#63: Books, movies, and shows I'm excited about in 2022
So much to look forward to
In addition to my Reading Female Authors project, I am excited about so many things this year! Gah!! This got out of hand really quickly. New stuff just keeps coming out and piling on top of my backlist. It’s crazy.
To gain a semblance of control, I’m writing as much down as I can. I tried to mention all the things that spark interest so I can compare my anticipation now with the actual experience later. Oftimes the anticipation is way better than the thing itself so I let myself get really hyped. Let’s get to it!
Book to Movie Adaptations
Coming this year
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. I liked Grann’s The Lost City of Z and I think the premise of this one sounds fascinating and important. Scorsese is directing the movie with DiCaprio and De Niro acting. Interested yet??
Bullet Train by Kōtarō Isaka. Not a lot of goodreads reviews but with so many big names attached to the film project, I’m hoping this is an action packed thrill ride! At 432 pages, I’ll probably skip the book and just catch the movie train.
White Noise by Don Dilello. I don’t know much about this other than Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story) is directing the movie starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig. It will probably be a downer but that’s ok.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. This is one of those rare books where most of my 20+ goodreads friends have read it and liked it (except for that 2 star review from Sara that I need to ask her about). The cast of the movie are unknowns to me but I’m excited about the potential this has.
Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates. Ana de Armas playing Marilyn Monroe is enough to get excited about.
Adaptations Backlist
Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel. I’ve been hearing nothing but good things about the show and I’m so tempted to just start it and get to the book later.
The Power of the Dog by Thomas Savage. The movie made a lot of “best of 2021” lists. Again, I’m considering watching the movie and skipping the book.
The Expanse! I’ve read enough books to cover up to season 4 but haven’t finished season 1 yet :(
Honorable Mentions: Death on the Nile, The House of the Dragon (HBO), The Lord of the Rings (Prime), Persuasion.
Books
There are lotso books coming out this year but so far the one that piqued my interest the most is:
Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi. I haven’t read much of Scalzi but what I have read has been so fun. The title and cover of this one are delightful.
What books that are coming this year are you excited about?
Movies
Coming this year (in order of excitement)
Mission Impossible 7. I love these movies and I hope they make 20 of them. May Tom Cruise have the longevity of Clint Eastwood.
Knives Out 2. Knives Out was one of my favorite movies from 2019 and I’m so glad Rian Johnson is making another. May it become a successful new franchise!
Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse. Hooray for more of these! The first was my favorite movie of 2018.
Babylon - Wait, what? Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land, First Man) is the writer/director of a Hollywood period piece coming out in 2022? And I’m just now hearing about it?! Starring Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Jean Smart? I’ll be there opening night.
Thor Love and Thunder. I want to watch everything Taika Waititi has a hand in and I want to see Natalie Portman weild the hammer!
Jurassic World: Dominion. I expect it to be big, dumb, and highly enjoyable. Laura Dern and Sam Neill are back and that’s enough for me. Hopefully Mazzello comes back too.
Top Gun: Maverick. More shameless nostalgia, please! All growing up I wanted to be a pilot and it was only because of Top Gun.
Honorable mentions: Jackass: Forever, Turning Red (Pixar), The Lost City (Sandra B. and Channing Tatum!), Everything Everywhere All At Once (Michelle Yeoh), The Northman, Nope (J. Peele horror), Black Adam (The Rock as himself), Untitled David O. Russell movie, Avatar 2 (been waiting 13 years!), Creed 3, Black Panther 2 Wakanda Forever, The Fabelmans (Spielberg), Elvis (Baz Luhrmann) what is happening this year is going to be crazy!!
2021 Movie Backlist
West Side Story, Tick Tick Boom, Don’t Look Up, The Harder They Fall, The French Dispatch, The Last Duel, Last Night in Soho, The Green Knight, Bo Burnham Inside, Licorice Pizza, C’mon C’mon, The Card Counter, Drive My Car, The Dig, Passing, Ghostbusters Afterlife, yeah…there are too many.
Television
I used up all my energy writing about adaptations and movies, but in the TV category there are a few things I’m excited about:
Flight Attendant Season 2, Hacks Season 2, Ted Lasso Season 3, The Nevers Part 2
TV Backlist
Money Heist, The Witcher Season 2, Beatles Get Back
Other
Tik Tok: I’m trying to dip my toe and use this controversial media platform in a healthy way. My good buddy Michael (@michaelperkinsintern) is documenting his ambitious reading project and I’m loving his reviews and process.
Instagram/Podcast: Erik Rostad and his Books of Titans project is everything I want my reading life to be when I grow up. I’m excited to follow along with his reading list this year. His book shelf…yeah, I want that.
Okay, a bit of a long one this week and the year is already 8 days gone but thanks for being on this journey. Let me know what I missed and what you’re excited about in 2022.
Kyle