Netflix Just Quietly Optioned 25+ Books, and These Are the Titles You Need to Know
Long before a book adaptation ever lands on your watchlist, there’s a quiet, behind-the-scenes process of securing rights that can take years to pay off. Streamers like Netflix are constantly scouting bestsellers, memoirs, and even viral internet trends for their next big franchise, often locking down options long before any official announcement reaches fans.
That kind of forward planning has become a reliable way to predict where Netflix’s slate is headed next. A year after a similar deep dive uncovered more than 30 books and comics the streamer had quietly snapped up, a new report has done the legwork again, tracking public filings to reveal Netflix’s latest wave of literary acquisitions.
According to a new investigation from What’s on Netflix, the streamer has quietly secured the rights to more than 25 books, memoirs, and true-crime stories over the past year, laying the groundwork for a wave of future movies and series. The report clarifies that an option simply means Netflix has struck a deal to potentially develop a project, not a guarantee that any of these titles will actually reach screens.
Several of the newly optioned titles double down on relationships Netflix has already built with bestselling authors. Richard Osman’s “We Solve Murders,” which follows a new trio of sleuths including a retired police officer and his daughter-in-law, was optioned in January, extending the streamer’s partnership with the author following its adaptation of “The Thursday Murder Club.”
Harlan Coben also makes another appearance on the list with “Drop Shot,” the second book in his Myron Bolitar series, suggesting Netflix is already mapping out where that franchise goes next after recently confirming the flagship Bolitar adaptation. Romance author Tia Williams landed two separate options as well, including “Seven Days in June,” a novel that had previously been in development at Amazon Prime Video before its rights apparently migrated over to Netflix.
Beyond continuing existing partnerships, the report highlights some notable new directions for Netflix’s development slate. Olivie Blake’s “Girl Dinner,” a pitch-black satirical horror novel about an elite sorority hiding a disturbing secret behind its success, was optioned as a potential series and could serve as a spiritual successor to “You” if it moves forward.
On the more prestigious end, Netflix also secured the rights to Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize-winning 1970 novel “The Bluest Eye,” a major literary swing that would require a careful, thoughtful adaptation given the weight of the source material. Shirley Jackson’s psychological horror novel “The Bird’s Nest” also made the list, following Netflix’s earlier success adapting the author’s work into “The Haunting of Hill House.”
The report also points to a noticeable shift toward historical survival stories and true-crime narratives with real depth, including Bryan Burrough’s “The Gunfighters,” which examines the real violence behind Wild West mythology, and “All Blood Runs Red,” the remarkable true story of Eugene Bullard, history’s first African-American fighter pilot. George P. Pelecanos, a writer and producer on HBO’s “The Wire,” also had his hardboiled detective novel “Right as Rain” optioned for potential series development.
Taken together, the list paints a clear picture of where Netflix’s attention currently sits: expanding proven franchises, chasing swoon-worthy romance to feed audiences already hooked on shows like “Virgin River,” and making the occasional prestige literary bet. Netflix has not officially commented on any of these specific options, but the pattern offers a strong hint at what could be coming to the platform over the next few years.
Which newly optioned Netflix book would you most want to see adapted?
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