Sci-Fi Month is a month-long celebration of science fiction hosted by imyril @ There’s Always Room for One More and Lisa @ Dear Geek Place. Get involved here!
We seem to be in an era of book adaptations, don’t we? And yet there are so many books that would so suit a TV adaptation that still haven’t been adapted–including plenty of sci-fi!
Today I thought I’d talk about some of the sci-fi I’d love to see adaptations of, and mention one or two actors I think would be the perfect additions to the cast…
The Broken Earth Trilogy by N. K. Jemisin
This is very much a fantasy series, but I think it has strong science fantasy vibes, and being a post-apolyptic series means it also fits nicely into sci-fi. I think there has been some talk of this series being adapted but I haven’t seen anything else about it and it would be so fantastic if done well.
Personally, I’d love to see Danai Gurira as Essun, who is one of the best SFF heroines of all-time and one of the best mothers in fiction. I adore her. I also think Mahershala Ali could be perfect for Alabaster, and perhaps someone like Cillian Murpy for Schaffa.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
C’mon who doesn’t want to see Jane McKeene kick some 19th century zombie butt? This duology would be such a good Netflix series; Jane’s narrative voice leaps off the pages of this book so I can only imagine what she’d be like in the flesh, and the friendship that grows between her and Katherine is the kind of friendship we should be expecting from all of the shows we watch.
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Either Into the Drowning Deep or its prequel novella, Rolling in the Deep, would be such a fun horror film. We need more terrifying mermaids on our screen, and in many ways these stories hit the same beats that sci-fi horrors set on remote spaceships do. Ships in the middle of the ocean are also incredibly isolated, and the perfect settings for a horror flick.
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
This is another series that I’m sure has been optioned for TV in the past, but it still hasn’t happened and the story and its large cast of characters so suits a fun Netflix series. I’m glad it hasn’t been adapted yet because I think if it had been adapted several years ago then a white actor would have been cast for Cinder when, considering it was deemed acceptable for her to be hidden in China, she’s clearly of Asian descent. I’ve personally always read Cinder as mixed race.
I’d love to see new actors cast as the main characters – particularly actors who are actually teenagers – but I bet Michelle Yeoh would do a great job as Cinder’s horrid stepmother, and I’d love to see someone like Katie McGrath playing Levana.
Jessticulates 
I’d love to see Rosewater brought to the big screen. I actually said a good while ago I’d like to see Chadwick Boseman as Kaaro, sadly that will never happen now, RIP 😔
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It’s so sad that he’s no longer with us, he seemed like such a lovely guy! I still need to read Rosewater but I’ve heard good things.
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There’s always the great fear that film or TV adaptations will disappoint… and eight times out of ten, they usually do. Yet there are so many disappointing, unoriginal and predictable sci-fi films, that you’re left yearning for an amazing book to be adapted. Or when somebody comes along with yet another frustrating version of The War of the Worlds, and yo uthikn about all the other books they could have done. But they really have to be done faithfully. I’d love to see some of Christopher Priest’s books adapted, such as The Affirmation or The Glamour. Greg Bear’s Blood Music or Frank Herbert’s Hellstrom’s Hive could work well too… The Machine or The Explorer by James Smythe, too… there are so many to list!
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Katie Mcgrath would be amazing!
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Oh yes, I would LOOOOVE to see an adaptation of Broken Earth–that would be fascinating on screen.
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It could be so good if it was done well!
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The Lunar Chronicles would be so amazing as a tv show, if done well.
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Hard agree!
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Rolling in the Deep would be a blast! I’m trying to think of a mermaid horror movie thats out there and I can’t think of one😁
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It would be so fun, wouldn’t it? 😀
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I’m kind of shocked that an adaptation of the Lunar Chronicles hasn’t managed to get on TV or in theaters yet!
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I know! It’s such a popular series, and it was especially popular when it was being released, that I’m surprised no adaptation has ever been confirmed.
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