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This week, in the second of two new episodes, Sophie and Rudi discuss “Klara and the Sun,” director Taika Waititi's film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel of the same name. The movie, which bombed at the box office, stars Jenna Ortega as a humanoid robot companion (an AF, or Artificial Friend) to a teenager, played by Mia Tharia, and her mom, played by Amy Adams. Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi and Rachel House co-star. After sharing their brief, spoiler-free thoughts on “Klara and the Sun,” which they both did not like (01:30), Sophie discusses her relationship to the book and its author, the Japanese-British Nobel Prize winner Ishiguro, who wrote one of her favorite books of all time, “Never Let Me Go” (03:48). Rudi then shares some background on the film, which was co-written by Waititi and Dahvi Waller (“Mad Men”) and sat on the shelf for nearly two years before it was released (07:44). After a debate over the merits of Waititi as a filmmaker (12:27), they dive deep into the plot of “Klara and the Sun” the movie and its differences from Ishiguro’s novel (15:40). Their chief complaints are that the film completely changes the tone of Ishiguro’s book, favoring a twee, quirky vibe over the novel’s more thoughtful, meditative and dark interiority. They explain why they think the film was unsuccessful commercially and creatively, what they thought of Ortega and Adams’ performances and why the movie could get a second life when it eventually arrives on streaming (likely at Netflix). Finally, Sophie makes her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked more: reading Ishiguro or watching “Klara and the Sun” (48:29). If you’ve read this far or listened this far into the episode, you can probably guess where she landed. Next week, we’re discussing “Wildwood,” director Travis Knight and Laika Studios’ stop-motion animation adaptation of The Decemberists songwriter Colin Meloy’s first novel in his “Wildwood Chronicles” series. The hand-made film has a star-studded voice cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Arthur Knight, Angela Bassett and Mahershala Ali. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, in the first of two new episodes, Sophie and Rudi discuss “Wicker,” co-directors and co-writers Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s film adaptation of Ursula Wills’ 2008 short story “The Wicker Husband.” The new movie stars Oliva Colman as a fisherwoman who asks a basket weaver, played by Peter Dinklage, to make her a husband out of wicker who looks like Alexander Skarsgard. Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan, and Richard E. Grant co-star in this charming and amusing period piece that’s part fable, part romance novel come to life. After sharing brief, spoiler-free thoughts on “Wicker” (01:49), they detail “The Wicker Husband’s” unlikely journey from online publication to proper publication (03:45) and, ultimately, a feature-length film from the husband-and-wife directing duo Fischer and Wilson (06:52). They also explore why a short story like this was the perfect starting point to build a more expansive movie. Then they dive deep into a discussion of the film’s plot and themes (09:48). Throughout their chat, Sophie and Rudi explain why they found “Wicker” so charming, how they were (and weren’t) able to suspend disbelief, what’s so great about the performances from Colman and Skarsgard, and the clever ways “Wicker” packs societal commentary into a weird but thoughtful comedy. Finally, Sophie makes her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she enjoyed more: Reading “The Wicker Husband” or watching “Wicker” (38:08). On Friday, we’re back with another new episode to chat about “Klara and the Sun,” director Taika Waititi's disappointing adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2021 novel of the same name. The film stars Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Natasha Lyonne and Mia Tharia. Next week, we’re discussing “Wildwood,” director Travis Knight and Laika Studios’ stop-motion animation adaptation of Colin Meloy’s first novel in his “Wildwood Chronicle” series, which has an all-star voice cast. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, writer Ashley Reese (@offbeatorbit) joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “Carrie,” Prime Video’s new streaming adaptation of Stephen King’s debut horror novel from 1974. Created by writer-director Mike Flanagan (“The Haunting of Hill House”), the eight-episode series modernizes “Carrie” for a Gen Z audience with Summer H. Howell as the titular teenager with telekinetic powers alongside a cast that includes Flanagan regulars Samantha Sloyan (“Midnight Mass”), Matthew Lillard (“The Life of Chuck”) and Rahul Kohli (“The Rise and Fall of the House of Usher”). Before discussing “Carrie,” they introduce their guest, discuss the book she’s writing (00:01:38) and ask Ashley why she picked this show for her appearance on the podcast. (00:04:40). After going around and sharing their spoiler-free thoughts on the series (00:005:30), Sophie gives some history on King’s book, which was rescued from the trash by his wife (00:09:47). Then they discuss other “Carrie” adaptations throughout the years — including Brian De Palma’s Oscar-nominated 1976 film starring Sissy Spacek — before Rudi shares some background on the new series and its creator, Flanagan, a frequent adapter of King (00:15:14). Next, they discuss the new “Carrie” series and its many changes from both the source material and the 1976 film (00:23:15). Throughout the conversation, they hit on Sloyan’s brilliant turn as Carrie’s mom, Margaret White (00:28:28), how a key early scene is reworked with social media in mind (00:36:00), Alison Thornton’s diabolical performance as the show’s main mean girl Chris Hargensen (00:43:07) and Howell’s winning portrayal of Carrie (00:54:38). Later, they explore how this “Carrie” handles the iconic prom scene and why a new addition to the story nearly ruins the series while also setting up a second season (01:02:19). Sophie then makes her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: reading King’s “Carrie,” watching De Palma’s “Carrie” or streaming Flanagan’s “Carrie.” (01:26:46) Finally, Ashley recommends a classic book that she’d like to see get a new adaptation, which may be happening sooner than she realizes (01:30:35). Next week, we’re discussing two new film adaptations: director Taika Waititi’s take on Kazuo Ishiguro’s AI robot novel “Klara and the Sun,” starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams; and “Wicker,” an expansion of the Ursula Wills short story “The Wicker Husband,” about a fisherwoman with a wicker husband, starring Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgard and Peter Dinklage. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guest: Ashley Reese Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

In this special bonus episode, Sophie and Rudi discuss “You Can See Everything,” Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s mind-bending new documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes that follows her and fiancee Billy Evans in the days leading up to her prison sentence. The less said about the movie before you see it the better, so go see it before listening if you haven’t already. Because this is still an adaptation podcast, before discussing “You Can See Everything,” Rudi shares his thoughts on “Whalefall,” a new film adaptation of the 2023 Daniel Kraus survival thriller novel, which stars Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin. (00:01:55) The conversation on A24’s “You Can See Everything” (00:06:20) begins with Sophie sharing why she finds Holmes (already the subject of the HBO documentary “The Inventor” and the Hulu series “The Dropout,” starring Amanda Seyfried) so fascinating. She also explains how reading John Carreyrou’s book about Theranos, “Bad Blood,” unlocked her passion for nonfiction books. (00:08:33) Rudi then talks about why he’s such a big fan of Fielder’s work and gives a primer on his TV shows — “Nathan For You,” “The Rehearsal" and “The Curse” — and shares a quote from a 2017 interview he did with Fielder for The Washington Post. (00:14:19) Then he explains why Oppenheim’s stylistic approach to documentary (as seen in “Renn Faire” and “Spermworld”) made him a perfect collaborator for this project. (00:20:34) From there, Sophie and Rudi get deep into spoilers for “You Can See Everything.” (00:23:34) Throughout their discussion, they explain why they found this movie so thrilling, whether or not this changes their opinion of Holmes, why Fielder and Oppenheim are able to take this film into places you wouldn’t expect, and how the entire experience left them questioning reality and the nature of documentary filmmaking. They also discuss the film’s awards chances, the questions it poses but doesn’t answer, and how “You Can See Everything” explores adaptation in fascinating ways. Next week, we’re talking about “Carrie” writer-director Mike Flanagan’s reimagining of Stephen King’s first horror novel from 1974. The Prime Video series stars Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan and Matthew Lillard. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Vulture TV critic Roxana Hadadi and Washington Post editor Thomas Floyd join Sophie and Rudi to discuss “East of Eden,” Netflix’s limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel. The streaming show, created by Zoe Kazan, features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee and Ciarán Hinds. Before introducing their guests, Sophie and Rudi share some exciting news: It Was A Book First was nominated for the Best Book Podcast award at next month’s ASTRA Podcast Awards! (00:01:40) Roxana and Thomas then join the show to discuss “East of Eden,” which they both have written about. (00:04:49) Roxana recapped each episode of the series and interviewed stars Martha Plimpton and Hoon Lee for Vulture. (00:07:06) Thomas toured the Library of Congress with Zoe Kazan and Florence Pugh for a Washington Post feature. (00:07:54) They go around and share their general thoughts on the Netflix adaptation, which they all enjoyed (00:12:17) before Sophie shares some history behind Steinbeck’s novel (00:23:52) and Rudi details the team behind the limited series (00:28:00). From there, the hosts and their guests dive deep into dissecting “East of Eden,” with Sophie and Roxana pointing out changes from the book as they go. They start by discussing Florence Pugh’s award-worthy performance as Cathy Ames. They explore what makes Cathy such an inscrutable character, whether or not she’s been remade for the series as a Don Draper-like figure and the choice to center her for much of this adaptation. (00:31:35) Then they shift their focus, much like the series does, to Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask, and their differing reactions to his subdued performance, which they agree gets better as the show goes on. (00:52:43) That leads to a discussion of Mike Faist as Adam’s brother, Charles Trask, and his relationship to Cathy (00:59:18). Talk shifts to Hoon Lee, whose tender turn as Adam’s servant Lee acts as the heart of “East of Eden” and introduces the concept of timshel. (01:05:54) They also explain why the choice to leave out much of the Hamilton family (represented by Ciarán Hinds as Sam) was smart and why the last two episodes featuring the Trask boys Cal (Joseph Zada) and Aaron (Joe Anders) feel a bit rushed. (01:16:28) Thomas also shares his thoughts on Elia Kazan’s 1955 film “East of Eden,” which only adapts the end of the novel. (01:18:24) As they wrap the discussion, Sophie reveals her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she enjoyed more: reading Steinbeck or watching the Netflix series. (01:24:58) Finally, Thomas and Roxana share their picks for books they’d like to see get adapted into a series or film: Thomas wants a new take on Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five;” Roxana wants to see someone take on Mark Z. Danielewski's “House of Leaves.” (01:26:45) Next week, we’re discussing another streaming series: “Carrie” writer-director Mike Flanagan’s reimagining of Stephen King’s first horror novel from 1974. The Prime Video series stars Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan and Matthew Lillard. Later this week, keep an eye on our podcast feed for a bonus episode about a movie that’s not based on a book but is based on reality (sort of): “You Can See Everything,” Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s incredible documentary on Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Rudi will also briefly discuss the new film adaptation of survival thriller “Whalefall,” which stars Austin Abrams and is based on the book by novelist Daniel Kraus. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guests: Roxana Hadadi and Thomas Floyd Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Alison Sivitz, also known as Bald Ann Dowd, joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “Other Mommy,” a new Jessica Chastain horror movie based on Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel “Incidents Around the House.” The film, which debuted at No. 1 at the box office over the weekend, follows a seven-year-old girl named Bella who is haunted by a supernatural entity that looks like her mother. After introducing their guest and briefly discussing the real Ann Dowd and “The Testaments” (01:36), everyone shares their general thoughts on the film, which they found disappointing compared to the movie’s trailer that ran before “The Odyssey.” (02:35) Sophie then gives some background on the book and its author before (05:57) Rudi shares some details on the film, which stars the Academy Award-winning Chastain in a dual role as Bella’s mom and the titular Other Mommy, along with Jay Duplass (“Sterling Point”) as Bella’s “Daddo” and Arabella Olivia Clark as Bella. Dichen Lachman (“Severance”), Arian Moayed (“Succession”) and Karen Allen (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”) round out the cast. A collaboration between Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Atomic Monster, “Other Mommy” was directed by Rob Savage (“Host”) and adapted by screenwriter Nathan Elston (“Succession”). (07:32) This time, Rudi read the book and Sophie did not, so as they walk through the plot, he points out the differences, of which there are many, including collapsing several characters, cutting monologues and softening some of the book’s darker points (09:59). Throughout the discussion, Sophie, Rudi and Ali highlight the ridiculousness of “Other Mommy” (both the movie and the entity), why they found the movie funnier than it is scary and how it completely botches the book’s superior ending. They also spend some time theorizing how it could have been better (38:00) and why, unlike many adaptations they’ve covered on the podcast, this one isn’t quite bound by the same devoted, built-in audience expectations of other books. (42:00) Rudi then reveals his Rudi’s Choice pick for which he liked better: reading “Incidents Around the House” or watching “Other Mommy.” (44:54) Finally, Ali shares her pick for a book she’d like to see get adapted for the screen: Lena Dunham’s recent memoir “Famesick.” (51:07) Next week, we’re discussing “East of Eden,” Netflix’s limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel. The series, created by Zoe Kazan, features an ensemble cast that includes Florence Pugh, Christopher Abott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee and Ciarán Hinds. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guest: Alison Sivitz Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss “Verity,” a new film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s twisty psychological thriller that stars Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. The Amazon MGM movie, which opened at No. 1 at the box office this past weekend, stars Hathaway (“The Odyssey”) as Verity Crawford, the writer of a famous thriller book series, whose husband (Josh Hartnett, “Oppenheimer”) enlists a younger writer, Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson, “Fifty Shades of Grey”), to help Verity finish the popular series after a car accident leaves her unable to write. Before they get to the book and film, Sophie recommends reading journalist Patrick Radden Keefe’s new book "London Falling” (00:01:38) and Rudi shares what it was like to spend a week seeing three pop star arena shows — Charli XCX, Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo — all of whom have music in page-to-screen adaptations this year (00:03:41). They begin their “Verity” chat by sharing their overall feelings on the film (00:09:50) and dig into the Colleen Hoover phenomenon and her growing cinematic universe (00:13:25). Then they discuss director Michael Showalter, who previously collaborated with Hathaway on the adaptation of “The Idea of You,” writer Nick Antosca (“Cape Fear”) and the film’s development (00:17:18) before diving in-depth into “Verity’s” twisty plot (00:19:43). Throughout their conversation, Sophie explains why this is a mostly faithful adaptation of the 2018 novel that still managed to leave out a few key details (and invent some unnecessary ones). They both share what they found frustrating about the film, what made them laugh, and whether or not “Verity” is as campy as it thinks it is. They debate the merits of Johnson as an actor (00:24:33) and fawn over the real-life house where much of the movie is set (00:29:19) before getting into the manuscript that sets the twists in motion (00:33:02) and the letter (00:52:16) that has ignited debate among fans (are you Team Manuscript or Team Letter?) and Hoover herself (00:54:16). Rudi shares his theory on a more interesting idea for an alternate ending (00:58:08), they briefly compare “Verity” to “The Housemaid” adaptation from 2025 (01:04:41) and discuss how Hathaway’s performance compares to the other four movies she starred in this year. Finally, Sophie shares her pick for what she enjoyed more: Reading Hoover’s writing or watching the film (01:09:50). Next week, we’re discussing the horror movie “Other Mommy,” which adapts Josh Malerman’s 2024 novel “Incidents Around the House.” The film, which stars Jessica Chastain, Jay Duplass, and Arabella Olivia Clark, opens in theaters this weekend. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, NPR pop culture correspondent Linda Holmes joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “The Love Hypothesis,” Prime Video’s new streaming adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s 2021 novel of the same name. The fake dating romantic comedy stars Lili Reinhart ("Riverdale") as PhD student Olive Smith and Tom Bateman as professor Dr. Adam Carlsen. Rachel Marsh and Jaboukie Young-White also star in the film, which was directed by Claire Scanlon (“Set It Up”) and adapted by screenwriter Sarah Rothschild. Before they discuss the book and film, they talk about rom-com adaptations and tropes with Linda, who co-hosts “Pop Culture Happy Hour” and has written three novels, including the rom-com “Back After This.” (00:02:39) Then, Sophie explores the origins of “The Love Hypothesis,” a BookTok hit that began in a galaxy far, far away as “Head Over Feet,” “Star Wars” fan fiction that shipped Rey (who was portrayed by Bateman’s wife, Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (played by Adam Driver). (00:07:30) After discussing more rom-com tropes and setting up the story’s fake dating premise (00:10:00), Rudi details the film version and they give some general thoughts on the movie. (00:15:06) Throughout their discussion, Sophie shares the many differences from the book (00:22:45), what’s missing from the Adam character (00:26:40) and how the filmmakers approached adapting the book’s infamous Chapter 16 (00:38:00). Linda shares what she thought worked and didn’t work about the film in the context of other rom-coms; while Rudi and Sophie talk about their issues with the film’s tonal whiplash and the lack of chemistry between the two leads. They briefly discuss Amazon and Prime Video’s strategy of leaning into romance adaptations like “Off Campus” (and non-adapations like “Sterling Point”) (01:10:12) before they debate whether these stories work better as series instead of films (01:12:12) Linda then talks about how she’d like to see her own books get adapted, specifically her 2019 novel “Evvie Drake Starts Over,” which has been optioned for a potential adaptation. (01:16:56) Before wrapping up, Sophie reveals her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: Reading Hazelwood’s book or watching the Prime Video movie. (01:22:40) Finally, Linda offers her pick for a book she’d like to see get adapted for the screen: the 2004 Jennifer Crusie romance novel “Bet Me.” (01:23:56) Next week, we’re sticking to the romance genre but adding a psychological thriller element for “Verity,” Amazon MGM’s theatrical film adaptation of the 2018 Colleen Hoover book starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guest: Linda Holmes Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Sophie and Rudi look ahead to the book-to-screen adaptations they’re most anticipating watching this fall. From horror stories to new takes on Jane Austen, they picked 11 adaptations they can't wait to cover on the podcast before rapid-firing through some other adaptations they’re intrigued to see make the leap to the screen later this year. (00:02:38) “East of Eden,” Oct. 1, Netflix, based on the John Steinbeck novel (00:07:18) “Verity,” Oct. 2, theaters, based on the Colleen Hoover book (00:12:21) “Carrie,” Oct. 7, Prime Video, based on the Stephen King book (00:17:36) “Other Mommy,” Oct. 8, theaters, based on Josh Malerman’s “Incidents Around the House” (00:20:12) “Sense & Sensibility,” Oct. 16, theaters; “Pride & Prejudice,” Dec. 2, Netflix; both based, respectively, on Jane Austen novels (00:27:08) “Klara and the Sun,” Oct. 23, theaters, based on the Kazuo Ishiguro novel (00:31:15) “Victorian Psycho,” Nov. 13, theaters, based on the Virginia Feito novel (00:34:23) “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” Nov. 20, theaters, based on the Suzanne Collins book (00:39:45) “Dig,” Nov 23, Peacock, based on “Excavations” by Kate Myers (00:42:22) “Dune: Part Three,” Dec. 18, theaters, based on “Dune Messiah” by Frank Herbert Other fall adaptations: (00:47:02) “Primetime,” Sept. 25, theaters; “You Can See Everything,” Oct. 16, theaters (00:50:51) “The Social Reckoning,” Oct. 9, theaters (00:52:56) “The Cat In the Hat,” Nov. 6, theaters; “Wildwood,” Oct. 23, theaters (00:55:08) “Whalefall,” Oct. 16, theaters (00:57:26) “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” Nov. 23, IMAX theaters, Dec. 23, Netflix (00:59:36) “Guarding Stars,” Nov. 18, Netflix; “In a Holidaze,” Dec. 2, Netflix (01:00:58) “Wicker,” Oct. 23, theaters (01:02:10) “The Good Daughter,” Nov. 12, Peacock (01:03:27) “Harry Potter,” Dec. 25, HBO Next week, we’re discussing “The Love Hypothesis,” a new streaming rom-com for Prime Video starring Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman that’s based on Ali Hazelwood’s book of the same name, which was originally published as "Star Wars" fan fiction. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss "Practical Magic 2,” the sequel to the witchy 1998 book-to-screen adaptation “Practical Magic,” starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. The new film is an adaptation of writer Alice Hoffman’s “The Book of Magic,” the fourth and final book in her “Practical Magic” series. Bullock and Kidman reprise their roles as the cursed Owens sisters, as do Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing, who play their aunts. The new sequel was directed by Susanne Bier and finds actors Joey King, Maisie Williams and Lee Pace joining the ensemble cast. This film catches us up with the Owens family of witches as they try to break a centuries-old curse. Before talking about curses and spells, Sophie recaps her trip to Italy and the book she read that she can’t stop thinking about, which we’ll be covering on the podcast this fall (00:01:51). Then she discusses a new profile she wrote on novelist Emily St. John Mandel for Elle, which you can read here (00:04:20). Rudi shares a few recent movie recommendations: one new (Joe Swanberg’s “The Sun Never Sets”) and one old (1960’s “Shoot the Piano Player”). (00:07:58) He briefly gushes over seeing Robyn in concert (00:11:01) before they chat about the Emmy Awards and how adaptations fared (not good) (00:13:50), as well as his thoughts on Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” (00:18:40). Then they get into "Practical Magic” and “Practical Magic 2,” starting with their history with the original film (00:21:18), the background behind Hoffman’s books and Sophie’s personal connection to the author (00:24:38). Then Rudi shares some details on the making of the first film (00:28:31) and they discuss why it has endured as a cozy fall cult classic (00:35:00). Sophie reveals some major differences between “The Book of Magic” and “Practical Magic 2” (00:40:00) before they walk through the shaggy plot (00:46:30) and share their thoughts on the new film which they both found to be boring, baffling and bad to look at. Finally, Sophie shares her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: reading “The Book of Magic” or watching “Practical Magic 2.” (01:10:30) Next week, we’re looking ahead to the rest of the year with a special episode previewing the adaptations we’re most anticipating reading, watching and covering on the podcast this fall. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss a movie that almost didn’t exist: “Coyote vs. Acme,” a hybrid live action and cartoon Looney Tunes reboot that’s based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 New Yorker piece of the same name. The movie centers on Wile E. Coyote suing the ACME corporation for faulty products that hindered his work hunting the Roadrunner. Will Forte ("Saturday Night Live") and Lana Condor ("To All the Boys I've Loved Before") star as Wile’s lawyers, who face off against ACME’s head lawyer, played by John Cena ("Peacemaker"). Before getting into the film, Rudi and Sophie share two recent watches they’d recommend: the new Gen Z British rom-com “Finding Emily” and Hulu’s new crime thriller series “Furious,” starring Emmy Rossum (02:04). Then, Sophie gives some background on Frazier’s article (07:00), they both share their history with cartoons and the Looney Tunes, and they discuss their interview with "Coyote vs. Acme" screenwriter Samy Burch from a few episodes ago (10:00). Rudi explains why the film had such a long road to release (14:20) — from Warner Bros. deleting the movie for a tax write-off to Ketchup Entertainment ultimately rescuing it — before they chat about the plot and why they found it to be a charming, joke-packed, and oddly moving story (20:03). Rudi highlights the creative use of cameos from iconic Looney Tunes characters (32:00), they recount some of their favorite bits from the film and Sophie makes her choice for which she enjoyed more: reading the New Yorker article or watching the film (40:50). Before wrapping up, the podcast briefly becomes It Was An Article First as Sophie and Rudi discuss some of their favorite (and most surprising) article-to-screen adaptations (42:29). Next week, we’re discussing “Practical Magic 2,” the sequel to the 1998 cult classic film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the witchy Owens sisters. Based on Alice Hoffman’s “The Book of Magic,” this lega-sequel reunites Bullock and Kidman nearly 30 years after the original film. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Sophie and Rudi discuss “The Dog Stars,” director Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel of the same name. Set in a post-apocalyptic future ravaged by a flu pandemic that wiped out most of humanity, the film stars Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce as survivors navigating this bleak reality. Before getting into the film, Sophie and Rudi discuss two modern slasher films they each recently watched: 2022’s “Influencer,” directed by Kurtis David Harder, and Jane Schoenbrun’s new movie “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” which stars Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson (00:01:43). Then they talk about “The Dog Stars” (00:05:03), starting with background on the book and its author Heller (00:06:31) before discussing the film’s development (00:09:30) and taking a look back at the 88-year-old Scott’s prolific output since his 2015 adaptation of Andy Weir’s “The Martian.” From there, Sophie and Rudi get into the film’s plot (00:14:56), which centers on Elordi’s grief-stricken former mechanic Hig, and why they found the movie to be an unsuccessful and at times baffling adaptation. As they discuss the plot, Sophie details some of the major differences and inventions of screenwriter Mark L. Smith, including what’s different with the dog Jasper (00:19:38), the action set-pieces (00:26:04) and the wild third-act detour to Grand Junction (00:39:58). They also discuss why Elordi and Qualley — two of Hollywood’s biggest young stars — were miscast as Hig and Cima (00:45:56). Finally, Sophie reveals her Sophie’s Choice pick for which she liked better: reading “The Dog Stars" or watching the movie (01:02:08). Next week: it was an article first. We’re discussing “Coyote vs. Acme,” a hybrid live action and cartoon Looney Tunes revival that’s based on Ian Frazier’s 1990 New Yorker humor piece of the same name and stars Will Forte, John Cena and Lana Condor. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss “Tony,” A24’s loose adaptation of Anthony Bourdain’s breakout 2000 memoir “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.” The film, directed and co-written by Canadian filmmaker Matt Johnson (“Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie”), stars Dominic Sessa (“The Holdovers”) as a young Bourdain — before he became the beloved writer, chef and TV host. Antonio Banderas, comedian Stavros Halikias, Emilia Jones (“Coda”) and Leo Woodall (“The White Lotus”) co-star in the coming-of-age story. “Tony” is based on about 50 pages of “Kitchen Confidential” (along with an episode of Bourdain’s CNN series “Parts Unknown”) and depicts a 1975 summer Bourdain spent working in a kitchen as a dishwasher while living in Provincetown, Mass. Before getting into the film, Sophie and Rudi discuss meeting up in New York City (00:01:25) and Rudi shares some cinematic experiences from his trip, including a screening of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s new adaptation of Honobu Yonezawa’s 2021 novel “The Samurai and the Prisoner” (00:05:21). Then Sophie and Rudi detail their history with Bourdain (00:07:41) and Provincetown before Sophie shares some context on “Kitchen Confidential” (00:14:37) and Rudi gets into the development of the film, including how Johnson’s 2023 film “Blackberry” led to “Tony” (00:17:57). They then discuss the film at length, starting with how the film serves as origin story for how Tony became Anthony Bourdain (00:22:48) before detailing the major plot points (00:30:11), the voyeuristic cinematography (00:43:48) and Jay McCarrol’s score (00:45:19). Washington Post food reporter Tim Carman, who appeared in an episode of “No Reservations” in 2009 and knew Bourdain professionally, then joins the show to discuss a recent article he wrote about the film (00:50:34). Tim shares what the film misses about Bourdain’s life and legacy (00:53:34) and what he thinks of people mythologizing Bourdain in the years since his death in 2018 (01:07:37). Finally, Tim shares a recommendation for another chef’s tale he’d like to see get adapted for the screen (01:09:55). Next week, we’re discussing Ridley Scott’s new adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel “The Dog Stars,” which stars Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, and Guy Pearce. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guest: Tim Carman Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, costume designer Whitney Anne Adams joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss how she approaches book-to-screen adaptations. Whitney, who hosts the “Tales From a Costume Designer” podcast, worked on Baz Luhrman’s 2013 adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel “The Great Gatsby” as well as “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat,” a 2024 film based on Edward Kelsey Moore’s 2013 novel. Before their chat, Sophie shares some recent beach read recommendations (00:01:18) and Rudi discusses two new movies that treat sex and romance very differently: Greg Arakki’s “I Want Your Sex” and Will Gluck’s “One Night Only” (00:07:01). Those films inspire a brief discussion about the current state of rom-coms in theaters and on streaming (00:15:13). Then Whitney joins the show to discuss how costume designers bring books to life on screen (00:22:00). Whitney details what it was like to work on a big-budget production like “The Great Gatsby” (00:25:24), including making a spreadsheet of every visual reference in the book and screenplay, designing a period piece for a modern audience, getting to attend the table read with stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, and playing a small part in helping create an enduring Leo meme (00:41:45). Then they discuss the smaller scale production of “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat” (00:46:23), which required creating looks across different decades. Whitney also shares what it was like to work on “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” a video game adaptation sequel with a rabid fan base. (00:58:05). Finally, she shares a recommendation for a book she’d like to see get adapted for the screen — so she can design the costumes (01:05:50). Next week we’re discussing “Tony,” director Matt Johnson’s Anthony Bourdain biopic for A24 that stars Dominic Sessa and adapts a portion of the beloved chef and TV host’s 2000 memoir “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.” It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guest: Whitney Anne Adams Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

This week, screenwriter Samy Burch joins Sophie and Rudi to discuss her new film “Late Fame,” based on Austrian novelist Arthur Schnitzler’s 1895 novella of the same name. Directed by Kent Jones, the movie stars Willem Dafoe as a postal worker whose book of poetry from the 1970s gets rediscovered and hailed as a masterpiece by a group of young admirers called the Enthusiasm Society. The New York-set film, out in limited release now from Magnolia Pictures, features a strong supporting cast that includes Greta Lee and Edmund Donovan. Before talking about the film in a (mostly) spoiler-free chat, Sophie details the long, winding history that kept “Late Fame” unpublished until it was rediscovered and published in Germany in 2014 (00:53). Then Rudi walks through the plot, which updates the novella’s 1895 Vienna, Austria, setting for modern day New York (03:05). They praise Dafoe’s delicate leading performance (06:12), as well as the perfect casting of Donovan (8:20) before detailing why it’s a vibes-based New York indie with sharp writing (9:02). Then Sammy Burch, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her screenplay for the Todd Haynes film “May December” in 2024, joins the show to discuss what it was like to adapt a book for the first time and why she was drawn to “Late Fame” (16:13). She shares an anecdote about the kismet-like casting of Dafoe (20:49), why “Eyes Wide Shut” informed her adaptation process (26:58), and how her time at New York University informed the Enthusiasm Society (29:48). Then they discuss the other adaptation Burch has coming to theaters this month: the long-delayed hybrid live action and animation Looney Tunes movie “Coyote vs. Acme” (35:51). Finally, she shares a recommendation for a book she’d like to see get adapted for the screen (42:05). Next week, we’re discussing how a costume designer approaches book-to-screen adaptations with Whitney Anne Adams, who worked on Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” and hosts the “Tales From A Costume Designer” podcast. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: [email protected] Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guest: Samy Burch Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab