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Stories travel. They cross borders, languages and generations, and right now they are crossing from the page to the screen at a remarkable pace. From classic novels to modern prize winners, producers and streamers are looking far beyond Hollywood for their next major adaptations. The result is a rich mix of genres and cultures, with projects coming out of Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. Here is a guided tour of eighteen international books that are being transformed into films and television series.
Argentina leads the list with The World Jones Made by Philip K. Dick. Titled The Future is Ours, this limited series marks the first Spanish language adaptation of one of Dick’s works. Produced for Netflix by the team behind the hit series The Eternaut, it brings the author’s sharp vision of power and prophecy to a new audience.
Brazil follows with The Pilgrimage, based on Paulo Coelho’s early novel. Directed by Vicente Amorim for Netflix, the film tracks a journey to Santiago de Compostela and a search for spiritual meaning that reflects the themes Coelho is best known for.
Canada appears twice. Emily St. John Mandel has adapted her novel Last Night in Montreal for the big screen, co writing with Semi Chellas. The film centers on a man whose life collapses after his girlfriend vanishes just as he plans to propose. Also from Canada is Flesh by David Szalay. Though still in early development, the Booker Prize winning novel is being adapted by House Productions along with BBC Film and Access, tracing one man’s life from youth to old age.
France brings a lighter tone with Lucky Luke. Disney Plus is developing a live action series based on the beloved Morris and Goscinny comics, with Alban Lenoir playing the famously fast shooting cowboy. The series is set to arrive in spring 2026.
Germany’s entry is Momo by Michael Ende. The fantasy film stars Martin Freeman and follows a young orphan girl battling forces that literally steal time. It adds another screen chapter to the legacy of the author of The Neverending Story.
Across Europe, Greece is adapting The Great Chimera into a six part television drama that blends romance and tragedy, while Iceland is turning stories from the Sturlunga saga into Fury, a series described as a brutal tale of power and blood feuds. Italy offers romance with No Place To Be Single, a Prime Video film set in Tuscany and scheduled for release in 2026.
India’s Revolutionaries adapts Sanjeev Sanyal’s nonfiction work into a series about freedom fighters challenging British rule, while Ireland continues its literary moment with Marian Keyes’ Grown Ups, arriving on Netflix in 2026.
In Asia, Japan presents Faking Beethoven, a Prime Video film exploring a musical scandal in nineteenth century Vienna, and Saudi Arabia adapts Osamah Almuslim’s horror novel Traveler’s Hell for the big screen with support from MBC.
Mexico is adapting Mal de Amores into a Netflix series set in the nineteenth century, while Norway brings Jo Nesbo’s famous detective Harry Hole to Netflix in early 2026. Poland contributes Pionek, a sequel series connected to the crime hit Śleboda.
Spain revisits The House Of The Spirits, with Isabel Allende and Eva Longoria executive producing a new series for Prime Video. Finally, Sweden’s award winning novel When The Cranes Fly South is being adapted into a film about memory, aging and the bond between a man and his dog.
Together, these projects show how global storytelling has become. Familiar themes of love, power, faith and survival are being retold through different cultures and voices, proving that great stories truly have no borders.
