Welcome to the Big Screen

by Kerry Torpey on March 2, 2018


Arts & Entertainment


A promotional poster for Disney's new film A Wrinkle in Time
Photo courtesy of IMDB.com

by Sara Conway ’21

A&E Staff

The lights dim. A quiet hush of silence suddenly settles over the theater and excited moviegoers. There is something special about seeing a new movie on the big screen, watching a story unfold and characters develop right before your eyes.

It is even more magical to experience a book you love come to life. As college students who do not always have the luxury of splurging on expensive movie tickets, these are some of the most anticipated “books-to-movies” that should be at the top of your reading and watch lists.

1. A Wrinkle in Time  

Release date: March 9, 2018

This classic, written by Madeleine L’Engle, is finally getting the movie upgrade that it deserves. Starring Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Mindy Kaling, A Wrinkle in Time follows Meg Murry, her brother, and a classmate as they journey to a new planet, one which possesses all of the evil in the universe, to find their father, who disappeared five years previously.

2. Love, Simon 

Release date: March 16, 2018

Based on the novel by Becky Albertalli, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the movie Love, Simon tells the story of Simon Spier, a closeted gay high-schooler trying to survive the twists and turns that life and love throwin his way. Simon and his authentic voice are portrayed by Nick Robinson.

a promotional poster for the new film Love, Simon
Photo courtesy of IMDB.com

3. Ready Player One

Release date: March 29, 2018

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Ready Player One is based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline. Protagonist Wade Watts joins the hunt for the digital Easter egg in the OASIS, a virtual reality universe, for a chance to inherit the fortune the creator left behind after he died. The stakes are even higher as Wade lives in a 2045 world threatened by chaos.

4. The Darkest Minds

Release date: August 3, 2018

Alexandra Bracken’s novel, The Darkest Minds, is set in a disease-ridden world that destroyed 98 percent of America’s children. The remaining 2 percent are placed in internment camps after the discovery of their superpowers. The Darkest Minds tells the story of Ruby, a sixteen-year-old who escapes from the camp and joins a renegade of teens on the run from the government. The movie stars Mandy Moore, Gwendoline Christie, and Amandla Stenberg.

5. The Hate U Give 

Release date: TBD

Angie Thomas’ story, The Hate U Give, exploded since the novel was released in February of last year. The story follows sixteen-year-old Starr Carter, who lives an uneasy balance between her poor neighborhood and the prep school that she attends. Her world comes crashing down when she witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend. Amandla Stenberg, Anthony,Common, and Mackie star in this adaptation.

6. To All The Boys I’ve Ever Loved

Release date: TBD

Lana Condor and Noah Centineo star as Lara Jean Song Covey and her love interest, Peter Kavinsky. This heartwarming story written by Jenny Han will have everyone falling in love with Peter, Lara Jean, and her family. According to its page on IMDB, the status of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is post-production with no official release date.

2018 will be a year full of dynamic movies and the powerful messages that these adaptations will bring to the big screen.