Book to Movie Adaptations: Harry Potter, Angels and Demons, and More!

Hollywood has its best ideas when other people think of them first. Despite the difficulty of fitting an entire book into a mere two hour movie, novels are a prime source of material for the movie industry and 2009 is no exception. Several notable adaptations are set to come out this year, here are a few:

Angels and Demons

Dan Brown's prequel to The Davinci Code is getting the movie sequel treatment this year. Tom Hanks is back in the role of Robert Langdon and Ron Howard returns to the director's chair. This is another international mystery which will have Hanks' character following a trail of clues to unravel a vast conspiracy. This time Langdon is in Rome, uncovering a plot by the Illuminati to destroy the Vatican. It is set to release on May 15, 2009.

Public Enemies

Based on a non-fiction book by Bryan Burrough, Public Enemies boasts one of the most exciting cast and director combinations in recent memory. Michael Mann directs Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, notorious gangster from the 1930's, and Christian Bale as Melvin Purvis, a top FBI agent sent to dispatch Dillinger. Fans eagerly wait for July 1, 2009 to see what this combination can do with such rich material.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The sixth book in the Harry Potter series appears on screens July 15, 2009. This was originally intended to release during the 2008 holiday season, but after the writer's strike Warner Bros. saw an opportunity to make it a summer blockbuster. The Harry Potter fans are sure to turn out in droves, so it may be a smart move. Most of the original cast is back, this time being directed by David Yates.

The Time Traveler's Wife

The book by Audrey Niffenegger is a romantic drama about a man who time travels involuntarily, and the complications this causes with his wife. Eric Bana plays the time traveler while Rachel McAdams plays his wife. It comes out August 14, 2009.

Where the Wild Things Are

Spike Jonze's long awaited adaptation doesn't have to worry about fitting a lot of material in a short time, the book was originally a classic illustrated children's story. With a screenplay written by novelist Dave Eggers, the movie is a departure for both Eggers and Jonze. Originally set to release in summer 2008, it has been pushed all the way back to October 16, 2009.

On The Road

Jack Kerouac's landmark beat generation travelogue is being turned into a movie by Walter Salles and American Zoetrope, Francis Ford Coppola's production company. No cast has been announced, but the movie is set to be released some time in 2009.

Some information provided by IMDb.