Image via website
In 2025, books continued to shape what we watched on our screens. Streaming platforms and cinemas turned to novels with strong stories, loyal readers, and emotional depth. Romance, thrillers, fantasy and classic literature all found new life on television and film, proving once again that a good book is often the starting point of a great screen story.
Here is a look at some of the most talked-about book adaptations that aired or were released during 2025, and the stories behind them.
1. Mickey 17
Mickey 17 is based on the 2022 science-fiction novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton. The film was released in cinemas on 7 March 2025. It follows a man who is repeatedly sent on deadly missions and replaced when he dies, raising questions about identity, survival and what it means to be human. It was one of the year's biggest book-to-film releases.
2. The Crow Girl
The crime series The Crow Girl is based on the 2010 novel by Erik Axl Sund. It premiered on 16 January 2025 on Paramount+ and Acorn TV. The story follows a disturbing murder investigation and blends psychological tension with dark, atmospheric storytelling.
3. Missing You
Based on Harlan Coben's 2014 novel, Missing You arrived on Netflix on 1 January 2025. The series centres on a detective who unexpectedly finds her former fiancé on a dating app years after his disappearance. What starts as a simple discovery quickly turns into a dangerous mystery.
4. Fear
Fear is adapted from Dirk Kurbjuweit's 2013 novel and premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 4 March 2025. The series examines how fear and control can slowly take over a relationship, creating an intense, unsettling psychological drama.
5. Long Bright River
Liz Moore's novel Long Bright River, published in 2020, was adapted into a television series on Peacock, released on 13 March 2025. Set against the backdrop of addiction and poverty, the story follows a police officer searching for her missing sister while questioning the system around her.
6. Just One Look
Netflix released a Polish adaptation of Harlan Coben's Just One Look on 5 March 2025. The novel was initially published in 2004. The series shows how one photograph can unravel a person's entire life, proving the broad international appeal of Coben's thrillers.
7. Ransom Canyon
Based on Jodi Thomas's 2015 novel, Ransom Canyon premiered on Netflix on 17 April 2025. This romantic drama is set in a small Texas town and focuses on love, rivalry, and family ties, blending emotional storytelling with wide-open landscapes.
8. Forever
Judy Blume's classic novel Forever, first published in 1975, was reimagined as a television series that premiered on Netflix on 8 May 2025. The adaptation updates the story for a modern audience while keeping its honest look at first love and growing up.
9. The Buccaneers
The Buccaneers, adapted from Edith Wharton's unfinished novel published in 1938, premiered on Apple TV+ on 18 June 2025. The series tells the story of young American women navigating love and society in 19th-century England, blending period drama with a fresh perspective.
10. Maxton Hall
The second season of Maxton Hall, based on Mona Kasten's Save Me book series published between 2018 and 2020, aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2025. The show continues to explore romance, ambition, and class differences, following the success of its first season.
11. My Lady Jane
Adapted from the 2016 novel by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane aired on Amazon Prime Video in 2025. The series offers a playful, imaginative retelling of Lady Jane Grey's story, blending history with fantasy and humour.
12. Regretting You
Colleen Hoover's 2019 novel Regretting You was adapted into a feature film released in cinemas in 2025. The emotional drama focuses on grief, misunderstandings and the complicated bond between a mother and her daughter, continuing Hoover's strong presence in screen adaptations.
13. The Housemaid
Based on Freida McFadden's 2022 thriller The Housemaid, the film adaptation was released in cinemas on 19 December 2025. The story explores secrets and power inside a wealthy household and reflects the growing influence of popular online book communities.
14. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
The much-loved character returned to cinemas in 2025 with an adaptation of Helen Fielding's 2013 novel Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. The film follows Bridget navigating life, dating, and motherhood later in life, offering a more reflective chapter in the franchise.
15. Maigret
The famous detective from Georges Simenon's novels, written between 1931 and 1972, returned in a new television adaptation that premiered on PBS Masterpiece and Channel 5 on 5 October 2025. The series revisits classic crime storytelling with a modern production style.
16. Die, My Love
Die, My Love, based on the novel by Ariana Harwicz, published in 2017, was adapted for the screen in 2025. The story explores themes of love, obsession, motherhood and emotional isolation through an intense psychological lens, offering a darker, more introspective narrative that stands apart from conventional romantic dramas.
17. The Forsytes
The Forsyte Saga, based on John Galsworthy's novels published between 1906 and 1921, returned to television on PBS and Channel 5 on 20 October 2025. The adaptation revisits themes of wealth, love, and social change within a powerful family story.
18. Death by Lightning
Netflix released Death by Lightning on 6 November 2025. The series is based on Candice Millard's 2011 non-fiction book Destiny of the Republic and tells the story of the assassination of U.S. President James Garfield and its consequences.
19. The Death of Bunny Munro
Based on Nick Cave's 2009 novel, The Death of Bunny Munro aired on Sky Atlantic on 20 November 2025. The dark drama explores grief, guilt, and masculinity through the life of a distraught man.
20. Percy Jackson and the Olympians
The second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on Rick Riordan's book series published between 2005 and 2009, premiered on Disney+ on 10 December 2025. The fantasy series continues to attract both long-time readers and new fans.
While this is far from a complete list, these adaptations are among our top picks from 2025. They reflect a wide range of genres, from romance and coming-of-age stories to crime, fantasy, historical drama, and science fiction. Together, they show how books continue to inspire some of the year's most talked-about films and series. Whether you prefer emotional dramas, gripping thrillers, or imaginative worlds, 2025 offered something for every kind of reader and viewer, and there are always more stories waiting to make the journey from page to screen.
