Persuasion, Jane Austen

On reflection, probably my favourite Austen novel, Persuasion is about missed opportunities and second chances. It details the rekindling of love between Anne Elliott and Captain Frederick Wentworth, whom Anne was persuaded not to marry eight years earlier. Dakota Johnson, who has been spotted filming in Bath, will play Anne Elliott in what has been described as a “modern, witty approach” of this Netflix adaptation. It also stars Cosmo Jarvis, Henry Golding and Nikki Amuka-Bird. Meanwhile another more traditional period drama version of Persuasion is being produced by Searchlight Pictures and stars Succession actress Sarah Snook.

Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

Set in North Carolina, undoubtedly the lockdown bestseller – Where the Crawdads Sing is a coming-of-age story, murder mystery and ode to the natural world all at the same time. Its central character Kya Clark, aka “The Marsh Girl”, is played by Daisy Edgar-Jones with a supporting cast of Harris Dickinson and David Straithairn. Reese Witherspoon is attached to the project too, due to be released in July.

Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers

Set in 1850 during the Californian gold rush, this historical romance tells the story of Angel – sold into prostitution as a child whose expectations of men waver between hatred and hostility. She meets Michael Hosea, a farmer who loves her unconditionally and asks her to marry him. Though he changes Angel’s expectations of men, her feelings of worthlessness cause her to run away with Michael in hot pursuit. Starring Abigail Cowen, Tom Lewis, Eric Dane and Famke Janssen, Redeeming Love is released this month – just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Daisy Jones and The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid

This gripping story is about the whirlwind rise of a fictional rock band in the 1970s (supposedly inspired by Fleetwood Mac). Riley Keough – Elvis Presley’s granddaughter – plays the beautiful and free-spirited Daisy Jones, an enigmatic solo artist who teams up with The Six, a band whose pompous frontman, Billy Dunne, is played by Sam Claflin. Followers of Keogh will know she has posted pictures of the cast on Instagram, which also features Camila Morrone – the girlfriend of Billy Dunne (in real life Leonardo diCaprio’s current girlfriend). The 13-part Amazon TV adaptation is being produced by Reese Witherspoon, a champion of the book, under her prolific production company Hello Sunshine. Meanwhile author Jenkins-Reid has written songs for the production, already touted as the new Star is Born.

The Talented Mr Ripley, Patricia Highsmith

Highsmith’s popular 1955 psychological thriller is being turned into an eight part TV adaptation, for Showtime and Sky Atlantic, taking inspiration from all five of her Ripley novels. Unlike Anthony Minghella’s BAFTA-winning 1999 film version starring Jude Law, Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow, it will show Ripley’s progression from con artist to serial killer. Stepping into Matt Damon’s shoes for this Showtime remake is Irish actor Andrew Scott (Fleabag’s Hot Priest). Dakota Fanning will play the Gwyneth Paltrow role of Margot, while Jude Law’s Dickie Greenleaf will be taken over by Jonny Flynn who has starred in Emma and Stardust.

The Stars at Noon, Denis Johnson

Set in 1984 against the backdrop of the Nicaraguan Revolution, the story follows a mysterious English oil businessman and an American journalist who become romantically involved. However, their situation becomes riddled with lies and conspiracies, causing them to attempt to flee the country and leaving them with only each other. The film will be directed by French director Claire Denis and will star Joe Alwyn and Margaret Qualley. Alwyn of course has most recently finished filming Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends and his other credits include The Favourite and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.

Death on the Nile, Agatha Christie

Due to be released on February 11, the follow-up to Murder on the Orient Express sees Sir Kenneth Branagh return as the iconic detective Hercule Poirot. It’s based on the 1937 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie, in which the tranquility that was temporarily present on the SS Karnak is destroyed after one of the passengers is found murdered. It’s also directed by Branagh who is joined by Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Gal Gadot, Tom Bateman, Arnie Hammer, Annette Bening, and Letitia Wright. Talking on The Fourth Wall podcast, Branagh admits “It’s a very dark, very sexy, unsettling kind of a film. It certainly delivers on the travelogue as it takes you to big and exciting different places, but it’s very uncomfortable in ways people will really understand because it has to do with love, possession, lust, big primal emotions that really get in people’s way.”

Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates

The bestselling 2000 historical novel by Joyce Carol Oates that documents the inner life of Marilyn Monroe, draws on the literary traditions of the fairy tale and the Gothic novel. The book was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize (2001) and the National Book Award (2000). The Netflix adaptation which has been ten years in the making sees Ana de Armas portraying the star, Adrien Brody will play playwright Arthur Miller and Caspar Phillipson as John F Kennedy. Director Andrew Dominik says of the film, “It’s a film about the human condition. It tells the story of how a childhood trauma shapes an adult who’s split between a public and a private self. It’s basically the story of every human being, but it’s using a certain sense of association that we have with something very familiar, just through media exposure.” Expect a lot of hype around this release – the date of which has not yet been confirmed.

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

“Some people’s secrets are darker than others,” so reads the blurb on the back of my well-thumbed copy of Anatomy of a Scandal. The book and six-part Netflix adaptation of this courtroom drama promises a bit of everything – romance, mystery, lies and politics and will appeal to fans of Apple Tree Yard, Scandal and Big Little Lies. Essentially the book centres on a high-profile marriage that starts to unravel when the husband is accused of a terrible crime. The all-star cast includes Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery and Rupert Friend.

The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah

Set against the backdrop of World War II, Hannah’s novel tells the story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, living in France and struggling to survive during the German occupation. Actress-turned-director Mélanie Laurent directs the adaptation based on a script by Dana Stevens. The film, likely to grace the big screen in December, stars real life sisters Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, and is being pitched as a potential Oscars contender in 2023.