Literary adaptations: August 6, 2026

Here's a roundup of news and reflections on literary adaptations and crossovers.

• The TV adaptation of Tom Wolfe's novel The Bonfire of the Vanities is no longer being developed for Apple TV and is being shopped around (Deadline).

• Jacqueline Woodson's picture book The Day You Begin is coming to PBS Kids tomorrow in the form of an hour-long animated special (The New York Times).

• Netflix is adapting Deep End by Ali Hazelwood; no word on casting yet (Deadline). 

• However, we have more casting information for the Agatha Christie adaptation series Hercule (Deadline).

• Sheila Masterson will serve as the executive producer for Hulu's series adaptation of her self-published novel, The Poison Daughter (Deadline).

• Translator Emily Wilson has not backed down from her criticism of the new movie adaptation of The Odyssey, and in fact has published an op-ed in The Atlantic calling it "emotionally empty" (Variety).

• Fans of the TV show Heated Rivalry, based on Rachel Reid's gay hockey romance novels, are being asked to give the cast and crew space during filming of season two, which is happening now (Variety).

• Brittany Snow is joining Sydney Sweeney, Kirsten Dunst, and Paul Anthony Kelly in the movie adaptation of The Housemaid's Secret, the sequel to the novel-turned-hit-film The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (The Hollywood Reporter).