Guest Post: Spencer Blohm on Six Film Adaptions to Look Out For in 2015

Welcome. Today we're lucky enough to have expert pop culture journalist Spencer Blohm tell us about six film adaptions that we should be keeping an eye out for in 2015.

Six Film Adaptations to Look Out For in 2015



In 2014, the big screen has been dominated by novels turned movies with Young Adult hits like The Maze Runner, If I Stay, and The Giver. The new year looks to be no different. Read on to learn at some other potential hits for both movie studios and authors in 2015!

Paper Towns by John Green
           
The reigning king of the YA genre, John Green, is soon to be back on the big screen with his newest film adaptation Paper Towns. While it is not as heartbreaking as The Fault in Our Stars, it is certainly a thrilling story. It follows estranged childhood friends Quentin (Nat Wolff) and Margo (model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne) as they go out late in the night to take revenge on those who have wronged Margo. In the days following that late night adventure, Quentin finds out Margo is missing and takes it upon himself to decipher clues he thinks she left behind that might lead him to her. The film is set to be released on June 5th, making it a prime candidate for a summer hit.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
           
Following the success of last year’s Divergent adaptation (which you can watch through HBO Go  or on specialty television networks carried by DTV), production started almost immediately on the second installment of the series, Insurgent. Set to be released on March 20th, the film picks up where the first film left off as the lead character Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James) are on the run following an uprising in their dystopian city. Reprising her role as the vicious leader of the Erudite faction is Oscar winner Kate Winslet as Jeanine, whose main goal is to capture the duo. Joining the cast this time around is another Oscar winner Octavia Spencer as well as Oscar nominee Naomi Watts, both showing just how important these youth-geared films are to Hollywood.

The Martian by Andy Weir

With a release date slated for November, fans of the novel will have to wait a bit longer to see this sci-fi adaptation from celebrated director Ridley Scott. However, it sounds like the wait will be worth it as the space adventure has enlisted the likes of Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Kate Mara, and Chiwetel Ejiofor to fill up the cast. In the book, Damon plays Mark Watney, an astronaut who is left stranded by his crew on a strange planet after they assumed he died in a storm. In order to survive, Watney has to utilize more than his existing skills can muster. The Martian also promises to be an out-of-this-world viewing experience (pun intended) considering it will be released in theaters in 3D.

Child 44 by Rob Tom Smith

Easily the grittiest film on this list is the upcoming Child 44. Set in Stalinist Soviet Russia, a fallen MGB agent Leo Demidov (played by Tom Hardy) is assigned to investigate a series of gruesome child murders. The novel was based on the horrific crimes of the “Rostov Ripper”, Andrei Chikatilo, and tackles the dark underbelly of the Soviet Union during its peak. If all goes well for this first installment upon its release in April, expect the subsequent two in the trilogy to follow.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

We all know how successful The Hunger Games books and films have been. The last film in the series, Mockingjay: Part 2, promises to do just as well (if not better) as its predecessors. In an effort to prolong the franchise, Lionsgate split the final book, Mockingjay, into two films. Mockingjay: Part 2 will be the final movie in the franchise. With the production budget expected to surpass its predecessors, this film is likely to break other records as well. We will be able to see all the familiar faces from previous films, including its breakout star Jennifer Lawrence as well as the last on-screen appearance of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. While it is not set to be released until November 20th, there is already buzz around this final installment of the wildly popular series.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn


Hoping to recapture the massive success of her last film adaptation, Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places will soon be adorning the big screen. Although Flynn wrote the screenplay for Gone Girl, director Giles Paquet-Brenner will be taking over the adaptation for Dark Places. Unfortunately, this means the story may not follow as closely to the book as some would like. However, with leading roles played by Chloe Grace Moretz, Charlize Theron, and Christina Hendricks, the film is sure to be promising. While there is no official release date as of yet, it’s expected to premiere sometime later this year.

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