Books to Movies 2016 (April-July)

It's that time again! I wanted to update our books to movies list for you. In case you haven't had a chance to see the first part of 2016, check it out here. Get going on these books now before their movies are released!

A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers (In theaters now!)
Alan Gray is a washed-up, worn out American salesman. He travels to Saudi Arabia to try and secure a contract for a business complex in the middle of the desert, taking him way out of his comfort zone. It's funny and real, and sure to make a great film. Starring Tom Hanks.

Fairy Tales of Giambattista Basile (Movie title Tale of Tales, in theaters now!)
Many people know the fairy tales by Grimm and Perrault, but very few know of Giambattista Basile, who was a collector of fairy tales in the 1500s, long before those men were on the scene. His tales share similarities with the familiar stories we know, and the first instances of the stories "Cinderella" and "Rapunzel" come from this Italian writer. The movie looks to be a little intense, but very good!

Papa Hemingway in Cuba (In theaters April 29)
Okay, not really based on a book, but it's based on an important literary figure, so I threw it on here as a bonus. This movie is about a young journalist visiting Hemingway in the midst of the Cuban Revolution. Sure to be an interesting historical film, with a literary twist.

Alice Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll (in theaters May 27)
Alice returns to Wonderland years later to find it has been in turmoil since her last visit. She has to save her good friend, the Mad Hatter, played by Johnny Depp.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (In theaters June 3)
I am very excited about this book becoming a movie! The book is about twentysomething Lou who is really going nowhere in life. She decides to take a job working as a caregiver for a quadriplegic young man whose life completely stopped after an accident. The two of them struggle to get along, but quickly form a bond that changes them both forever. I'm both excited and dreading this movie, because the book is a roller coaster of emotions.

The BFG by Roald Dahl (In theaters July 1)
It's been awhile since we've had a new Roald Dahl book made into a movie, and The BFG is a childhood favorite to many. For those of you who somehow don't know, The BFG is a "big friendly giant" who is bullied by his peers because unlike the other giants, he doesn't want to chase and eat boys and girls. He befriends little Sophie, who likes him even though he's a giant. The movie is being directed by Steven Spielberg, which is quite promising, I think, so let's hope for the best!

The Legend of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs (based on the original Tarzan stories, in theaters July 1)
All of the many, many Tarzan incarnations stem from the stories written by Edgar Rice Burroughs in the early 1900s. If you've never explored the original stories, now's a good time to start! I know there have been lots of Tarzan movies/shows in the past twenty years, so this one may not sound very original at first glance, but it looks to be action-packed. It stars Alexander Skarsgard and Magot Robie (who's having a moment in Hollywood right now).

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates by Mike and Dave Stangle (In theaters July 8)
Surprisingly, a true story. The two title characters--brothers--placed an online ad looking for the perfect wedding dates to take with them to their sister's Hawaiian wedding. The ad went viral, and the girls that they chose as dates made the wedding vacation one that they'd never forget. The movie looks to be a little crazy, but funny. Check out the book to see the true story of it all.

We'll share more books to movies later this year!

~Cailey