Are these the next Oscar contenders?

This past Oscar season I was behind the curve. Not in terms of viewing the movies (though I was) but in terms of reading them. There were a slew of book-to-movie successes (The Help anyone?) and I generally like to get the book read before I see a movie. Didn't happen this time around. So in an effort to get ahead of the game, I've been on the lookout for the next big things. Here are some books-to-movies in development right now and I'm guessing that some of these will be on everyone's list come next year's Oscar race.

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Tina Fey is starring as an admissions officer at Princeton University

Back Roads by Tawni O'Dell
Jennifer Garner and Andrew Garfield take center stage in this tale set in rural Pennsylvania

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Keira Knightley as Anna, need I say more?

Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn
Sounds Oscar-worthy right? Actually it stars Robert De Niro and Paul Dano and is about a 20-something guy volunteering at a homeless shelter who discovers his father, who's living on the streets.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
Okay it's doubtful that this will be an Oscar contender (unless it gets a technical nod), but the trailer sure makes it look like a lot of fun.

The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
Steve Carrell is playing a widower. Since his dog was the only witness to his wife's death, he attempts to teach the dog to talk so that he can find out what happened.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel
This one has been rumored to be in production for a long time. But this time around it's actually been filmed. Tobey Maguire is the titular character, Pi, who finds himself trapped in a lifeboat with a collection of zoo animals (including a tiger!).

This is just a sampling of the productions coming down the pike. So if you'd like more suggestions take a look here, here and here.