Watch the first trailer for The Giver

(Image credit: Screenshot)

last updated 8 January 2015

Lois Lowry's Newberry Medal-winning YA novel The Giver has sold millions of copies over its 21 years in print — but despite its enduring popularity, a film adaptation has been slow to come. But the current boom in the YA adaptation market has led Hollywood to plumb the depths of the genre — and when it comes to the upcoming film adaptation of The Giver, fans are hopeful that it's better late than never.

The Giver follows Jonas, a young boy who begins to question the values of his seemingly utopian society. His quest for knowledge is sparked by the Giver, a person whose job it is to remember everything society has forgotten. Unfortunately, it looks very, very familiar — if only because so many subsequent, popular YA franchises have drawn inspiration from its story.

A formidable cast has been assembled to tell this story, including Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, and noted thespian Taylor Swift. But will The Giver's dark philosophical narrative still resonate in a world of Divergents and Hunger Games? We'll find out when it hits theaters in November. --Scott Meslow