Gift Yourself the Ultimate Winter-Themed Bookish Movie Marathon

The snow is falling, the cocoa is brewing, and your watchlist is dying for bookish inspiration. Read on for the perfect winter movies based on books.

Kaija Strong –
Adaptations Book Culture Bookish Lifestyle Pop Culture TV & Movies
A light gray background. On the left is a movie clapper surrounded by green and silver ornaments, white snowflakes, and white candy canes. On the right, "Bookish Movie Marathon" is in two-toned green text. The "O" in "Movie" is a snowglobe with green pine trees and a blue base. Below, "Winter Edition" is in black text next to two blue snowflakes.

Winter nights by the fireplace are perfect for a cozy movie marathon, and what’s better than a movie inspired by your favorite books? There’s nothing more enchanting than watching your favorite stories come to life on screen, full of as much heart and spirit as your imagination always dreamed. From sparkling winter fantasies to thrillers as chilling as the icy temperatures, these bookish winter movies encapsulate all sides of this magical season.

The Golden Compass

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG-13: Sequences of Fantasy Violence

A still from the movie Golden Compass. A young girl with light brown curly hair and a white fur parka with a ferret resting on her hip rides on the back of a roaring polar bear wearing golden armor. They are among snowy mountains.
IMAGE VIA NEW LINE CINEMA

Based on the first novel in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series, The Golden Compass introduces us to an alternate world controlled by a strict church called the Magisterium. In this society, people’s souls exist outside of them as animal dæmons that change in appearance until puberty. A young orphan named Lyra fears a mysterious group of kidnappers called the Gobblers, who abduct young children for unknown reasons. When one of these kidnapping victims is her friend, Roger, Lyra sets off on an epic quest into the far North to find him, encountering a host of unique characters along the way.

Silver Skates (2020)

Genre: Adventure, Romantic Drama

Not Rated: Contains Some Nudity, Violence, and Scenes of Smoking and Drinking

A still from the 2020 movie Silver Skates. On top of a blue, icy surface crisscrossed with skating lines, a young woman with pale skin and golden brown hair wears a white fur coat and hat and stands beside a young man with pale skin wearing a black hat and coat. His arm is wrapped around her and he gestures above them at something they are both looking at off camera.
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Inspired by Mary Mapes Dodge’s story, Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates, and given a Romeo and Juliet twist, Silver Skates takes place in the enchanting setting of wintry turn-of-the-century St. Petersburg. Among the Russian opulence, a wealthy aristocrat’s daughter named Alisa dreams of studying chemistry at an elite college. However, her father is more concerned with marrying her off to the stern Captain of the Guard. Meanwhile, Matvey, a young man from a peasant background, loses his courier job and falls in with a band of socialist thieves who use their ice skating talents to steal from rich patrons on the ice markets. A chance encounter between Matvey and Alisa sets off a series of events that will change their lives forever.

Bridget Jones’s Diary

Genre: Comedic Drama, Romance

Rated R: Language and Some Strong Sexuality

A still from the movie Bridget Jones's Diary. A young woman with pale skin and blonde hair wears red pajamas with a penguin print and drinks out of a wine glass. She sits on an orange patterned sofa in a messy apartment.
IMAGE VIA UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Meet Bridget Jones, the titular character from Helen Fielding’s laugh-out-loud novel, who bears a striking if chaotic resemblance to Lizzie Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Bridget is perhaps the most single woman on the planet, and her mother never lets her forget it. This Christmas, her mother tries to force her on the neighbor, dry lawyer Mark Darcy, but Bridget is far more interested in pursuing messy sexual escapades with her boss, Daniel Cleaver. Either way, Bridget is determined that this year will be different, and it all starts with her personal diary, where every romantic whim and crisis will be notated with witty precision.

The Shining (1980)

Genre: Drama, Horror

Rated R: Disturbing Violent Content and Behavior, Bloody Images, Graphic Nudity, and Strong Language

A still from the 1980 movie The Shining. A man with pale skin and brown receding hair and stubble wears a green sweater and stares forward with a menacing expression on his face. Behind him is a large golden brick fireplace and white wall full of old photographs.
IMAGE VIA THE PRODUCER CIRCLE COMPANY

Lifted from the chilling pages of Stephen King’s The Shining, this is the harrowing tale of Jack Torrance, who accepts a seasonal position as a caretaker for the Overlook Hotel in the remote Colorado woods. Tagging along with Jack are his wife, Wendy, and his prophetic son, Danny. As the days tick by, Danny becomes increasingly haunted by disturbing visions, and Jack sinks further and further into a twisted psychosis.

About a Boy

Genre: Comedic Drama, Romance

Rated PG-13: Brief Strong Language and Some Thematic Elements

A still from the movie About a Boy. A young boy with pale skin and blue eyes wears an orange knit hat with ear flaps and a white pattern, a maroon scarf, and a brown coat. He stands on a street and waves his right hand in a hello gesture.
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Based on Nick Hornby’s novel, About a Boy tells the story of Will, a rich, feckless man who is monetarily set for life thanks to an awful Christmas song his father wrote decades prior. Will fills his days with television, occasional outings, and relationships that always end poorly. Hoping to widen his circle of potential dates, Will invents a fictional son and joins a group called Single Parents Alone Together (SPAT). Through SPAT, Will eventually crosses paths with a 12-year-old boy named Marcus, who, between his depressive mother and bullies at school, is in desperate need of a friend. As the two form an unlikely friendship, Marcus gains confidence, and Will finally starts to grow up.

Anna Karenina (2012)

Genre: Romantic Drama

Rated R: Some Sexuality and Violence

A still from the 2012 movie Anna Karenina. A young woman with pale skin and dark curly hair wears a gray fur hat and collar and a black coat with golden embroidery on the sleeve and expensive diamond earrings. She looks off in the distance with her hair blowing in the breeze.
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Taken from Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel, Anna Karenina tells the tale of the titular socialite, whose affair with the dashing Count Vronsky rocks aristocratic St. Petersburg to its core. When Anna’s husband, Alexei, issues her an ultimatum — abandon Vronsky and abide by discretion or live with her lover and never see her son again — Anna’s choice sets her on a path of mental and social destruction. Meanwhile, in the remote Siberian plains, a farmer named Levin hopes to win the heart of the beautiful Princess Kitty, who longs for a proposal from Vronsky.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Genre: Comedic Drama, Fantasy

Rated G

A still from the movie The Muppet Christmas Carol. A table loaded with a Christmas feast is surrounded by muppet characters in Victorian clothing. They all look towards the head of the table where an old man (human) with pale skin and gray hair wears a black suit and smiles. To his left is another human character, a man with pale skin and brown curling hair in a similar black suit.
IMAGE VIA WALT DISNEY PICTURES

The Muppets take on the classic Dickens holiday tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a curmudgeonly moneylender whose cold ways have left him in a pit of unhappiness. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts of the past, present, and future, who show him visions of his life and a glimpse of what may come should he continue on his dark path. Over the course of one night, Scrooge is granted the opportunity to learn from his mistakes and forge a healthier path forward.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Drama

Rated R: Brutal Violent Content Including Sexual Assault and Torture, Strong Sexuality, Graphic Nudity, and Language

A still from the 2011 movie The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. A young woman with pale skin, harsh black eyeliner and multiple facial piercings has bleached eyebrows and black hair in a punk rock mohawk. She wears a black leather jacket and sits in a chair in front of a window, looking forward with a guarded expression.
IMAGE VIA COLUMBIA PICTURES

Based on the first novel in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo focuses on Lisbeth, a young punk woman with a prodigious penchant for technology and investigations. She is recruited by a disgraced reporter named Mikael after he’s hired to solve the cold case disappearance of Harriet Vanger, the niece of wealthy Swedish man Henrik Vanger, who hopes to find answers before his death. As the bristling Lisbeth warms to Mikael over the course of their investigation, 40-year-old secrets from the Vanger family come to the surface and place the two in incredible danger.

Fiddler on the Roof

Genre: Drama, Romance

Rated G

A still from the movie Fiddler on the Roof. An older man with gray hair and a gray and black beard wears a brown hat and brown patterned coat and pulls a handcart full of supplies through a wintry field. Behind him is a woman, two young girls, and a younger man also bundled in cold weather attire.
IMAGE VIA THE MIRISCH COMPANY

Pulled from Sholem Aleichem’s connected short stories titled Tevye the Dairyman, Fiddler on the Roof centers on a Jewish community in a small Ukrainian village, particularly one family led by a poor milkman named Tevye. Concerned with securing marriages for his five daughters, Tevye seeks the help of the local matchmaker. However, his contrarian daughters all reject the matchmaker’s choices and follow their hearts instead. Between splintering tradition and rising antisemitic attacks against his fellow people, Tevye turns to God to sort through the questions of life.

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Rated G

A still from the 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast. A large beast figure with brown fur and horns wears a white blouse, black trousers, and purple cape. He crouches in the snow and cradles one blue and one orange bird in his hand. A light brown bird is poised to land on his shoulder. To his right, a young woman with pale skin and brown hair wears a pink gown and red cloak lined in white fur. She rests her hand on the Beast's arm and reaches towards a red bird poised to land on her finger. Behind them is a towering castle bathed in golden sunlight.
IMAGE VIA WALT DISNEY FEATURE ANIMATION

An animated retelling of Gabrielle-Suzanna Barbot de Villenueve’s classic fairytale, Beauty and the Beast takes place in a quaint French village, where a young bookish woman named Belle longs for a grander life than the one expected of her. When her father is kidnapped by a cruel Beast in a mysterious castle, Belle bargains with the creature and promises to take her father’s place so he may go free. The Beast, who is actually a prince placed under a curse, slowly regains his humanity under Belle’s influence. But as the two grow closer, a wicked hunter named Gaston seeks to take Belle for himself.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG: Battle Sequences and Frightening Moments

A still from the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Four children of various ages wearing old-fashioned clothing stand among snow-covered pine trees and look around in wonder.
IMAGE VIA WALT DISNEY PICTURES

From the iconic novel of the same name in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe initially takes place in wartorn England. When the Pevensie siblings are sent to a country estate to wait out the Blitz, they attempt to satisfy their boredom through a game of hide and seek. While playing, the youngest, Lucy, enters a closet that leads to a magical land named Narnia. When she shows the rest of her siblings her discovery, the younger brother, Edmund, is tricked by the White Witch and taken as his prisoner. Now, the rest of the Pevensies — Lucy, Peter, and Susan — must fight to save Edmund and free the kingdom of Narnia from the White Witch’s endless winter.

Frankenstein (2025)

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi/Horror

Rated R: Bloody Violence and Grisly Images

A still from the 2025 movie Frankenstein. A figure with pale skin tinged with blue and long brown hair wears a black cloak and holds an old tintype photograph of a death portrait in front of its face. Behind them is a snowy background.
IMAGE VIA DOUBLE DARE YOU

Guillermo del Toro gives a new twist on Mary Shelley’s chilling Gothic horror. While studying at the Royal College in Edinburgh, a smart, ego-driven scientist named Victor Frankenstein conducts an experiment that results in him successfully reanimating a corpse. The Creature eventually escapes from the laboratory and is rejected by society. This event, coupled with Frankenstein’s mistreatment of him, causes the Creature to set out on a quest for vengeance against the scientist who both gave him life and destroyed all chance of the Creature’s happiness.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

Rated G

A still from the 1966 movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Against a dark blue sky, a creature with fuzzy green fur and yellow eyes wears a red Santa hat and coat trimmed with white fur. He shakes his finger at a small brown dog with an antler tied to its head that is dangling from a dark brown sled resting on a snowy peak.
IMAGE VIA THE CAT IN THE HAT PRODUCTIONS

Dr. Seuss’s holiday classic tells the tale of the Grinch, a miserable creature living in the mountains above Whoville with his dog, Max. Among the snowy landscape, the Grinch frowns at the town below, glaring at the twinkling lights, giant tree, and caroling Whos. The Christmas season is upon Whoville once again, a season the Grinch despises more than anything. But he’s determined that this year things will be different, and it all starts with a Santa Claus disguise.

Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Drama

Rated PG-13: Violence and Thematic Elements

A still from the 2017 movie Murder on the Orient Express. A man wiht pale skin, gray hair, and an elaborate gray mustache and pointed goatee wears a black suit and coat and stares ahead in concentration. Behind him is an iron train in a snowy landscape.
IMAGE VIA SCOTT FREE PRODUCTIONS

From Agatha Christie’s mystery novel of the same name, Murder on the Orient Express stars her iconic detective character, Hercule Poirot. While on a luxury train ride through wintry Europe, an avalanche derails the engine car and momentarily strands the passengers until the rescue crew can arrive. The first night, a suspicious businessman involved in a nefarious crime many years before is murdered. Now, it’s up to Poirot to solve the case and uncover the killer among the passengers before they can strike again.

Little Women (2019)

Genre: Romantic Drama

Rated PG: Thematic Elements and Brief Smoking

A still from the 2019 movie Little Women. Four young women with pale skin in 19th century dresses hug in a living room decorated with garlands, orange slices, and lighted candles. Behind them is a table with part of a Christmas feast on it.
IMAGE VIA COLUMBIA PICTURES

Greta Gerwig’s impactful adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s masterpiece follows the March sisters as they come of age in Massachusetts in the late 1800s. As the oldest, Meg, longs for wealth and a household of her own, the remaining sisters — Jo, Beth, and Amy — find comfort and career ambition in their writing, piano playing, and painting. One Christmas, a new boy named Laurie moves into the manse next door, and he soon becomes a regular fixture in the rich March tapestry. But as the five of them grow into adulthood, lost dreams and big disappointments make them realize that the rosiness of childhood may have left them behind forever. Yet through it all, the one thing that never changes is the love they have for each other.

Whether you prefer snowy fantasy worlds, icy horror stories, or a dose of holiday splendor, these bookish movies are the perfect companion for a night in under your fuzziest blanket. Grab some cocoa and peppermint candies and take a well-deserved break from your staggering TBR.

Love the vibe of a seasonal movie list? Check out our fall bookish movie marathon here.

If you’re a fan of adaptations, you’ll also adore the other titles on our Book to Screen bookshelf on Bookshop.

FEATURED IMAGE VIA BOOKSTR / KAIJA STRONG