No matter the era, books have served as a perfect source material for films. Whether it’s your favorite novel ever or a recommendation from a friend, when the books you read become film adaptations, you’re immediately given the chance to see how the movie in your mind actually translates to the screen.
In 2025, we were gifted an array of films, both on the big screen and on streaming services, inspired by some of literature’s best. From two new adaptations of a Stephen King novel to the back half of an origin story that has been adapted into a musical. Whatever genre you fancy, the year in film brought books to life in extraordinary fashion.
10
‘The Woman in Cabin 10’
In the Netflix film adaptation of Ruth Ware’s novel, The Woman in Cabin 10, the thrills are brought to the high seas. In the psychological thriller directed by Simon Stone, journalist Lo Blacklock (Keira Knightley) goes on assignment covering a charity charter aboard a luxury yacht to Norway. While on board, she witnesses a violent event and becomes convinced that a woman was thrown overboard, but the crew is adamant that all passengers are accounted for. While no one believes her, Lo investigates, which puts her life in danger as she becomes desperate to prove what she saw was real, all while grappling with her own self-doubt and leagues of trauma.
If you put a much darker tone onto an Agatha Christie mystery, you get The Woman in Cabin 10. Despite the luxury yacht that dreams are made of, the film is rightly claustrophobic. There is simply nowhere to run; all you can do is try to hide. Though it feels a bit contrived and overstuffed, The Woman in Cabin 10 is a wonder film for mystery lovers. Especially if they’re already finished the streamer’s most recent mystery, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. The Woman in Cabin 10 is not as simple as a generic whodunit. With a killer ensemble behind Knightley, The Woman in Cabin 10 includes dazzling performances from Guy Pierce, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Hannah Waddingham. The Woman in Cabin 10 is a thrilling hour-and-a-half adventure that does a fine job bringing the book to life.
9
‘The Life List’
Adapted from the best-selling novel, The Life List brings Lori Nelson Spielman to life. Released by Netflix, the Adam Brooks-directed film follows Alex Rose (Sofia Carson) as she attempts to complete her childhood “bucket list” of goals to earn her inheritance from her late mother, Elizabeth (Connie Britton). As Alex goes about her journey, it leads her to learn of self-discovery, grief processing, and rediscovering her true self. And of course, like any romcom should include, a little love along the way. Bringing the theme of finding purpose by revisiting youthful dreams, The Life List was a cozy comfort watch that helps you realize how to live life to its fullest.
The film checks off all the boxes you want from a romantic comedy, though it’s a tad formulaic. That said, Carson does a remarkable job at carrying the film, leading audiences along on her journey through heart and sentimentality. Though it was never intended to be groundbreaking cinema, The Life List is a feel-good tearjerker that will make you feel content in the end.
8
‘The Long Walk’
After more than four decades, The Long Walk finally found its way to the big screen for a major adaptation. In the adrenaline-fueled dystopian survival thriller, 50 boys are pitted against one another in an annually televised competitive walking marathon meant to inspire viewers. Each boy must maintain a pace of three miles per hour while walking nonstop for days, and failure to do so after three warnings results in death. The boy who lasts the longest wins a large cash prize and the fulfillment of one wish of his choice. A film that once felt like fiction, The Long Walk was The Hunger Games beforeSuzanne Collins created her brilliant series.
Set against a realistic yet dystopian 1970s America, the film is a visceral story of survival, control, and the depths of human endurance. The Long Walk opens audiences’ eyes to the lengths to which people will go for sacrifice, hope, and to rebel against an oppressive system.A brutal depiction of authoritarianism, capitalism, and societal manipulation,The Long Walk couldn’t be more fitting as a modern cautionary tale today. The Long Walk isn’t a flashy King adaptation compared to many others but it’s gripping nonetheless. Led by strong performances fromCooper Hoffman andDavid Jonsson,the life-or-death thriller is a must-watch.
7
‘The Running Man’
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6
‘On Swift Horses’
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5
‘The Thursday Murder Club’
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4
‘Mickey 17’
3
‘Wicked: For Good’
2
‘One Battle After Another’
1
‘Frankenstein’
