The recent debut of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" trailer has left fans of the book counting the days until the film's release this fall. The popular fish out of water story is just one of many books that are finding their way to the big screen this year. Several classic works of literature, from the likes of Tolstoy and Kerouac, are being brought to life by notable actors and directors. Here are five highly awaited movies based on books.

The recent debut of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" trailer has left fans of the book counting the days until the film's release this fall. The popular fish out of water story is just one of many books that are finding their way to the big screen this year.

Release Date: September 14th

Stephen Chbosky’s prevalent coming of age novel is a quirky high school coming-of-age portrait. Charlie (Logan Lerman) enrolls at a new school and discovers that he doesn’t quite fit in. But when he meets Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller) he finds that being accepted by the popular crowd isn’t as important as developing real friendships with people who truly understand you. The indie dramedy is filled with positive messages for young adults and from the looks of the film’s trailer, promises to deliver some laughs along the way.

Release Date: Winter 2012

Tolstoy’s controversial epic about a woman’s passionate extramarital trysts has inspired a play, opera, ballet, and thirteen film adaptations. Based on what we’ve seen of the stills, director Joe Wright's reworking is stylish and vibrant. Staying true to the book’s basic premise, it follows Anna (Keira Knightly), who is bored with her comfortable yet dull marriage to Alexei (Jude Law). When she meets the alluring and lusted after Vronsky (Aaron Johnson) she engages in a reputation shattering affair with him. Like “Jane Eyre,” which has been transferred to film countless times, the latest “Anna Karenina”” is a captivating cheat sheet for those who can’t get through the book.

Release Date: December 25, 2012

An acclaimed version of the F. Scott Fitzgerald’s nove - starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow -- was released in the 70’s but that didn’t stop eccentric director Baz Luhrmann from putting his own spin on the classic Jazz Age tale. Not only does Luhrmann’s version feature the same theatrical extravagance as “Moulin Rouge,” it’s also in 3D! Set in 1922, the story follows Nick Carraway (Toby Maguire) and his fascination with the wealthy Jay Gatsby (Leonardo Dicaprio), who has an affair with Nick’s married cousin Daisy Buchanan. Like Lurmann’s previous work, such as his contemporary re-imagining of “Romeo and Juliet, the film promises to be an exuberant spectacle.

Release Date: Winter 2012

Jack Kerouac’s soulful illustration of his travels across the U.S is the definitive work of the beatnik generation. So it’s no surprise that ever since the novel’s release in 1957, notable directors and actors have been circling a film adaptation of the work. Francis Ford Coppola purchased the rights in 1980 – but it wasn’t until 2006 that Coppola handpicked Brazilian director Walter Salles, director of “The Motorcycle Diaries,” to adapt the classic novel. After a four-year struggle to secure financing, Salles agreed to make the film for a modest $25 million and production began in 2010. The film, which debut at the Cannes Film Festival this year, has been praised by critics. This is largely due to stellar performances from Sam Riley, Garret Hedlund, and Kristen Stewart.

Release Date: December 14th, 2012

The highly anticipated two-part fantasy spectacle will no doubt lure the masses to theaters when it’s released later this year. A prequel to the massively successful “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the film chronicles Bilbo Baggins’ (Martin Freeman) quest to procure valuable treasure from a seething dragon. The award winning 1937 children’s book features “Rings’ cast members Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, and Elijah Wood.