Blockbuster Suspense Films Adapted From Literary Gems

Aniket Raj

Misery (1990) 

This Rob Reiner film starring Kathy Bates and James Caan was adapted from a Stephen King novel about a well-known writer who unwittingly falls into the hands of an obsessive fan.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 

Adapted from Thomas Harris' novel, the Jonathan Demme film starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins has emerged as a modern classic for its depiction of psychology and the relationship between the law and the lawless.

Shutter Island (2010)

Martin Scorsese directed this adaptation of a Dennis Lehane novel about US Marshals who investigate a disappearance in a facility for the insane. Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the leading role.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) 

This adaptation of a Stieg Larsson novel was directed by David Fincher and starred Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara as intrepid quasi-detectives who dig deep into the history of a well-known family.

Gone Girl (2014) 

Also directed by Fincher, this Rosamund Pike-Ben Affleck-fronted film was adapted from a Gillian Flynn novel about a couple whose lives invite attention after the woman goes missing.

The Girl on the Train (2016) 

Directed by Tate Taylor, this Emily Blunt-starrer was adapted from a novel by Paula Hawkins which follows an alcoholic divorcee obsessed with her ex-husband and his new wife.

The Woman in the Window (2021)

Joe Wright directed this adaptation of the AJ Finn-penned bestseller about an agoraphobic psychologist (Amy Adams) who witnesses an act of violence in the house across the street.