#LeMillRecommends: 6 Books Being Made Into Movies In 2021

Books versus movies - the age-old debate lives on. While many favour the former for the attention to detail and the fact that it spurs our imagination, films help us visualise the elements that were previously confined to our imaginations, literally bringing them to life. Book lovers would argue that movie adaptations are for those with lazy eyes, but you can’t share reading a book with others, unlike a movie that can be watched with family and friends.

The eternal debate that has exceeded decades, will perhaps exceed even centuries. However, truth be told, comparing the two hardly seems fair. They are each unique mediums for storytelling, with advantages and qualifications that make them both alluring. As Stephen King once said, comparing one to the other is like comparing apples to oranges.

Whichever camp you fall in, here’s a list of six books being made into movies this year that you just can’t afford to miss. Run over to your nearest Crossword while there’s time, or just wait for the releases to keep the element of surprise intact - we’re leaving the choice entirely up to you.

The House of Gucci by Sarah G Forden

If Lady Gaga from A Star is Born still lives your head rent-free, you’re in for a treat. The multi-hyphenate is all set to play Patrizia Reggiani Martinelli, the ex-wife of Gucci heir Maurizio Gucci, in the upcoming adaptation of The House Of Gucci. Inspired by true events, the movie will portray the story of when Patrizia was tried and convicted for orchestrating the murder of her husband in 1995. The cast also includes Jared Leto and Al Pacino.

Publication Date: November 2000

Release Date: 24 November, 2021

Dune by Frank Herbert

This sci-fi film featuring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya is one of the most anticipated releases of 2021. The six-book series sees the protagonist Paul Atredies, played by Chalamet, lead nomadic tribes on a planet called Arrakis. His family has taken control of the planet which is the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe. Naturally, there are enemies. Mixing politics, religion, and mysticism with a whole lot of adventure, Dune sends you on an epic science fiction journey.

Publication Date: August 1965

Release Date: 22 October, 2021

The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

This romantic drama follows a driven journalist in London, who uncovers a series of love letters written between star-crossed lovers in the 1960s. The protagonist, Ellie, becomes obsessed with the secret affair, and sets out on a quest to find out how their story ended while embarking on a romantic journey of her own. The Netflix adaptation stars Felicity Jones, Shailene Woodley, Callum Turner and Joe Alwyn.

Publication Date: June 2012

Release Date: Out now!

The Last Duel by Eric Jager

Fancy a trial by combat? We know Bridgerton fans would. Starring Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Adam Driver, The Last Duel is set in medieval France and accounts for the true story of one of the infamous duels to occur during The Hundred Years’ War. A knight defends his wife’s honor when she accuses a squire of committing a grave crime against her.

Publication Date: December 2004

Release Date: 15 October, 2021

Nightmare Alley by William Gresham

The psychological thriller is set in the 1940s as a con-man finds his home on carnival stages, finding victims in the voyeuristic crowd. Bradley Cooper plays the cunning protagonist Stan Carlisle, while Rooney Mara has been casted as the psychiatrist that he teams up with to swindle his audiences. Both brilliant and horrifying, the story is a compulsive journey into the true darkness of the human mind. The upcoming movie will also feature Paul Anderson, Ron Perlman, Cate Blantchett and William Dafoe.

Publication Date: 1946

Release Date: 3 December, 2021

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

This bestselling novel spotlights Sophie Whitehouse, the housewife with the ‘picture-perfect’ llife whose world is turned upside down when her husband is accused of sexual assault. Starring Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend and Michelle Dockery, this adaptation is actually a Netflix anthology created by the Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley and House of Cards showrunner Melissa James Gibson. We can’t wait to binge watch this one!

Publication Date: January 2018

Release Date: Fall 2021