For a genre that thrives on suspicion, withheld information and shocking revelations, it’s easy to see why thrillers make such good screen material. That is why book-to-screen thriller adaptations are having a moment, and we’re so here for it.
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson star in Verity, which brings Colleen Hoover’s twisted manuscript-within-a-manuscript drama to life. In contrast, Carrie offers a modern reimagining of Stephen King‘s classic novel without losing its ability to turn prom night into a nightmare.
The Good Daughter, adapted from Karin Slaughter’s novel of the same name, digs into a small-town tragedy where everyone’s hiding something; Perfect Liars brings Alex Mírez’s captivating Wattpad novel to life as a gripping drama film. Rounding out the list is Jessica Chastain, who returns to the horror genre in Other Mommy, an adaptation of Josh Malerman’s novel Incidents Around the House.
Even if you’ve already read these books, these five thriller book-to-screen movies and series are worth adding to your watchlist.
5 thriller book-to-screen movie and series adaptations worth watching in 2026
Verity
Director: Michael Showalter
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett
Based on: Colleen Hoover’s Verity
Release date: 2 October 2026
Where to watch: In theatres
Synopsis: Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling thriller author Verity Crawford, hires a financially struggling writer, Lowen Ashleigh, to complete the remaining books in a successful series his wife is unable to finish after a mysterious accident. As Ashleigh delves deeper into Verity’s world of unfinished manuscripts, she becomes entangled in a web of lies and suspicion, leaving her to wonder whether the stories are simply works of fiction or chilling warnings.
Carrie
Director: Mike Flanagan (for four episodes)
Cast: Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong and Alison Thornton
Based on: Stephen King’s Carrie
Release date: 7 October 2026
Where to watch: Prime Video
Synopsis: Carrie White is a socially awkward teenager who lives a sheltered life with her overtly religious mother, Margaret. Circumstances then force her to navigate the unforgiving ecosystem of public high school in the US. After facing relentless bullying and online harassment, she reaches a breaking point, awakening powerful telekinetic abilities that change her life forever.
Other Mommy
Director: Rob Savage
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass and Arabella Olivia
Based on: Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House
Release date: 9 October 2026
Where to watch: In theatres
Synopsis: Eight-year-old Bela’s world takes an unsettling turn when a sinister entity that looks just like her mother emerges from her closet. As strange incidents begin to unfold around the house, she finds herself unable to recognise her own mother.
The Good Daughter
Director: Steph Green
Cast: Meghann Fahy and Rose Byrne
Based on: Karin Slaughter’s The Good Daughter
Release date: 12 November 2026
Where to watch: Peacock
Synopsis: Sisters Charlotte and Samantha have spent the past 20 years grappling with the trauma of a single night of violence. Their carefully constructed lives begin to unravel when Charlotte witnesses an attack. Now a lawyer like her father, she is forced to confront her long-buried demons as the case uncovers one shocking revelation after another. The sisters ultimately begin to question whether the price of being the ‘good daughter’ was worth it after all.
Perfect Liars
Director: Jesús Colmenar
Cast: Irene Balmes, Gleb Abrosimov and Pau Simon
Based on: Alex Mírez’s Perfect Liars: Lies and Secrets
Release date: 20 November 2026
Where to watch: Prime Video
Synopsis: Jude Derry enters an exclusive university with a hidden mission: to uncover the truth about her brother’s death by infiltrating the circle of the Cash brothers. However, her mission is jeopardised when she crosses paths with three brothers from a powerful family empire — Aegan, the charismatic firstborn; Adrik, the mysterious middle brother; and Aleixandre, the unpredictable youngest.
(Hero image: Courtesy of (L to R) @amazonmgmstudios, @verityfilm and @othermommy via Instagram); Featured image: Courtesy of @amazonmgmstudios via Instagram)
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
