Our countdown of the top five novel adaptations which will be ruling the roost in filmworld in 2012.

For years it has been disputed which books have been given the greatest visionary translation onto the big screen. Obviously, it is the much loved Harry Potter and Twilight saga’s that are currently battling it out at the top, ever since Stephenie Meyer’s vampire romance first hit the scene, throwing the boy wizard’s fanatics into a frenzy. But, with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 now bringing an end to the magical franchise and with Twilight too following suit next year, it’s now time to introduce a whole new bunch of highly acclaimed novels which are getting the Hollywood makeover and who will bring stiff competition to rival those formerly discussed.

5) Caster Chronicles: Beautiful Creatures

AUTHOR: Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl
DIRECTOR: Richard LaGravanese
CAST: To be announced

Water for Elephants screenwriter, LaGravanese will be writing the script and stepping behind the camera to adapt the first book in a supernatural five part series. Beautiful Creatures is hailed in the Young Adult fiction category, with amazon.com naming it the best teen book in 2009, and it could do exceptionally well at the box office next year. Popular student, Ethan Wate feels trapped living in the small town of Gatlin in South Carolina, but everything changes when he is captivated by Lena Duchanne. The sixteen year old has moved back to the town with her family in order to achieve a quite life, although a family secret is on the verge of escaping, which could alter all.

4) The Alchemyst: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

AUTHOR: Michael Scott
DIRECTOR: Eric Bress
CAST: To be announced

The French alchemyst, Nicholas Flamel became acknowledged all around the world with his input in J. K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book: ‘the Sorcerer’s Stone’, and thus it sparked much controversy when he became the central character for Michael Scott’s six book adult fantasy series, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. With producer, Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers, Constantine, etc.) under it’s belt and with screenplay/direction from the Butterfly Effect scriptwriter, Eric Bress, The Alchemyst is dead set on being a very powerful, dark and dangerous film. Two fifteen year old twins, Sophie and Josh are thrown into chaos when they discover that their boss, Nick is actually a hidden alchemyst who needs to retrieve a book called, Codex in order to create the elixir of life, so he and his wife will not rapidly grow in age resulting in death.

3) The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

AUTHOR: Cassandra Clare
DIRECTOR: Scott Charles Stewart
CAST: Jamie Campbell Bower, Lily Collins, Xavier Samuel (rumoured).

This franchise is Hollywood’s latest prized possession when it was recently hailed as the next Harry Potter. The first in the four part series is set to star model turned actress, Lily Collins as protagonist, Clarissa “Clary” Fay, and rising English actor Jamie Campbell Bower, as Jace Wayland. Clary believes that she is just an average girl, but when she witnesses a murder her life shatter all around her as she discovers her mom has been kidnapped. It is up to Clary and her friend, Jace to track down her missing mom as they spring into a supernatural adventure.

2) The Hunger Games

AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins
DIRECTOR: Gary Ross
CAST: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Willow Shields, Paula Malcomson, Donald Sutherland.
RELEASE DATE: March 23, 2012

Just missing out on the top spot is probably the most hyped new series around, which has teenagers already jolting down the release date into their diaries. The first book in the trilogy is to star two of the most talent youngsters on the scene, Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) playing the leading lady of Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia) as Peeta Mellark. The sci-fi adventure takes place in the the post-apocalyptic future in the fictional country, Panem. The wealthy central city, Capitol, chooses one girl and one boy from each surrounding District, to participate in the annual event, The Hunger Games, where children are forced to fight to the death. Katniss volunteers from District 12, replacing her younger sister, Primrose, whist a fellow school student, Peeta is also elected.

1) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

AUTHOR: J.R.R. Tolkien
DIRECTOR: Peter Jackson
CAST: Hugo Weaving, Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis.
RELEASE DATE: December 14, 2012

No other film could fill the number 1 spot other than the prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit. Even though this adored 1937 fantasy novel is not a series, it is being made into two movies and since The Return of the King (2003), it has just been a waiting game for The Hobbit to finally become adapted, with The Lord of the Rings director, Peter Jackson returning to his rightful heroic position. Many loved actors are back to reprise their infamous characters, such as Elijah Wood’s Hobbit, Frodo and Orlando Bloom’s enchanting elf, Legolas, and we are also introduced to newcomer, Martin Freeman portraying protagonist, Bilbo Baggins. The story follows Bilbo as he and a group of thirteen dwarfs are forced into a quest to regain the Dwarf kingdom, Erebor, which has been overruled by the dragon, Smaug.

Stand alone titles which will also have a great impact next year:

World War Z,The Women in Black, The Life of Pi, The Host, Anna Karenina, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Great Gatsby, Cosmopolis and Fahrenheit 451.

Comic book heroes getting the Hollywood blockbuster transformation:

The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises, Man of Steel and G.I. Joe : Cobra Strikes.

What adaptations are you most looking forward to? Comment below!