Ernest Cline’s sci-fi dystopia will be brought to life in a new medium.

First Ready Player One graphic novel adaptation coming this fall — See a first look (exclusive)

Ernest Cline's sci-fi dystopia will be brought to life in a new medium.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in Vanity Fair, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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April 2, 2026 10:00 a.m. ET

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Tye Sheridan as Wade Watts in the 'Ready Player One' movie. Credit: Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.

- *Ready Player One* and *Ready Player Two* will be adapted into graphic novels, starting this year.

- Target will exclusively release the first this fall before a wider trade release in 2027.

- *Ready Player Two: The Graphic Novel* is on the schedule for 2028.

It's time to head back into the OASIS.

*Ready Player One* and *Ready Player Two*, author Ernest Cline’s *New York Times* best-selling books, will get their very first graphic novel adaptations, ** can exclusively reveal.

Ten Speed Graphic will publish *Ready Player One: The Graphic Novel*, an adaptation of Cline's 2011 flagship novel, later this year with a Target-exclusive hardcover on Oct. 6 in the U.S. The trade and deluxe hardcover editions will then release simultaneously wherever books are sold on March 2, 2027.

The release will be different in the United Kingdom and Canada, where the graphic novel will be available through all major retailers this Oct. 6 through Del Rey and Penguin Random House U.K.

Target-exclusive edition of 'Ready Player One: The Graphic Novel'.

*Ready Player Two: The Graphic Novel*, based on Cline's 2020 sequel, is scheduled for publication in 2028.

DC Comics veteran Scott Peterson (*Batman: Gotham Adventures*) is the writer adapting Cline's books. Award-winning artist Meredith Laxton is the illustrator.

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"It's been an absolute joy working with the team at Ten Speed Graphic, and I couldn't be more excited to see *Ready Player One* take on a whole new life as a graphic novel," Cline tells EW in a statement. "From the very beginning, this story has been the thrill of stepping into another world, and Meredith Laxton's stunning artwork adds a whole new dimension to the adventure. This adaptation captures the heart, humor, and high-stakes fun of Wade's journey in ways that even longtime fans will find surprising. I also think it will allow new readers to experience the magic of *Ready Player One* for the first time. I can't wait for fans — both new and old — to see the world of OASIS come alive in a bold new way."

The story of *Ready Player One* is set in a dystopia in the year 2045. The depletion of fossil fuels and the ripple effects of pollution, global warming, and overpopulation turned the world into an ugly place. The only means of escape is the virtual-reality world of the OASIS, where most of humanity spends their days. Wade Watts, our lead character, is one such person.

Trade cover edition of 'Ready Player One: The Graphic Novel'.

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Upon his death, the creator of the OASIS leaves behind a series of puzzles, based on the pop culture of the previous decades, that will lead to a hidden Easter egg. Whoever is first to solve the puzzles will inherit his fortune and control the OASIS itself. When Wade cracks the first clue, he becomes an immediate target of those who also seek the grand prize.

The story was notably adapted into Steven Spielberg's 2018 *Ready Player One* movie from Warner Bros. Pictures. Tye Sheridan starred as Wade alongside a cast featuring Olivia Cooke (*House of the Dragon*), Mark Rylance (*Bridge of Spies*), and Ben Mendelsohn (*Rogue One: A Star Wars Story*).

"From the very beginning, our goal was to honor the spirit of *Ready Player One* while fully embracing what the graphic novel format does best," said Aaron Wehner, Executive Vice President and Director of Business Development for the Crown Publishing Group, and Publisher of Clarkson Potter and Ten Speed Press. "This adaptation brings the scale, emotion, and immersive detail of the OASIS vividly to the page, offering longtime fans a fresh way into the story and inviting new readers to discover it for the first time."

The Target, trade, and deluxe hardcover editions of *Ready Player One: The Graphic Novel* will retail in the U.S. for $35. The U.K. release will retail for £25.

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Source: “EW Comic”