All Quiet on the Western Front, Enola Holmes, The School for Good and Evil (Picture Credits: Netflix)
From Millie Bobby Brown’s portrayal of Enola Holmes, to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Best Picture-nominated Western movie— here’s 10 of the best book adaptations streaming on Netflix.
Book-to-screen adaptations can be divisive; look no further than Netflix’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s seminal novel Persuasion. But they can also be superb, bringing beloved stories into a new medium, while being faithful to their source material — and in some cases, even adding more depth and new elements to the original tales. Let’s dive into our list of the ten best book adaptations on Netflix!
Our Souls at Night
After widowed neighbors Addie and Louis begin sleeping in bed together platonically to alleviate their loneliness, a real romance begins to blossom.
Despite being over a decade since it was released, Our Souls a Night remains among Netflix’s best romance films. A vehement adaptation of the bestselling novel by Kent Haruf, the film is an atmospheric, romantic drama about two lonely neighbors, Addie and Louis, who strike up a deep connection, sleeping together platonically. The film is a beautiful deep dive into emotional states, grief, loss, and true love.
Obviously, it’s rare that the movie is better than the book, and this is no exception. However, it does a particularly commendable job.
Passing
In 1920s New York City, a Black woman finds her world upended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who's passing as white.
It’s hard to believe that actress-turned-director Rebecca Hall made her directorial debut with Netflix’s Passing. The movie is expertly crafted, told in black-and-white. The 2021 BAFTA-nominated film adapts Nella Larsen’s classic 1929 novel. Set in New York in the 1920s, the movie follows two Black women — Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Ruth Negga). Both women rekindle their friendship after knowing each other from childhood. Redfield is married to a black man, while Negga, who passes for white, is married to a racist white man. It’s an intelligent retelling of the novel if a little slow at times.
The School for Good and Evil
Best friends Sophie and Agatha find their bond put to the test when they're whisked away to a magical school for future fairy-tale heroes and villains.
An epic fantasy world! An enchanted school! A battle between good and evil! What’s not to love? Netflix’s adaptation of Soman Chainani’s popular fairytale fantasy novels is a whole lot of family fun.
The story follows best friends Agatha and Sophie, who hail from a small village that’s perfectly normal; nothing out-of-the-ordinary goes on. However, upon discovering a magical book, they’re swept away to the fateful School for Good and Evil, where all sorts of fantastical beings dwell. The problem? Agatha is enrolled in the School of Good, while Sophie finds herself in the School of Evil.
The movie had the potential to grow into a much bigger franchise, but we’ve yet to see sequels. Director Paul Feig and writer Soman Chainani are still fighting for another installment, though!
Beasts of No Nation
When civil war tears his family apart, a young West African boy is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters and transform into a child soldier.
Releasing way back in 2015. Beasts of No Nation was the first-ever feature film distributed by Netflix. It’s based on the 2005 novel by Uzodinma Iweala and is headlined by Idris Elba. The movie follows a young African boy, Agu (Abraham Attah), who’s forced to join a military unit following a civil war that tears his family apart. The film set a high standard for Netflix movies. In fact. Elba took home a SAG-award for his outstanding performance.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Nothing is as it seems when a woman experiencing misgivings about her new boyfriend joins him on a road trip to meet his parents at their remote farm.
Based on the novel by Iain Reid, I’m Thinking of Ending Things boasts a pretty stellar cast, including Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, David Thewlis, and Colby Minifie. The atmospheric, thought-provoking story follows a young woman joins her boyfriend on a road trip to meet him parents on their remote farm. The movie seamlessly blends together psychological horror with mystery and intrigue. It’s abstract and slow-burning, leaving you clutching onto every scene. It’s definitely niche, but it’s worth the strange journey.
The Power of the Dog
A domineering but charismatic rancher wages a war of intimidation on his brother's new wife and her teen son -- until long-hidden secrets come to light.
The Power of the Dog is based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel. In his first Western movie, British icon Benedict Cumberbatch shines as cruel rancher Phil Burbank. Directed by Jane Campion, the movie got nominated for myriad awards, including Best Picture at the Oscars.
It follows Phil Burbank, whose life is turned upside down when his brother George (Jesse Plemons) introduces his new wife Rose (Kirsten Dunst), as well as her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The film weaves together classic Western vibes with romantic and psychological beats.
Bird Box
One of Netflix's biggest movies of all time, Bird Box sees the world ravaged by a mysterious force and we follow a group of survivors.
Bird Box was an instant hit when it dropped on Netflix in 2018. The movie sets a simple premise. After a mysterious, hidden monster sets the world to turmoil, compelling people to commit suicide, a mum, Malorie (Sandra Bullock) must take her children on a perilous journey for safety. But there’s one problem: if you look at the monster, no matter what you do, death awaits. Therefore, their journey must be completed while blindfolded.
The movie is based on Josh Malerman’s bestselling novel of the same name. Bird Box did see a sequel spinoff, Bird Box Barcelona, in 2023. However, the follow-up garnered middling reviews compared to the original.
Enola Holmes
While searching for her missing mother, intrepid teen Enola Holmes uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brother Sherlock and help a runaway lord.
Millie Bobby Brown is one of has one of the most esteemed filmographies on Netflix. From Stranger Things to her solo fairytale movie Damsel — at just 21-years-old, it feels like she’s been around forever. Another one of her most popular projects is Enola Holmes, where she plays Sherlock Holmes’ curious and rebellious little sister.
The movie is based on The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer. It follows the spoils of Sherlock’s 14-year-old sister Enola, who continually outwits her world-famous brother (played by Henry Cavill in this version). The movie is just a ton of family fun, filled with mystery and thrills.
Moreover, the movie has spawned a larger franchise, with a sequel already on streaming and a third instalment set to arrive in 2026. With nine books in the series, it seems like Enola Holmes could be here to stay for a long time!
The Irishman
Hit man Frank Sheeran looks back at the secrets he kept as a loyal member of the Bufalino crime family in this acclaimed film from Martin Scorsese.
Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest filmmakers, and The Irishman merely emphasises the point. His 3-and-a-half hour epic boasts an absolutely star-studded cast, with such names as Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, and Stephen Graham.
The Irishman adapts I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. Set in the United States in the 1950s, the movie follows Frank Sheeran (De Niro), who unwittingly gets involved with Russell Bufalino (Pesci) and his crime family. As time passes, he becomes a renowned hit man. The movie is so good that the extreme runtime passes by in a flash.
All Quiet on the Western Front
When 17-year-old Paul joins the Western Front in World War I, his initial excitement is soon shattered by the grim reality of life in the trenches.
All Quiet on the Western Front is undoubtedly one of Netflix’s most celebrated movies. Look no further than the nine Oscar nominations it received. The movie ultimately took home a staggering four: Best International Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design.
The adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel takes place during World War I, following an idealistic young German soldier on the frontline. His dreams and aspirations, and hopes of heroism, wither and fade as he deals with the intensity and distress of war. The film is a stunningly-filmed and striking piece of art, one that’s an absolute must-watch for any Netflix subscriber.
Those are our picks – what are your picks for the best book adaptations on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
