Does the actor fit the book? Chalk this up as a question readers ask every time a new film adaptation is announced.
From Scarlett O’Hara to Bella Swan, Harry Potter to Mr. Darcy, the casting of well-known, well-loved book characters is a delicate art. For every actor fans embrace, there’s another they want to cast out. Author Lee Child’s Jack Reacher at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds was no fit for the not-so-towering Tom Cruise, for example.
Us Weekly is gearing up for these upcoming titles — three movies, six series — to go from the page to the screen, but is their casting up to par?
Keep scrolling to see which adaptations we cheer and who is being questioned:
‘The Chicken Sisters’ — Casting We Cheer
Who Wrote It: KJ Dell’Antonia
What It’s About: As rival chicken joints vie for cash on TV, Amanda fights a “soul-sucking fear” of being buried by bills.
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How to Watch: On Hallmark+ in September with the always relatable Lea Thompson, who is finger-lickin’ good as Amanda.
‘The Perfect Couple’ — Casting We Cheer
Who Wrote It: Elin Hilderbrand
What It’s About: Snob Greer Garson Winbury “thrives on tradition, protocol and decorum” — until a murder capsizes her son’s Nantucket wedding.
How to Watch: On September 5 via Netflix, starring Nicole Kidman — because nobody does patrician cool better.
‘Three Women’ — Casting We Question
Who Wrote It: Lisa Taddeo
What It’s About: It’s nonfiction; the writer telling real tales of female desire is mostly absent.
How to Watch: Shailene Woodley appears in the Starz series premiering on September 13, but the prologue and epilogue just didn’t reveal much about the author (renamed Gia).
‘A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder’ — Casting We Cheer
Who Wrote It: Holly Jackson
What It’s About: “Irrationally serious” high schooler Pip buries herself in an old murder.
How to Watch: Available to stream via Netflix now starring Wednesday actress Emma Myers as Pip, who perfectly mixes tenacity and vulnerability.
‘Disclaimer’ — Casting We Cheer
Who Wrote It: Renée Wright
What It’s About: A manuscript detailing Catherine’s worst act shows up: “[People] have no idea what I’m really like.”
How to Watch: The show is set to premiere via Apple TV+ on October 11 with Cate Blanchett starring as Carol and proving that she has skill playing women who are hiding something.
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‘It Ends With Us’ — Casting We Question
Who Wrote It: Colleen Hoover
What It’s About: Lily believes “there’s a perfect man out there for me.” Her best candidate turns out to be abusive.
How to Watch: This book-to-movie adaptation will be in theaters on August 9 with Blake Lively leading the charge (and aging up the novel’s characters), but after seeing A Simple Favor, we find it hard to picture the actress as a victim.
‘Cross’ — Casting We Cheer
Who Wrote It: James Patterson
What It’s About: Brains plus brawn: D.C. detective/forensic psychologist Alex Cross “can intimidate, if [he wants] to.”
How to Watch: Watch Cross via Prime Video on November 14, starring Aldis Hodge as the smart and imposing — plus, magnificent in a turtleneck — title character.
‘Wicked’ — Casting We Cheer
Who Wrote It: Gregory Maguire
What It’s About: The musical-to-be intros Galinda and complex Elphaba (“I don’t cause commotions — I am one”).
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How to Watch: Part one of the highly anticipated movie hits theaters on November 22 with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo proving that pipes are all that count here.
‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’ — Casting We Question
Who Wrote It: Crockett Johnson
What It’s About: A boy draws his own adventure.
How to Watch: Watch the childhood classic come to life in theaters on August 2. When it comes to the casting, we don’t exactly reject Zachary Levi; we reject the premise. The footie-pajama’d Harold as an adult? No!
