Not every book turns out the way the Hunger Games and Harry Potter franchises did. Some of them were so poorly executed that we wish filmmakers had left them alone. Join us as we discuss examples of book-to-movie adaptations that we can definitely live without.
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The Spiderwick Chronicles
Our first special mention is the adaptation of The Spiderwick Chronicles, wherein they tried to fit seven books into a mere hour and a half, resulting in a rushed and shallow film. By attempting to condense such a rich and detailed story, the film lost the essence of what made the books so captivating. Important characters and scenes were cut, leaving fans disappointed with a film that felt more like a gamble than a faithful representation of the beloved series.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children had the potential to be a fantastic series, but the decision to condense the story into a single film left no room for sequels. Complex characters were overly simplified, presumably to make them more relatable to a broader audience. Additionally, the ages of key characters were changed to appeal to a specific target demographic, stripping away some of the charm and uniqueness that made the book so special.
Percy Jackson (film franchise)
The Percy Jackson films, starring Logan Lerman, significantly deviated from the source material. The movie tried too hard to be serious, losing the light-hearted and adventurous spirit of the books. Character appearances were also altered, and major plot points were changed or omitted entirely. Some of the best fight scenes from the books were cut, leaving fans frustrated with a series that failed to capture the magic of Rick Riordan’s work.
Is there any hope for book-to-film adaptations?
Some book-to-movie adaptations definitely do hit the mark, but others just miss it entirely. These examples serve as a reminder that not every beloved book translates well to the big screen. But what’s the magic formula for a well-adapted screenplay? Some things come to mind, such as the following.
Staying true to the source material
If the film’s not going to capture the entire essence of the book, then what’s the point of actually making a film out of it? Plot points, themes, and character arcs are the most essential parts of any book, so cutting them out is not going to be a good sign for any filmmaker.
Maintain the original theme
If it’s a funny book, it has to be a fun film as well. If it’s meant to be for kids (and for adults who are young at heart, if we’re being real here), then it definitely has to stay that way. There’s no sense in watching a character a few years older or younger than how they were originally written. Otherwise, it’s going to feel like watching a bunch of characters who don’t really fit the world that’s built around them.
Natural dialogue
Every word from a 700-page book definitely isn’t going to make it to an hour-and-a-half film. But trust us: there’s a way for a film’s dialogues to feel natural and concise, revealing character and advancing the plot. Successful book-to-movie adaptations have done it by maintaining the unique voices of the characters as established in the source material. So there’s no excuse, really, for these bad films to even exist.
Final thoughts
We apologize for giving you war flashbacks of lackluster book-to-movie adaptations that you wish you can just unsee. Each one comprised almost two hours (and more) of our lives that we cannot ever take back. In case you want to hear our podcast episode about it, tune in here:
Listen in full to Creatinuum Episode 42: "I Liked the Book Better: Book-to-Movie Adaptations That Didn't Quite Hit the Mark" available on Simplecast, Spotify, Apple, and other platforms.
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