It is every book nerd’s dream to see their favorite book become a movie adaptation where their characters come to life on the screen. However, not all movie adaptations do justice to their novel counterparts while some seem to satisfy readers to the full extent. Some successful movies based on books are:
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Harry Potter:
Based on the successful novels by J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potter series is one that is appreciated and celebrated to this day. Based on seven novels, the story is distributed amongst eight different movies that came out chronologically from 2001 to 2010. Distributed by Warner Bros, the movies manage to capture the fantasy element and follow the story of the books almost perfectly. Although minor details were changed which angered some of the fans, most agreed that the movies did bring life to the characters. Actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint were praised for their acting skills, and even after 11 years of the movies wrapping up are still recognized because of these roles. It is to be noted that it was impossible to bring the complete story of the length of seven books but even the shortened storyline on screen was one that captured the essence of the books.
Little Women:
Louisa May Alcott’s famous classic novel Little Women has been adapted a good six times on the movie screen. However, the two adaptations that got more recognition than the others were the 1994 and 2019 movies. Both the movies had star casting with Winona Ryder, Kristen Dust, Christain Bale acting in the former and Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Meryl Streep being part of the latter. The 2019 adaptation was praised especially for bringing more depth to Amy’s character made the viewer not hate her or be annoyed by her while also narrating most of the story from Jo’s point of view which showed the struggles of a woman wanting to be independent but loved at the same time. Receiving critical acclaim for not just the story but for the direction and acting as well, the movie managed to win Best Actress (Ronan), Best Supporting Actress (Pugh), Best Picture, and Best Screenplay at the academy awards.
The Chronicle of Narnia:
The Chronicles of Narnia was one movie that fans expected to not be as visually appealing as the book. However, the graphics and visual representation of the magical world was captured perfectly on screen and satisfied the audience. The success of the first film led to another two books being adapted out of the seven and almost all received mixed to positive reviews and critical acclaim. The three movies were released on 2005, 2008, and 2010 with the last movie giving a good farewell to the storyline the films had narrated. Moreover, as fans seemed to enjoy the movies so much, a Netflix adaptation is also to come soon of the later books. The movies were produced and distributed by Walt Disney Movies and set a high bar for fantasy adaptations.
Crazy Rich Asians:
Crazy Rich Asians is a record-breaking, award-winning movie released in 2018. Based on the 2013 famous novel by Kevin Kwan, the film starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, and Ken Jeong won the hearts of many people and was appreciated for its portrayal of Asian Americans as more than just supporting characters. The success of the film also led to speculation and want for the other novels in the series to be adapted. At least two sequels are expected with the story being as closely followed as it was in the first movie. The film was also praised for its elaborate costumes, beautiful sets, cinematography, and story and managed to win the 24th Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy and the Screen Actors Guild Award for the Best Cast.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower:
Based on the 1999 coming of age novel by Stephen Chbosky, the movie came to screens in 2012. As the author also directed the movie, it is no surprise that the movie was met with praise by the audience. The tear-jerker film had Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller in the lead roles, and the cast and novel being well known helped in the film becoming a critical and commercial success. Not only just the acting but everything from the screenplay to the movie score was applauded and fans adored the portrayal of the characters they so closely related with on screen.
The Fault in our Stars:
Perhaps one of the most loved romance and coming to age novels by John Green, The Fault in our Stars was released in 2014. This movie won the hearts of the youth who were amazed by how perfect the chemistry of the two lead actors Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort was on screen and how they managed to capture Hazel and Gus flawlessly. The movie received positive reviews and was a box office hit. Winning several voting awards such as the People’s Choice and Kids Choice Awards, the movie to this day is a fan favorite and one that captured the intensity and emotions of the novel to perfection. The success of the Hollywood remake also led to the production of a Bollywood remake, titled, Dil Bechara.
The Hunger Games:
Another successful series adaptation was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The science-fiction dystopian trilogy was loved by many readers who were excited to see it on screen. The Hunger Games movies to this day are appreciated for how closely they followed the novels. Moreover, in order to ensure that all the important elements were shown on screen, the series was distributed amongt not three but four movies. The movie adaptation is also responsible for launching the careers of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth who won several awards for their roles in these movies. Not just the acting but the screenplay, costumes, visuals, cinematography, and direction also got the recognition they deserved.
