Welcome to the SheReads Bookish Entertainment column! Each week, enjoy a new article by Garrett Billings— Bookstagrammer, blogger, book-to-screen junkie—on all things Reading + Hollywood. Stars’ book club picks and trailer reveals, book-to-screen news and book pop culture, and of course, Gare’s specialty, choosing his ideal Hollywood casts for book adaptations—Bookish Entertainment has you covered.  

The year 2022 has given us our first Karin Slaughter adaptation, a ton of new books, and even more adaptation news than ever! If you’ve got a buzz worthy title that you can’t stop thinking about, chances are someone has their eye on bringing it to the screen in some capacity. Check out the bookish Hollywood news below to see if your favorite book is in development!

Baling and Amazon Launch Book Studio

Mindy Kaling has inked a deal with Amazon Publishing and Amazon Studios to create a boutique literary line called Mindy’s book Studio that will publish books selected by Kaling from new and upcoming diverse voices featuring female protagonists. Not only will this deal publish new books, but also eye future adaptations to premiere on Prime Video.

Will Trent Gets Pilot

ABC has given a cast-contingent pilot order to Will Trent based on the series by Karin Slaughter. Liz Heldens and Dan Thomsen from The Passage will be writing the pilot. The green light is dependent on casting the lead: Special Agent Will Trent, a special agent who was abandoned at birth and had a rough upbringing in Atlanta’s foster care system. Slaughter is set to executive produce along with Heldens and Thomsen.

Notes on an Execution Coming to Series

John Wells Production has just bought the rights to Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka. Notes tells the story of a serial killer awaiting execution as his life story is told from the perspective of the women in his life. John Wells and Erin Jontow are set to produce.

Hanks’ Otto Coming for Christmas

Tom Hanks’ A Man Called Otto (adaptation of A Man Called Ove) has sold to Sony for around $60 million and is aimed to be released in theaters this Christmas. Hanks will star as Otto, a moody and isolated widower with too much time on his hands and too strict of a routine who is the unofficial neighborhood watch. When Otto makes an unlikely friendship, he begins to change one small step at a time.

Sharon Stone is a Woman on Fire

Sharon Stone has recently optioned Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr to produce and star in the upcoming adaptation. Released on March 1st, a young journalist finds herself immersed in an international scandal in which she may risk her life to find a painting stolen by the Nazis 75 years earlier.

Billy Summers Coming to Series

Stephen King’s Billy Summers will be featured as a limited series from J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot. Bad Robot has previously worked King’s adaptations of 11/22/63, Castle Rock, and Lisey’s Story. Billy Summers tells the story of a Marine sniper turned hitman who has one last assignment before he can quit for good. Then, everything that goes wrong does.

Goosebumps Coming to Disney Plus

Based on the book series by R.L. Stine, a new Goosebumps series has been picked up by Disney Plus in a 10-episode order. The series is set to follow five high school friends who deal with the supernatural forces in their town and also learn about their parents’ teenage past in the process.