Classic Novels Are Taking Over the Screen in 2026, but Which Are Worth Watching?
Book adaptations seem constant, but in 2026, it’s the classics taking center stage.
From sweeping romances to dark staples, iconic novels are returning to screens big and small.
Whether you read these in school or have them on your TBR, let’s explore the classic novels getting fresh adaptations and exactly when and where you can catch them.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star in this recently released adaptation, which thrusts Brontë’s dark, obsessive romance onto the big screen. Against the moody English moors, Heathcliff and Catherine’s intense, complicated relationship unfolds.
If you’re a fan of the book, and looking for a true-to-the-story adaptation, this might not be the one for you. But, if you’re open to discovering a new, very loose interpretation that puts the emphasis on the visuals over plot, it’s worth a watch. Speaking to Vogue, the film’s director, Emerald Fennell, said that her main intention for the film was to “recreate the feeling of a teenage girl reading this book for the first time”. Whether it achieves such a thing, you’ll have to decide for yourself.
Release: 13 February 2026
Where to watch: Select cinemas and to rent on Prime Video
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A six-episode Netflix series revisits Austen’s iconic romance, with Emma Corrin playing Elizabeth Bennet, Jack Lowden as Mr. Darcy, and Olivia Colman joins the cast as Mrs. Bennet. Get ready to experience love, class, and first impressions in Regency-era England.
Pride and Prejudice has been through many adaptations and reinterpretations over the years, with the 2005 film starring Kiera Knightley as a notable favourite for many. Does it really need another one? This upcoming film, however, looks to be an exciting one with its stellar cast and Dolly Alderton, author of Everything I Know About Love, signed on as the series’ screenwriter and producer. It will be interesting to see how the author’s humorous, contemporary writing style will take on this classic.
Release: Expected 2026
Where to watch: Netflix
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Florence Pugh leads this Netflix series reimagining Steinbeck’s family saga. Throughout generations, the story explores the Trask family’s journey, centering on themes like morality, identity, and inheritance.
This series promises to be one of those full-circle moments for writer and executive producer Zoe Kazan, as she just so happens to be the granddaughter of Eliza Kazan, director of the 1955 film adaptation. While her grandfather’s adaptation focuses on the second half of the novel, exploring the characters of Cal and Aron, this series will draw from earlier in the novel, following the perspective of Cathy Ames, played by Pugh. It’s a modern, arguably feminist angle that seems so fitting for Kazan to take on, filling in the gaps of her grandfather’s work.
Release: Expected 2026
Where to watch: Netflix
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Directed by Georgia Oakley, this upcoming film adaptation returns to Austen’s beloved story. Two sisters navigate love, heartbreak, and the social pressures of their world.
Starring Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones, and directed by Georgia Oakley, little has been revealed about the direction this film will take. The film is being produced by both Focus Features and Working Titles, the same production companies that brought us the aforementioned and beloved 2005 Pride and Prejudice adaptation- so we can expect (and hope) this is just as good.
Release: 11 September 2026 (US) and 25 September 2026 (UK)
Where to watch: In cinemas
The Odyssey by Homer
Expected to be one of the biggest movies of the year, Christopher Nolan tackles Homer’s legendary epic in a massive IMAX production, bringing together a star-studded cast, including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, and more. Follow Odysseus on his long, perilous journey home after the Trojan War.
After his hugely commercially successful and Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, film buffs and critics alike have been eagerly waiting to see where Nolan will go next. Buzz about The Odyssey started back in 2025, a whole year before its release, when short teasers for the film were shown in cinemas. The teaser itself didn’t give much away, featuring only very short snippets of the film. It’s typical of Nolan to promote his upcoming films in this cryptic way, but given the triumph that was his last blockbuster, the anticipation this time around was heightened.
Release: 17th July 2026
Where to watch: In cinemas
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
This adaptation brings Golding’s chilling novel to television, following a group of schoolboys who are stranded on an island, and their attempt at keeping order quickly sinks into chaos.
Created by Jack Thorne, whose previous writing credits include the Enola Holmes films, mini-series Adolescence (2025) and hit TV show, His Dark Materials (2019-2022), this series is one to sink your teeth into. Already out in the UK, it has received generally positive reviews, being described as “mesmerically brilliant” by The Spectator and “visually arresting” by Radio Times. Not only that, but many compliments have been paid to the series’ casting, with standout performances from the child-actors in their respective lead roles.
Release: 8th February 2026 (UK) and 4th May 2026 (US)
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer and BBC One (UK) and Netflix (US)
If you needed a sign to revisit the classics, this is it. Whether you’re watching your favourite story come to life or finally reading the book before it hits the screen, 2026 is the perfect time to tap back into the novels that have influenced literature for generations.
So… are you reading first or watching first?
