Watchlist: 8 TV and movie adaptations based on books by Asian American authors

From the written word to the screen, film and TV adaptations of popular books are ubiquitous in today’s media landscape. Whether you love it or hate it, most of the must-watch list on your streaming service of choice is likely inspired by or adapted from an already well-loved novel.

Nonetheless, the trend has helped introduce screen-loving audiences to some of the best writers of our time, including many Asian American authors who have contributed important works to the diaspora’s literary canon.

With that in mind, here are 8 movies and television series you may not have known were based on books written by Asian American authors. 

The Sympathizer (2024)

Based on the debut novel by Vietnamese American author Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer follows The Captain as he contends with his conflicting identities as both a mole for North Vietnam and a refugee in 1970s America during the Vietnam War. The Sympathizer catapulted Nguyen to fame as it became an instant hit in the literary circuit — achieving both a best-selling status and winning a Pulitzer Prize winner in 2016. 

Expats (2024)

Though writer and director Lulu Wang’s The Expats has been making waves after debuting just this year, the series is actually based on Asian American author Janice Y.k Lee’s novel, The Expatriates, which debuted in 1998. The Expats revolves around three expatriate women living in Hong Kong whose lives intersect after a tragedy right as the city explodes into protest during the 2014 Umbrella Revolution. 

Pachinko (2022) 

The 2022 Apple TV+ series Pachinko, based on the novel of the same name by Korean American author Min Jin Lee, follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family after they leave their homeland and struggle to survive through poverty and discrimination in 1900s Japan. Apple TV+ confirmed a second season of Pachinko in 2023, with a release date soon to be announced. 

The Joy Luck Club (1993) 

The groundbreaking Asian American film, The Joy Luck Club, actually adapted its material from acclaimed writer Amy Tan’s 1989 novel of the same name. The novel explores the relationships between four pairs of Chinese American daughters and their Chinese mothers who form a club to play mahjong, eat, and share stories of their lives as immigrants living in San Francisco.

Little Fires Everywhere (2020)

Asian American author Celeste Ng made waves with her debut novel, Everything I Never Told You. Ng followed up her critically acclaimed debut in 2017 with a bestselling fiction novel Little Fires Everywhere. The story shares how an enigmatic mother and daughter upends a Rockwell-ian suburban family. In 2020, Hulu adapted the novel into a limited series produced and starred Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Crazy Rich Asians’ impact on Asian and Asian American representation in pop culture can’t be overstated—from Hollywood to Broadway. But the Crazy Rich Asians craze first began with Kevin Kwan’s 2013 debut novel of the same name, which, much like the film, follows Rachel Chu as she navigates a summer with her fiance Nicholas Young and the dynastic splendor of Singaporean high society. 

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

Before To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before hit Netflix, Asian American author Jenny Han published the popular young adult romance novel of the same name in 2014. Like the movie, the novel follows a young Lara Jean, who writes secret love letters to her crushes until they’re mysteriously delivered to each of them.

The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022) 

After To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Jenny Han’s 2009 novel The Summer I Turned Pretty also got the adaptation treatment. The Prime Video series follows the novel closely, telling the story of Isabel, a young teenager who spent her summers with close family friends, only to begin developing feelings for two brothers the summer she turns 16. 

These page-to-screen adaptations prove that the stories told by Asian American authors resonate with more than just the diaspora. What will you watch first?

See also: 5 influential East Asian and South Asian poets to read now