In the late 1940s, businesses started realizing how profitable catering to the teenage demographic could be. For this reason, Rock and Roll and its accompanying subculture exploded onto the pop culture scene. It wasn't just the music either, as movies like Blackboard Jungle, The Wild One, and Rebel Without a Cause became huge sensations. After this craze, understanding young men and women's tastes became a vital part of a company's success.
Young adult novels have always been immensely popular, but in recent years, studios have ramped up their efforts to adapt these stories to movies. Since series like the Twilight Saga, Hunger Games, and Harry Potter became such mammoth money-makers, it only makes sense that everyone would try to cash in. This trend shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, with many new adaptations on the horizon.
It is with this in mind that we present the upcoming young adult adaptations. Several of these will be releasing in 2019, while more are even further away, either in the planning stages or post production. It should be noted that some of the movies not confirmed for 2019 may still see a release that year if they are able to find a distributor.
So put away that diary, because here are the 8 YA Adaptations Coming In 2019 (And 17 We Have To Wait For).
Still Have To Wait For: Illuminae
Amy Kaufman and Jay Kristoff's science fiction novel details a world of space colonization through the use of fictional documents and interviews. The main story follows two teenagers in love in this giant, futuristic universe. Illuminae is the first book in the series, of which there have been three releases.
Plan B, Brad Pitt's company, and Warner Bros. have had plans for a movie adaptation cooking for some time, but it does not look like they are anywhere near actual production. Given the series' success, it seems obvious for it to make the big screen transition.
Still Have To Wait For: Spontaneous
Senior year is simultaneously the most exciting and stressful part of a youth's life. Future prospects seem endless, but they still are concerned with having a perfect school life and being popular. The one thing that could possibly make that worse is if the students randomly started exploding. This is what happens in Aaron Starmer's novel, Spontaneous.
Production started in January of this year and shooting has wrapped up since. Given the nature of movie making, it is difficult to say if it will see a 2019 release or sometime after. Whenever it comes out, it is sure to be an interesting romp.
Coming in 2019: Chaos Walking
Sometimes, book titles do not sound too appealing as movie names. As a result, sometimes the film opts to take the name of the series instead. The upcoming Chaos Walking is doing just this when it bursts onto screens in March of next year. The Knife of Never Letting Go is the first book of the series that is being adapted.
Tom Holland, Daisy Riddley, and Mads Mikkelsen are all starring in the science fiction epic, so audiences can be assured that the movie is not dry of acting talent.
Still Have To Wait For: Why We Broke Up
This book was penned by a familiar author of many readers' youths, but it won't be immediately recognized just by glancing at the name. Daniel Handler may be better known to some as Lemony Snicket, famed for A Series of Unfortunate Events. Why We Broke Up is less fantastical than the aforementioned work, but just as compelling.
The teenage drama was being adapted as far back as 2012, but little word has been heard since then. Hailee Steinfeld was set to star, and could still be convincing as a high school student these days.
Still Have To Wait For: Looking For Alaska
Looking For Alaska stirred controversy upon its release for explicit content. People argued that teenagers should not be exposed to risque ideas in literature. John Green wrote the novel based on his own high school experiences, and if kids live a certain way, literature should reflect this and not shy away from it.
The hotly debated book is now set to become a Hulu mini-series. The cast was announced in October of this year, but the streaming service has yet to reveal a release date. Fingers are crossed for 2019, but it is impossible to say for sure.
Coming in 2019: Five Feet Apart
Five Feet Apart is the 2001: A Space Odyssey of YA fiction, not because it will revolutionize the genre, but because the book and movie were simultaneously conceptualized. Rachel Lippincott's novel hit shelves December of this year, and the movie is set to be released this March.
The story is a heart wrenching tale of two lovers who are forbidden to touch. They meet while receiving treatment for Cystic Fibrosis, where physical contact could transmit a fatal ailment, hence the title. Hopefully the execution does the unique idea justice.
Still Have To Wait For: The Sky Is Everywhere
The Sky Is Everywhere deals with family tragedy and the ensuing grief. The main character is reeling over her older sister's passing. During this process, she starts a relationship with her deceased sibling's fiancé. To make matters more complicated, she also has feelings for another boy, forcing herself to decide between the two love interests.
In 2015, Warner Bros. set out to adapt Jandy Nelson's highly regarded book, but little news has sprouted forth since then. The drama present in the novel is timeless, so no time is a bad time to put it to screen.
Still Have To Wait For: Dr. Bird's Advice For Sad Poets
This one actually has an adaptation as a short movie in 2016, coming in at twenty nine minutes. However, fans of Evan Roskos' novel want a full feature that dives into all the nitty-gritty details. This intense dramatic comedy is told through the eyes of a sixteen year old high school student with a vivid imagination.
There is currently a full length movie in the works with Lucas Jade Zumann, Lisa Edelstein, and Jason Isaac set to star. It is well on its way to being realized, but 2019 is an unlikely year to see it hit theaters.
Coming in 2019: Where'd You Go, Bernadette
This one stands out from the rest of the entries because it is being directed by none other than Richard Linkletter, whose relatable stories and perfectly executed dialogue always makes for a compelling movie experience. The novel is not specifically marked as YA either, but it is still told through the eyes of a fifteen year old girl.
The story revolves around a teenager named Bee who is searching for her mother. The movie, releasing on March 22nd, features a star studded cast with names like Cate Blanchette, Kristen Wiig, Judy Greer, and Laurence Fishburne.
Still Have To Wait for: I'll Give You The Sun
Relationships between siblings can be complicated, to say the least. The pair can start out inseparable, only for the bond to be slowly torn apart through misunderstandings, betrayals, and dishonesty. This topic is at the heart of Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun, which details a pair of twin's relationship over several periods of time.
In 2015, Warner Bros. took the first steps in bringing the heart felt story to the big screen. Natalie Krinsky, whose prior work has been in television, was all set to write the script. No news has risen since then, however.
Still Have To Wait For: Sorta Like A Rockstar
Keeping optimistic during the darkest of times is vital, but it's not easy. Sorta Like A Rockstar details the difficulty of having high spirits in the face of tragedy. Amber, the novel's central character, is homeless with her mom, living on a school bus. Even in this situation, though, she stays strong. An additional tragedy rocks her world, making it almost impossible for her to maintain positivity.
In 2017, it was revealed that Matthew Quick, the author, had struck a deal with Netflix to bring his story to life, with Bryce Dallas Howard set to direct.
Coming in 2019: The Sun Is Also A Star
Nicola Yoon worked full time as a programmer for nearly two decades prior to becoming a published author. Her works often draw from her experience, as well as from thinking about her daughter. When reading about her life and The Sun is Also a Star, it is easy to see the connection between reality and fiction.
The book details a quick romance between people from two vastly different ethnic backgrounds. The novel is a gripping read, and hopefully the adaptation will be just as engrossing when it hits theaters in May of 2019.
Still Have To Wait For: The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight
Ask a variety of people, and their thoughts about love at first sight are bound to differ. Some strongly believe in it, either clinging to the hope of finding it themselves or having experienced it first hand, while others vehemently deny its existence, even if they are romantic.
Regardless of beliefs, it does usually make for a nice, sappy story, which is exactly what Jennifer E. Smith's novel accomplishes in strides. The last word on the street was that Hailee Steinfeld was attached to the project, but no new developments have occurred since 2015.
Still Have To Wait For: Dry
California residents may want to shy away from this Neal Shusterman novel, which details a drought in the state that cripples society. Being a young adult novel, most readers can guess that the era of dryness is told through the eyes of a teenager, who must take the responsibility of protecting her family during the harrowing times. The novel was also cowritten with Neal's son, Jarrod.
In February of 2018, Paramount bought the rights to translate the story to theaters. Further details are scarce, but hopefully the studio realizes the project in the near future.
Coming in 2019: All The Bright Places
Ask any fan about All The Bright Places, and they are bound to break into tears over the novel's sorrowful themes and tough subject matter. It makes it all the more heartbreaking to learn that Jennifer Niven based her work on her own real life experiences. The silver lining of it all is that she turned the story into beautiful fiction she could boldly share with the world.
The movie adaptation is currently being produced, starring Elle Fanning. Netflix will distribute the picture, presumably releasing on the project sometime in 2019.
Still Have To Wait for: The Beast Is an Animal
Fairy tales and fantasy are not just for children and J. R. R. Tolkien aficionados. Teenagers have just as much right to throw themselves into fantasy worlds too, and can even handle darker themes than children can. The Beast is an Animal scratches this itch perfectly, following two twins who live in a world haunted by creatures known as soul eaters.
Ridley Scott is set to produce the dark fantasy adaptation for Amazon Studios, with the directing duo Bert and Bertie in talks to helm it. No word on the casting yet, however.
Still Have To Wait for: Scythe
Imagine if all the world's diseases were gone, allowing every human to live a full life. This sounds ideal, but what happens when the population exceeds sustainable levels? Thanos isn't around to snap everything back into order, so humans must take it upon themselves to maintain balance.
This is the main idea behind Scythe, penned by Neal Shusterman. Universal struck a deal to adapt the dystopian world onto the big screen back in 2016 before the book was even published. It has not made good on it yet, and it is hard to say if it ever will.
Coming in 2019: Artemis Fowl
A teenage genius might not be the most virtuous person on the planet. Think about all the wild dreams and desires any particular young adult could have, and what would happen if they could actually accomplish them.
The titular character of the Artemis Fowl franchise starts out as a greedy young man who kidnaps a fairy for ransom, but slowly changes over the eight novel series to help the mystical creatures. Kenneth Branagh is directing the movie, which is set to tell the first two books' stories. It currently has an August 2019 release.
Still Have To Wait For: Red Queen
No, this isn't referring to the sinister character from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass. Red Queen is a young adult novel in a fantasy setting. The 2015 novel, written by Victoria Aveyard, is a dark tale about a girl who ends up in nobility when it is discovered that she possess special powers.
Back in 2015, Elizabeth Banks was in talks to helm the project, as well as produce it. This news got many fans excited, making them anxiously wait in anticipation for more news. Unfortunately, there has not been many new developments since then.
Still Have To Wait For: The Diabolic
The titular Diabolics of S.J. Kincaid's novel are powerful humanoid beings created to protect a certain person at any cost, including their own lives. The story follows one of these artificial entities, known as Nemesis, as it is tasked with protecting a senator's daughter. Eventually, Nemesis must stand in as the girl.
Sony announced plans to develop a movie in 2016. However, since then, it seems like the studio has yet to move forward with the project. Young adult science fiction is still a hot property, so there is no reason it cannot be produced in these times.