This fall, Hollywood will be going by the books

Didn't read the book? Not to worry. A flurry of movies pegged to best-selling books — both classic and contemporary — arrive in theaters this fall and winter, primers for those who never quite made it through the real deal.
'The Paperboy' by Pete Dexter is one of the many books being adapted into films this fall. It stars Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey.
'The Paperboy' by Pete Dexter is one of the many books being adapted into films this fall. It stars Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey.
English majors will love Emily Brontë's romantic Wuthering Heights (Oct. 5); Tolstoy's tale of adultery, Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law in the tragic novel's 13th movie adaptation (Nov. 16); and Les Misérables, the musical with Hugh Jackman (Dec. 14). That's just the beginning:• J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, directed by Peter Jackson and arriving Dec. 14•David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, starring Tom Hanks (Oct. 26)•Jack Kerouac's On the Road (Dec. 21) Leo Tolstoy's tragic classic 'Anna Karenina' stars Keira Knightley and Jude Law. Out Nov. 16, it's the novel's 13th movie adaptation.•Yann Martel's Life of Pi, starring Tobey Maguire (Nov. 23)•Pete Dexter's The Paperboy, with Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey (Oct. 5).What's going on? "A cynic would say this is a case of unoriginality, coupled with the pursuit of commerce," says Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box-office division of Hollywood.com. "Of course, books provide a plentiful source, picture-perfect for producers, writers and studio executives to exploit … and with a built-in concept and title already attached."All could be Oscar bait, too. Six of the nine nominees for last year's best picture were based on books:•The Descendants The first installment in Peter Jackson's three-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s tale 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' arrives Dec. 14. This is the movie tie-in book cover.•Hugo•The Help•Moneyball•War Horse•Extremely Loud & Incredibly CloseDergarabedian says there's nothing wrong with the trend — "so long as the movies are good."He cites the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Harry Potter series as examples of well-made movies from books. "The Twilight books have also spawned one of the most successful movie franchises of all time," he says. "The final installment (Nov. 16) is certain to be a massive worldwide hit."Fans of investigator Jack Reacher will not be disappointed, either, when the aptly titled Jack Reacher, adapted from One Shot, the ninth book in Lee Child's best-selling series, arrives in theaters Dec. 21, starring Tom Cruise.It's not a one-way street, either. Books often see a bump in sales when a movie tie-in edition arrives in bookstores."A movie with a Hollywood talent as big as Tom Cruise presents an amazing opportunity for the entire Jack Reacher franchise," says Libby McGuire, publisher of Ballantine Bantam Dell.And coming next summer: F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic, The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. It had been set for a Christmas Day release but was moved.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
View the original article here