Lihi Lapid Is Behind Our Next Obsession, and She’s Not Alone

As has been the case on screens in recent years, the coming year will also be defined by series and films that are based on books. In honor of Hebrew Book Week, we found five books that will soon be adapted for the screen, and before that happens, it might be worth reading them.

auto mako culture mako Published: 11.06.26, 13:20 | Updated: 11.06.26, 15:09 Photo: Rotem Level, mako

The television industry is in a constant search for the next big story, and often it finds it דווקא between the pages of books. In recent years, bestsellers and beloved books have become especially sought-after raw material for creators, producers, and streaming services, which rush to turn them into series everyone will be talking about. On the occasion of Book Week, we gathered several books that are already making their way to the small screen.

Strangers / Lihi Lapid

Lihi Lapid’s “Strangers” is a novel that follows a girl who flees from what she has seen and from people trying to silence her, and finds temporary refuge with a confused elderly woman who mistakenly identifies her as her daughter. In parallel, the girl’s mother sets out in search of her missing daughter after getting involved with the wrong man, and in another storyline a man living abroad senses that something is happening to his mother. The story unfolds across distances, families and unexpected connections.

yes is currently developing a series based on the book, starring Eden Golan, Einat Holland, whose casting was reported by mako, Yana Yossef and others, and directed by Tzion Rubin.

Night Good Earth Orphan / Kobi Farhi

In his book, Kobi Farhi, the singer of Orphaned Land, describes the story of the band, which has been active for decades on the international stage and has a large fan base around the world. Alongside the success and performances in more than 50 countries, he also returns to his personal story and the path he took from a teenager in Israel to a musical career, the effects of October 7 and the war on the audience’s attitude, and the question that has accompanied Farhi to this day, whether Orphaned Land is still alive.

The memoir is currently being adapted into a film, and is being written these days by screenwriter Liora Kaminetsky (“Fauda,” “Jaffa”).

Dune Messiah / Frank Herbert

“Dune Messiah” is the second book in Frank Herbert’s “Dune” series, so its plot will be less clear to anyone who has not read the earlier books or seen the films. But still, the book opens about 12 years after the end of the plot of Dune. During those years, Paul Muad’Dib Atreides established his position as emperor of the galactic empire with the help of the Fremen, the warrior tribe that helped him avenge his father’s death and conquer the planet Arrakis in the first book. The Fremen went to war across the galactic empire in Paul’s name, much to his disgust, conquering dozens of planets and massacring masses.

The final installment in the film trilogy will reach theaters toward the end of the year, with the original cast returning in full, from Timothée Chalamet to Zendaya and Florence Pugh, along with Robert Pattinson, who recently joined.

A Tale of Two Cities / Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens’s 1859 classic has already received numerous screen adaptations. For anyone who still does not know the details of the historical novel, with all its immortal quotes, it takes place against the backdrop of the years before and during the French Revolution, beginning with the imprisonment of Doctor Manette in 1757 and ending some 36 years later with the trial of Charles Darnay.

A historical drama miniseries based on the novel is currently being developed for BBC One and MGM+, starring Kit Harington (“Game of Thrones”), François Civil and Mirren Mack.

Verity / Colleen Hoover

“Verity” is a novel about an aspiring writer named Lowen Ashleigh, who is in financial trouble. She receives an offer to complete a series of books by Verity, a successful author who is in serious medical condition. Lowen comes to the family home for a short time, but stays longer than planned after becoming attached to Verity’s husband, Jeremy. During her stay she discovers a hidden manuscript by Verity that contains disturbing revelations about family life, and begins to debate whether to reveal the truth or keep it secret.

Colleen Hoover has already conquered the screen with the adaptation of “It Ends With Us,” which became a box-office hit starring Blake Lively and also sparked controversy following a widely reported lawsuit between its stars. In October, “Verity” will also arrive in theaters in a film adaptation starring Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett, directed by Michael Showalter.