Your Favorites On Screen: The August Adaptation Roundup
When it’s hot and humid, I can have trouble concentrating on reading or writing, but not on TV or movies. I need TV and movies to distract me from my least favorite weather.
We’ll have to wait a little longer for some highly anticipated adaptations. My Hero Academia: You’re Next, the anime series based on manga by Kohei Horikoshi, premieres in Japan in August and in the US in October. The movie adaptation of Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro is expected later this year, although no date has been announced yet. It stars Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams and is directed by Taika Waititi. A new adaptation of Salem’s Lot by Stephen King should also drop on Max sometime in late 2024. In January 2025, Mickey 17 should be released. It’s adapted from the novel Mickey7 by Edward Ashton and directed by Bong Joon-ho (who also directed Snowpiercer and Parasite).
There aren’t that many new literary adaptations coming out in August, but the new and returning titles are varied and exciting. There’s a YA murder mystery, a biography, an anime, a movie about friendships that span decades, Amazon’s returning LOTR prequel series, and more. Here are 9 new TV and movie titles coming to streaming and movie theaters this month.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Netflix, August 1st
Emma Myers and Zain Iqbal star in this adaptation of the bestselling YA murder mystery novel by Holly Jackson. Pip (Myers) is a high school student who uses her interest in true crime to solve a cold case involving two of her friends. The series premiered on the BBC on July 1 and will be available in the US via Netflix a month later. Here’s the official trailer!
Rob Peace
Limited Theatrical Release, August 2nd
This movie is based on the nonfiction book The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League by Jeff Hobbs. Hobbs was one of Peace’s roommates at Yale and interviewed many of Rob’s family members and friends for the book. Rob’s single mom, Jackie, worked hard to send him to private middle and high schools. Since his childhood, Rob tried to get his father’s murder conviction exonerated. Chiwetel Ejiofor wrote the screenplay, directed the film, and stars as Rob’s father. Mary J. Blige plays Jackie, and Jay Will stars as Rob. The film opened at Sundance in January.
Harold and the Purple Crayon
Theatrical Release, August 2nd
This movie is based on a classic children’s book from 1955 by Crockett Johnson. Harold is about four years old in the book, but Zachary Levi stars as an adult Harold in the movie. So, this seems like a loose adaptation, but the premise is timeless. Anything Harold imagines and draws with his magical purple crayon becomes real, including his moose friend. The book was previously adapted into a short animated film in 1959 and a TV show in 2001.
Rising Impact, Season 2
Netflix, August 6th
Based on a manga series written and illustrated by Nakaba Suzuki, this anime series is filled with King Arthur and golf references. Like with the first season, which arrived back in June, all episodes are expected to arrive at the same time. Suzuki also wrote and illustrated the hugely popular manga The Seven Deadly Sins.
It Ends with Us
Theatrical Release, August 9th
The movie, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel of the same name, stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. You can view the trailer and more about this movie at the link. Many people love this novel, but it has also been controversial. This blog post published by an organization for abuse survivors criticized it for depicting co-parenting with an abusive ex as breaking the cycle of violence.
Pachinko, Season 2
Apple TV+, August 23rd
I love Min Jin Lee’s novel Pachinko, an intergenerational epic spanning most of the 20th century. Season one of the adaptation was released in 2022. This season should cover the characters’ experiences during World War II, and in Korea, Japan, and the US. New episodes will premiere on Fridays until October 11. These characters go through so much, so it’s nice to see them dancing in this trailer.
The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
Hulu, August 23rd
Based on the bestselling 2013 novel by Edward Kelsey Moore, this movie follows three best friends whose friend group is nicknamed after the iconic singing group. They meet regularly at Earl’s diner, their hometown’s first Black-owned business. Readers and reviewers loved the novel’s characters, their friendships, familial and romantic relationships, and spirituality. The film stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, and Uzo Aduba, and you can watch the trailer here.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Season 2
Amazon Prime Video, August 29th
This streaming series is inspired by J. R. R. Tolkien’s appendices and histories of Middle-Earth. Season one focused on Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), while Season two will focus more on the villains. The S1 finale had big revelations, prompting lots of fan discussions and theories. The new season recasts Adar and will include characters from the books who were omitted or had small roles in Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. After the first three episodes drop on August 29th, one episode will premiere weekly through October 3rd. Here’s the trailer!
The Wasp
Limited Theatrical Release, August 30th
This movie is based on a 2015 stage play by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, who adapted her own play into the screenplay. From the trailer, it seems like a tense psychological thriller about shocking secrets and requests and stars Naomie Harris and Natalie Dormer. Critics have praised the performances in both the original play and the film.
