Looking for the best movies based on books? Explore our top 50 list to find your next favorite title.

Top 50 movies based on books you should read

The movie adaptations of books have given life to so many stories. Many of the world’s best movies started as ideas in talented authors’ minds.

In this article, you’ll see an extensive list of movies based on books everyone should read. Then, we’ll introduce a new way to read your favorite stories.

The best movies based on books

Books are often the source material for great movies and TV shows. Movies based on books make up a large portion of films out there. Pair a well-written narrative with minds like Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, or David Fincher, and you can rest assured something incredible will reach the big screen.

If you’re a book and film enthusiast and are unsure where to start, here’s a list of the most gripping books with movie adaptations:

1. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

A brutal book with a hint of dark humour.

2. It by Stephen King

A terrifying story that raised the bar for horror.

3. The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Every crime drama fan should read this Academy Award-winning classic about the Italian mafia.

4. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

A gripping story that will put shivers down your spine.

5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A thrilling book that is a highly regarded classic often read in high schools and middle schools.

6. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

An adventurous trilogy for fantasy lovers. The movie adaptation won an Academy Award for Best Picture.

7. The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

An exciting prison drama from the brain of the horror king.

8. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

A sequence of seven books in the legendary book series; the movies star Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.

9. The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich

The Social Network, one of the most critically acclaimed movies on Netflix about the discovery of Facebook, drew inspiration from this book.

10. The Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum

A well-known children’s novel following the life of Dorothy.

11. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

A New York Times best seller novel with an Academy Award-winning film based on it.

12. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

An American Civil War tale that is considered a classic Pulitzer-winning novel.

13. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The movie adaptations are a series of adventures directed by Peter Jackson and preceding the events of The Lord of the Rings.

14. The Shining by Stephen King

A chill-inducing horror from Stephen King which was his first hardback best-seller.

15. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

A coming-of-age story about the lives of four young women.

16. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

A fantasy love story full of adventure and humour with a movie adaptation from Disney.

17. Adventures of a Mathematician by Stanislaw Ulam

A true story about one of the world’s greatest minds.

18. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

A psychological fantasy that serves as a critique of the medical world.

19. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

A comedy-drama bestselling novel. The movie stars Anne Hathaway.

20. Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally

A piece of historical fiction that you’ll think about long after reading it.

21. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

A thrilling adventure packed with action and plot twists whose movie adaptation had many Oscar nominations and awards.

22. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis

A wonderful children’s fantasy series.

23. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

A romance book that changes people’s views on social conventions.

24. Forrest Gump by Winston Groom

A touching Hollywood comedy-drama that will make you laugh and tear up.

25. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

A beautifully written Austen classic.

26. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

An exciting sci-fi adventure perfect for your adventurous moods.

27. The French Connection by Robin Moore

A profound story about New York City’s narcotics issue for which the screenwriter won an Oscar.

28. Solaris by Stanisław Lem

An impactful science fiction book with philosophical undertones.

29. Raging Bull by Jake LaMotta

A famous boxer’s memoir depicting his violent world.

30. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

An iconic international best-seller with Audrey Hepburn leading the movie adaptation.

31. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

A satirical comedy whose adaptation was nominated for several Golden Globe Awards.

32. The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector

A touching Brazilian drama following a woman’s pursuit of love.

33. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

A legendary thriller about a cunning man infiltrating a circle of socialites.

34. Matilda by Roald Dahl

A young girl with psychic powers is helped by her teacher to overcome the tragedies of her life.

35. Election by Tom Perrotta

A comedy romance about a high-schooler running for student body president.

36. Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace

A book with an Academy Award-winning movie about a betrayed prince sold into slavery.

37. L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy

A complex and riveting web of plots and characters that’ll get you thinking.

38. Room by Emma Donoghue

A riveting story with a claustrophobic and haunting feel to it.

39. Wonder Boys by Michal Chabon

A comedy-drama about a writer trying to overcome his biggest block.

40. MASH by Richard Hooker

A collection of hilarious stories bound to get you on the floor laughing.

41. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

A coming-of-age drama about the struggles of an African-American woman.

42. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

An award-winning drama set in World War II.

43. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

A visually unique story of a woman living through the Iranian Revolution.

44. Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak

A beautiful love story you’ll shed a few tears over.

45. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

An inspiring story of women’s triumph in a man’s world.

46. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

A 1946 classic that feels modern and relevant decades later.

47. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

A thought-provoking piece about the line between good and evil.

48. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

An engaging criticism of modern-day culture.

49. Don’t Look Now by Daphne Du Maurier

A collection of captivating horror stories, including The Birds which inspired Alfred Hitchcock to adapt it into a movie.

50. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

A cult horror classic that’s a must-read and watch for fans of the genre.

Use Speechify to narrate your books

Hopefully, you’ve found some titles to add to your to-read list. Even better, why not listen to them?

Speechify is a text-to-speech tool that can turn the legendary stories mentioned here into high-quality audiobooks. Unlike movies or traditional books, audiobooks will leave more to your imagination, providing an immersive experience. It’s also easier to multitask while enjoying these classic tales.

With Speechify, you can listen to your books in over 30 voices and 20+ languages, so you can also enjoy international titles. Speechify is available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Safari, and Google Chrome. You can listen to your books at home or on the go.

If you want to see Speechify in action, you can try it for free.

FAQs

What is the best movie based on a book?

Many consider Schindler’s List the best due to its compelling and impactful story.

What book should be made into a movie which hasn't yet?

Some may say Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon, a New York Times best-seller.