comes with a super-cute hipster sidekick. And then there's Reid, the chubby, nerdy fanboy who she works with...
Type of adaptation: Movie, The Shakespeare Sisters
Most recent updates: This one is still in early stages, but you can check out our interview with Becky Albertalli and with The Shakespeare Sisters here to learn a little bit more.
16.I'll Be the One
What it's about: Skye Shin has just made it into an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star. Her spectacular voice earns her a spot in the singing portion of the competition, and despite what her mother has told her — that fat girls shouldn't dance, that they shouldn't draw attention to themselves — her incredible moves get her into the dance portion. But her mother isn't the only one whose fat-phobic standards Skye will have to overcome on her quest to become the world's first plus-size K-pop star.
Type of adaptation: Movie, HBO Max
Most recent updates: Back in early 2020, HBO Max won the rights to this novel, with Nahnatchka Khan set to produce.
17.Firekeeper's Daughter
What it's about: 18-year-old Daunis has been dreaming of a fresh start in college since she's never felt like she fit in her hometown or on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. But after family tragedy strikes, she stays to look after her mother, meeting Jamie, a new recruit on her brother's hockey team, in the process. And when Daunis witnesses a murder, she's pulled into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug and ends up undercover to track down the source.
Type of adaptation: TV, Netflix
Most recent updates: Higher Ground Productions (the production company of Barack and Michelle Obama) is making this one for Netflix, with Mickey Fisher as showrunner and co-writer and Wenonah Wilms as executive producer and co-writer.
