Every month, all the major streaming services add a host of newly acquired (or just plain new) shows, movies, and documentaries into their ever-rotating libraries. So what’s a dedicated reader to watch? Well, whatever you want, of course, but the name of this website is Literary Hub, so we sort of have an angle. To that end, here’s a selection of the best (and most enjoyably bad) literary film and TV coming to streaming services this month. Have fun.
The Good DaughterPeacock, November 12
Literary bona fides: based on The Good Daughterby Karin Slaughter (2017)
In Karin Slaughter’s adaptation of her own instantNew York Timesbestseller, Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy star as sisters whose lives were upended by violence decades before, and now find themselves forced to face it again. Brendan Gleeson also stars, which is never a bad sign. (From our Fall Preview)
Blade Runner 2099Prime Video, November 25
Literary bona fides: based on characters from Philip K. Dick’sDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?(1968)
Michelle Yeoh and Hunter Schafer star in Silka Luisa’s miniseries spin-off, which, as the title suggests, takes place 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049. Now, it’s Replicants who rule the world (or at least LA), and humans who find themselves at the bottom of the barrel, which honestly sounds like the franchise’s most realistic version of the future yet. (From our Fall Preview)
The Mosquito BowlNetflix, November 25
Literary bona fides: based on The Mosquito Bowlby Buzz Bissinger (2022)
Peter Berg and Buzz Bissinger are back together again, this time for The Mosquito Bowl, which dramatizes the famous American football game played between two regiments of Marines—which included many of the country’s best football players—at Guadalcanal during World War II. Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, Ray Nicholson, and Tom Francis star. (From our Fall Preview)
The Outsiders(1983)Paramount+, November 1
Literary bona fides: based on The Outsidersby S.E. Hinton (1967)
Francis Ford Coppola’s proto-Brat Pack take on Hinton’s indelible coming of age novel is worth a watch for the cast alone: Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Leif Garrett, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Diane Lane, C. Thomas Howell, and of course, Rob Lowe in his very first feature film appearance. A cult classic for good reason.
Stand By Me(1986)Netflix, November 1
Literary bona fides: based on Stephen King’sThe Body(1982)
Another ’80s coming-of-age classic—which King has repeatedly mentioned as one of his favorite adaptations of his work (and there have been plenty).
The Princess Bride(1987)Peacock, November 1
Literary bona fides: based on William Goldman’sThe Princess Bride(1973)
But is itthe best literary film adaptation of the last 50 years?
Revolutionary Road(2008)Paramount+, November 1
Literary bona fides: based on William Yates’Revolutionary Road(1961)
Sam Mendes does justice to Yates’ classic novel of marital discontent, aided by another great cast: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet star as Frank and April Wheeler, along with Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbour and Kathy Bates. Not exactly light viewing, however.
Hugo(2011)Paramount+, November 1
Literary bona fides: based on Brian Selznick’sThe Invention of Hugo Cabret(2007)
Buthere’ssome light viewing for you, if you’re into that: Scorsese’s widely lauded (if not that widely viewed) 3-D adventure about an orphan in 1930s Paris who learns about the magic of movies. Good holiday viewing.
Gone Girl(2014)Paramount+, November 1
Literary bona fides: based on Gillian Flynn’sGone Girl(2012)
Flynn wrote the screenplay for David Fincher’s adaptation of her blockbuster, culture-shaking novel, which stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as the central couple. That’s probably why it’s almost as effective as the novel.
The Meg(2018)Hulu, November 1
Literary bona fides: based on Steve Alten’sMeg: A Novel of Deep Terror(1995)
Jason Statham vs. Jurassic Shark. Also one of the best “but did you know it was a literary adaptation?” movies of all time.