Bitten by Books
In this day and age, a lot of bestseller books are increasingly being made into films. Some of these do really well in the box office while others completely flop. This could be as a result of a number of things including poor marketing or not enough marketing, casting a poor choice of actors who are unfit for that particular characters’ role regardless if they are good actors or not, leaving out a majority of the elements which were important in the book or most significantly, straying away from the book to change so many elements and aspects that it no longer even follows the same book the movie is adapted from. And yet there are also those films adapted from popular mainstream books that do superbly well such as The Hunger Games, the Harry Potter series, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, The Perks of Being A Wallflower to name a few.
Why do movie adaptations of books fail? Why do they do have such poor sales in the box office? I am going to discuss a few of these movies that did not do as well as they had hoped. For instance, Beautiful Creatures, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, a four-part YA fantasy/paranormal book series received a 46 per cent or 5.4/10 on Rottentomatoes.com while IMDB gave it 6.2/10 which is about average. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones which is a recent movie adaptation of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, a YA paranormal series about Shadowhunters who are humans but have angel blood in them and fight demons, also received a 6/10 rating in IMDB.com but only made around nine million on opening weekend. This is compared to the second Hunger Games installment, Catching Fire, which made over 158 million on opening weekend according to boxofficemojo and IMDB. The first, The Hunger Games, made 152 million. The final installment of the Harry Potter series, Deathly Hallows Part 2 made over 169 million. Beautiful Creatures made around seven million. Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief made 1.5 million and the sequel: Sea of Monsters did slightly better, making 14 million.
Therefore, how did a movie like The Hunger Games series and Harry Potter do so well according to box office ratings and money earned during opening weekend while others like Beautiful Creatures, Percy Jackson and City of Bones flopped dramatically?
I remember City of Bones; the excitement, the anticipation from seeing the multiple clips, trailers and stills all over the world wide web before the movie was even released. I am a huge fan of the books which were actually the inspiration to my own book, Amaranth and when I first saw the film, was quite disappointed. The same way I felt after seeing Beautiful Creatures (another favorite series of mine) and even Percy Jackson. The reason I believe these movies didn’t do so well compared to others is because none of these film adaptations actually followed the books, huge elements which were significant in explaining the overall plot were entirely left out, parts were changed (the ending to Beautiful Creatures was entirely different to the ending of the book). Fans, I believe, like to see their favorite books and series come to life on the big screen and they want a close to accurate portrayal of the book in question. Of course, it’s not always possible to explain and put everything that is in the book into the movie but the movie has to at least follow the same plot as in the books. And yet more and more films are being made into movies, very few actually do well.
Movie adaptations of books are getting increasingly popular because more and more people go to the movies and also, the producers creating the films know that the fans will see the movie adaptation of their favorite book at least once. It’s been a popular concept since the Harry Potter and Twilight films. In my opinion, no matter the fact that the movie doesn’t follow the book, there are still a large portion of people that will go see it, fans and those who have not read the book or series. It’s a growing franchise, where some do really well while others do not. Still, it is an exciting concept for many to see their favourite novel turned into a film and let’s be honest, there are a lot of movies coming out this year based off books that look good: Vampire Academy, The Fault In Our Stars, Mockingjay part 1, etc.
Questions for the Readers:
1. Would you see a movie adaptation of a book if you did not like the cast or if you were worried it would not meet your expectations?
2. What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book and why? Do you think it portrayed the book in question accurately?
3. Is there a particular book you are dying to see turned into a film?
About Sanja Dragojlov
Author Bio:
“Hello, I am Sanja (pronounced like Sanya). I am the author of the Demon City Chronicles, Amaranth being the first book. I enjoy reading paranormal romance, fantasy especially dark fantasy, contemporary fiction, classics (Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, Salinger, Fitzgerald), Greek tragedy, and some historical fiction.
I am always reading and writing. I literally breathe and live books. When I do not have a book in my hand, I spend my time traveling or studying.
I am currently a PhD student in the United Kingdom. I enjoy EU politics, British history and foreign languages.
I think far too much and have too many ideas. As one of my favorite authors stated in a beautiful book, “The Fault In Our Stars:” “My thoughts are stars I can’t fathom into constellations.”
Please feel free to message me or add me as a friend on my goodreads account or Facebook.”
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1. Would you see a movie adaptation of a book if you did not like the cast or if you were worried it would not meet your expectations?
I am generally pretty lenient on the casting BUT I do think one of the reasons Harry Potter did so well is that the 3 main player (Harry, Hermione, & Ron) we all relative newcomers/unknowns. Alan Rickman did an amazing job with Snape but I was always very conscience that it was Alan Rickman. The other 3 were for all intents and purpose their characters. Of course- if it is someoneI really despise I would probably wait until the dvd/streaming release.
2. What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book and why? Do you think it portrayed the book in question accurately?
To Kill A Mockingbird always stands out as one of the best adaptions but for a more recent example, I have to say the Harry Potter movies. They captured the feel of those books so well and had mass appeal which is the most important part in making a blockbuster.
3. Is there a particular book you are dying to see turned into a film?
Generally I would prefer a tv show or miniseries to a movie BUT I would love to see an adaption of the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. Obviously it would need to be on cable or as original content on one of the streaming services…otherwise I want an R rating (and those don’t make that kind of $$$). That is one of the reasons that YAs get all the adaptions.
Oh-I wanted to add (considering the news) that Interview with a Vampire was another excellent adaption but the sequel was garbage.
Hey Sanja!
Thanks so much for the great post. I am usually fairly leery of book/movie crossovers.
To answer your questions:
1. Would you see a movie adaptation of a book if you did not like the cast or if you were worried it would not meet your expectations?
Probably, though it would have to be a book I LOVED. I try not going into any movie with expectations of the actors.
2. What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book and why? Do you think it portrayed the book in question accurately?
I have to agree with Krisin on Harry Potter. It was one of the best adaptions I have seen so far. I have also enjoyed the The Hobbit and the books in the Chronicles of Narnia so far. I also REALLY liked Vampire Academy. I hadn’t read the books before hand so that was a bonus. Now I will say looking back after reading the series, I don’t know that they cast the best guy for Dimitri. He’s not at all what I visualize when I read the books. LOL
3. Is there a particular book you are dying to see turned into a film?
I wold LOVE to see The Dresden Files back on the screen, I hope Jim Butcher has his rights back! The other series I would like to see turned into a show or movies would be the Otherworld series by Yasmine Galenorn.
Oh I enjoyed the Dresden Files and wondered why it did not have another season. I loved it.
Hello Sanja. Thanks for stopping.
As far as seeing a movie adaptation if I was concerned about the actors, I may or may not. If I totally loved the book I might take a chance, but if the actors are so far off from my character visualization, I am not sure I would be able to overlook it.
In my opinion, The Hobbit movies have done a great job sticking to the book. I have been somewhat appalled at how they only did 3 books for the entire Rings trilogy and now are doing three movies for just The Hobbit. I agree the Harry Potter series was handled very well. I wasn’t happy with Richard Harris’s replacement after his death, but I have always loved him as an actor so it would have taken someone really great to fill his shoes. Michael Gambaldon did an ok job.
As far as movies, I agree with Rachel in that I would love to see the Dresden Files made into movies or TV. I have a few other series I would like made into movies or TV series: Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn, the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance, the Bitten series by Jennifer Rardin. (but since her death I am not sure how that would work), the Joanne Walker series by CE Murphy, the Greywalker series by Kate Richardson, Angie Fox’s Demon slaying series for some humor, Ally Beckstrom series by Devon Monk, and the Jill Kismet series by Lilith Saintcrow. I probably could come up with more, but I had better stop … lol
I’d be willing to see an adaptation if it had a lot of unknowns, but if I saw a famous name that I knew was miscast, it would bother me. (I still think Michael Cera was a terrible choice to play Scott Pilgrim, and it destroyed the whole movie for me in spite of the rest of the cast being well-matched.) Eden Winters’ Diversion series would make great movies, but I can’t think of anyone who’d do justice to Lucky (maybe Ewan McGregor, but he may not be the right physical type)…
1. I probably wouldn’t see a movie adaptation of a book if I didn’t like the cast or if I thought it wouldn’t meet my expectations. Why waste my time?
2. My favorite movie adaptation of a book is the trilogy of Lord of the Rings. I thought all the movies did a great job of portraying the book.
3. I’ve read some great steampunk books lately that I think would make great movies, especially Richard Ellis Preston Jr’s Romulus Buckle and the City of the Founders, or Meljean Brook’s Iron Seas novels.
1. I don’t go to a lot of movies, but if I love a book, I’ll try to see the movie, regardless of how promising the trailers look. I usually judge the movie based on how true it stays to the book, so I can’t judge it until I see it.
2. My favorite adaptation is The Princess Bride. Even though they had to cut out a lot of things from the book to make it movie length, they really kept the spirit of the book.
3. And I don’t think there are any books I really, really want to see made into a movie because it’s so hit or miss. Maybe the Dragonblood series by Ursula Vernon, but I think I’d rather see that as a cartoon.
1. Would you see a movie adaptation of a book if you did not like the cast or if you were worried it would not meet your expectations?
—- > Nope… especially if an actor/actress I cannot stand plays a role, that movie will be categorized as “Not even going there”. There are just some actors that rub me the wrong way (for example Tom Cruise, Jennifer Anston, the dude that plays Elf)
Why I believe it’s brilliant when they choose new actors to play the parts. They don’t have to worry about big names keeping viewers away (in the case they are like me).
2. What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book and why? Do you think it portrayed the book in question accurately?
—- > Actually many of the movie adaptation of books out there I haven’t read. There have been a couple, when I learned was adapted from a book, I wanted to read and check out myself. Like Howl’s Moving Castle (the animation). So far out there from the book but still good. I have read the book to Dances with Wolves.
I have had the hype and movie/series adaption of books steer me away from considering reading a series. For example: True Blood. And yes, hearing that it doesn’t follow the book, it still does not make me want to read the series. Harry Potter (which is my hubby’s favorite series)
3. Is there a particular book you are dying to see turned into a film?
—- > Oh wow… I would love to see Delilah S. Dawson’s Blud series into films. I could see it making an impression with its vampires and steampunk. Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunters (which my husband said he’d think that would make it). Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink would be fun in film. Larissa Ione’s Demonica and Horseman.. but I would love to see some of my fantasy books come to life like Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar books. I think Anne Bishop’s Blood would be too dark but oh to see Daemon in the flesh.
If I enjoyed the book, I would probably see the movie no matter who was acting. For me it is more important that the movie follow the book as closely as possible.
The Harry Potter movies were my favorite adaptations because they closely followed the book and the actors portrayed the characters convincingly.
I would love to see Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series made into a movie.
1. Would you see a movie adaptation of a book if you did not like the cast or if you were worried it would not meet your expectations?
I probably would, though I’d wait for it come out on DVD rather than forking out the big bucks for seeing it on the big screen.
2. What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book and why? Do you think it portrayed the book in question accurately?
Cold Mountain cause the book totally sucked. I nearly always read the book years before the movie comes out but despite starting the book on three separate occasions, I never got past the first dry, boring 75 pages. The movie however, was wonderful so I can’t say how accurate it was.
The Time Travelers Wife was probably the most accurately portrayed and both book and movie were fabulous.
3. Is there a particular book you are dying to see turned into a film?
There are several I wouldn’t mind seeing as a series(I too loved The Dresden Files and I loved Moonlighting but with Hawaii 5-0 a hit, I guess that’s out too) but movie can’t think of a one.
Question 1: Cast doesn’t really matter to me. However, it needs to meet my expectations and follow the book as close as possible. For instance, I read Beautiful Creatures and enjoyed it. When I heard a movie was being made, I got excited. However, once the trailers came out I had my doubts. So I decided to wait and opted to watch it when it came out on DVD. I’m glad I waited because the movie didn’t follow the book and the movie was a disappointment.
Question 2: My favorite adaptation is are all the Hobbit movies. I am a Tolkien fan and loved LOTR and The Hobbit books as well as the movies. I think all the movies thus far have done a fine job with sticking as close as possible to the actual book. I can’t wait for the remainder of The Hobbit movies to come out.
Question 3: I recently finished reading Veronica Rossi’s trilogy, Under the Never Sky and loved it. As I was reading, I could imagine the pages turning into a movie.
1. Would you see a movie adaptation of a book if you did not like the cast or if you were worried it would not meet your expectations?
That depends, how much of the cast do I not like and is it that I really do not like the actors or is it that I wanted / envisioned others in their places? How much do I like the book?
2. What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book and why? Do you think it portrayed the book in question accurately?
Hmmm. It is really hard to do justice to a book in just 2 hours. I actually have enjoyed tv series adaptations more. Even when they have been significantly different than the books.
3. Is there a particular book you are dying to see turned into a film?
?? Maybe the In Death series by JD Robb…
1. sometimes the casting is spot on and then there are times it really makes you wonder who was actually doing the casting.
2. so far the Lord of the Ring trilogy were pretty good and the world they lived in was quite believable when it came on screen.
3. Right now waiting for Outlander by Diana Gabaldon to come out on, or maybe the Amanda Carlson Full Blooded series. That may be really good if it ever became a move.