Summary
- Many great novels have yet to be adapted into successful films, despite the book-to-movie trend in the industry. It is important to tread carefully to avoid disappointing adaptations.
- The 2020s are filled with remakes and revivals, but the film industry should pay attention to amazing novels that deserve adaptation with respect to the authors' original vision.
- There are numerous books, from fantasies like "The Infernal Devices" and "The Butterfly of the Stars" to mysteries like "The Broken Girls," that would make incredible movies and should be considered for adaptation.
Books have been the primary source of inspiration in the film industry for decades, but quite a few great novels have yet to be brought to the big screen and gain a new audience. However, it is important to tread carefully since there have been plenty of failed book adaptations that haven't done justice to their material, remaining a shameful spot on their novels' perfect history. While there is a multitude of successful movies based on books, such as the acclaimed Harry Potter film series or the signature saga of the 2000s emo culture, Twilight, there are also adaptations that haven't done well with audiences, like Brendan Fraser's underrated Inkheart or the notorious Percy Jackson films.
The 2020s are proving to be the era of remakes and revivals, as original content is slowly fading away into oblivion, while studios are busy rebooting Harry Potter or making another live-action Disney remake. Still, that is not to say that the world doesn't have plenty of amazing novels that deserve more attention from the film industry, provided directors approach them with respect to the authors' well-developed worlds and characters. From Matt Haig's historical fantasy How to Stop Time to Jeffrey Eugenides' innovative family saga Middlesex, there is abundant material that is waiting to be adapted into the next big movie.
10 Great Fantasy Books That Became Disappointing Movies & TV Shows
Fantasy novels are tricky to adapt in Hollywood, though some adaptations stray so far from the material there's no wonder why they didn't work out.
20 The Infernal Devices Trilogy
Author: Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series has received a few adaptations that have premiered to varying degrees of success, but the true gem of her Shadowhunter Chronicles, the prequel trilogy The Infernal Devices, has yet to be brought to the screens. The trilogy, set in 19th-century London, follows teenage Tessa Gray who learns that she can shape-shift, despite not having a Warlock's mark. A lot of familiar faces pop up throughout the series, including the fan-favorite warlock Magnus Bane. There are reports of prequel adaptation in the works at the BBC (via The Cinema Spot), but no updates have been made since 2020.
19 The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Mark Haddon's mystery novel The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time centers on 15-year-old Christopher Boone, who is on the autism spectrum, as he investigates the tragic ing of his neighbor's dog. It is a bittersweet tale of life and death, mourning and self-discovery. Haddon's novel has already been adapted into a Tony Award-winning play of the same name, and Warner Brothers have had the rights to a potential film since 2011, but as of now, the project is, sadly, in production limbo. There is, however, a Bengali-English film called Kia and Cosmos, which is a gender-swapped story, inspired by Haddon's book.
18 The Broken Girls
Author: Simone St. James
Simone St. James' mystery thriller The Broken Girls focuses on two stories: one of four troubled teenage girls in Idlewild Hall in 1950 and one of journalist Fiona Sheridan in 2014. Fiona's sister died 20 years ago near Idlewild Hall, and the culprit was caught and convicted. Yet, Fiona believes that something isn't right, and all the paths seem to be leading to the creepy institution, which can help her solve her own mystery and another one from the 1950s. St. James' novel would be absolutely perfect for a whodunit detective thriller movie or even a miniseries, and someone needs to tip off the studio executives.
17 This Very Instant
Author: Guillaume Musso
Guillaume Musso is known for his range genre-wise, but he has truly outdone himself with This Very Instant, a novel that can't be put into any one genre. In a twisted joke of fate itself, star-crossed lovers Arthur and Lisa can only meet once a year, so they know the value of time more than anyone else. They are also quite aware of the traps that they risk getting into at each of their meetings. Musso's book with its explosive ending is long overdue for a staggering thriller of a movie.
16 How To Stop Time
Author: Matt Haig
Matt Haig's How to Stop Time revolves around Tom Hazard, a man born in 15th-century who suffers from a condition that prolongs his life for hundreds and hundreds of years. He isn't the only one — there is an entire community called the Albatross Society, founded by the mysterious Hendrich, but being part of this society comes at a price. Haig's book is an enthralling tale of a man who is tired of living without a purpose, but the goal he has seems too unattainable. In 2017, the How to Stop Time movie entered development hell, but this year, it has finally been rebranded as a series, starring Benedict Cumberbatch (via THR).
15 The Butterfly Of The Stars
Author: Bernard Werber
Bernard Werber's epic science-fiction novel with a dash of biblical themes, The Butterfly of the Stars, follows humanity on their way to the stars. Engineer Yves Kramer builds a ship that can take 144,000 people to a new planet, and the trip lasts 1,000 years. Werber's novel encomes humankind through the ages until the last descendants of the original crew reach their destination, but there is a twist. The writer's imaginative storytelling combined with the desperation and hope that accompany the characters on their journey make The Butterfly of the Stars a worthy candidate for the next epic sci-fi film.
14 The Sweetness Of Forgetting
Author: Kristin Harmel
Kristin Harmel's historical novel The Sweetness of Forgetting is a thought-provoking generational story about the importance of family and achieving dreams. 36-year-old Hope McKenna-Smith isn't having the best time in her life when her grandmother Mamie, who is succumbing to Alzheimer's, asks her to leave everything behind and go to Paris to solve a 70-year-old mystery of the Holocaust times. Harmel's novel on the big screen would be a touching movie about World War II and its long-lasting consequences.
13 One Hundred Years
Author: Herbjørg Wassmo
Herbjørg Wassmo's biographical novel One Hundred Years offers readers insight into the Wassmo family's history. Three women of three generations, Sara Susanne, her daughter Elida, and her granddaughter Hjørdis, who is the real-life mother of the writer, live through the events of 19th- and 20th-century Norway, trying to overcome obstacles and find happiness in life. If One Hundred Years was adapted into an epic historical drama, it would probably reach heights, comparable to those of record-breaking series like Bridgerton.
12 The Selection Series
Author: Kiera Cass
There have been at least three attempts to adapt Kiera Cass' The Selection book series, but none have come to term yet. The novels follow America Singer, a teenage girl thrust into a ruthless contest with 34 other girls, the prize of which is Prince Maxon's hand in marriage. While other competitors are thrilled about the opportunity, America's heart is already taken — or so she thinks. Cass' dystopian series has taken the world by storm, and it is high time to see America's journey come alive on the screen.
11 The Secret History
Author: Donna Tartt
Donna Tartt has a long history of adaptation of Tartt's The Goldfinch was negative, there isn't much hope for The Secret History movie anytime soon.
