WTDaBuzz · Deals & Rights · 17 October 2026
Books remain a major source of European audiovisual fiction adaptations, according to the European Audiovisual Observatory. For producers, that gives publishing relationships a place in the development strategy.
The Observatory’s Key Trends 2026 report says books account for 74% of the audiovisual fiction adaptations in its analysis. The discussion draws on historical production data, including 2015–2023 comparisons. It is not a count of all European films being made in 2026, and the percentage applies to adaptations rather than all fiction production.
Build a development proposition beyond recognition
A familiar title can open a conversation, but an adaptation still needs a screen proposition. A producer should be able to explain the intended format, audience and creative approach in terms a potential partner can evaluate.
A hypothetical novel with a strong readership may contain several possible screen structures. Choosing one requires a development judgement about the story’s central experience, rather than simply transferring every element of the book into a production plan.
Keep interest separate from confirmed access
An internal development slate should distinguish a work the team is researching from one it has confirmed it can develop through the appropriate agreement. Those statuses create different responsibilities.
A clear record helps a producer explain the project accurately in partner discussions and identify which questions require specialist review. It also prevents the creative team from treating an unresolved commercial assumption as a completed decision.
Connect the publishing and screen calendars
Publishing and production partners may operate on different schedules. A useful development plan identifies the decisions and materials needed at each stage so the teams can coordinate their work.
For an international project, the producer can also ask which audience assumptions need to be tested in each proposed market. Recognition in one territory does not establish the same starting position elsewhere.
The Observatory’s finding gives context to the role of books in the adaptation pipeline. The operating task for an individual producer is to turn a potential property into a clear, assessable and properly documented development proposition.
Image: Illustrative production crew, Getty Images / Unsplash+, licensed original. It does not depict a named book adaptation.