If you know me, you know I love to read. Probably just as much as I love to curl up on the couch with my family and watch a movie. Luckily, there are book-to-movie adaptations. Some may have missed the mark (ahem, looking at you Percy Jackson), while others have transported us from paper to silver screen.
While there are some obvious choices here, I’m going to try to highlight some of the lesser-known shows and movies. So I’ll start with a shout-out to our classics…Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, and Dune. While these movies all have their own critics, they are all well-known for being faithful adaptations of their books before. Now it’s time to be transported to the dystopian nation of Panem, experience the opulent regency era, and fall head over heels for a boy on the rugby pitch:
From Paper To Screen
1. The Hunger Games
This series may be low-hanging fruit, but it’s one of our favorites as a family. With a special mix of young adult romance and dystopian adventure, Hunger Games is a perfect pick for a weekend binge. Many critics lauded Jennifer Lawarence as the perfect Katniss Everdeen, and these movies launched her career, as well as, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. Because of the series’ success, author Suzanne Collins was able to write a prequel called The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The movie comes out this November and follows President Snow’s teenage years.
2. Bridgerton
I have no shame in saying I’ve read several books in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series. Though quite popular before, I read them after watching Shonda Rhimes’ adaptation of them on Netflix. This reworking has been celebrated by critics and viewers for using a diverse cast of characters. In fact, Queen Charlotte does not exist in the novels, yet her character is so popular her spinoff show came out just last month. Bridgerton is a great example of an adaptation that wavered from the original text and it paid off tenfold.
3. Daisy Jones & the Six
If you are a big reader of popular fiction, you know the name, Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her 2019 book Daisy Jones & the Six, was a huge success and quickly grabbed by Prime Video for an adaptation. The book follows a fictional band loosely based on Fleetwood Mac. The biggest piece of taking it the screen was writing music that actually made sense for a made-up music group. Luckily the show stars Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, as well as, Sam Claflin, who is also in the Hunger Games series. Only out a few months, the show’s soundtrack is already extremely popular.
4. Heartstopper
Heartstopper is an interesting reimagination of a graphic novel to a Netflix series. Though incredibly beautiful, Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper comics don’t have much in the way of text. Netflix adaptation takes Nick and Charlie’s love story and adds new complexity to their world and group of friends. Season 2 has already been ordered and will no doubt be just as popular as the first season. This is the one adaptation that taking time to read the original source material may add to the experience.
5. Crazy Rich Asians
In 2013, Kevin Kwan released Crazy Rich Asians, a funny and endearing look into the inner workings of Singapore’s high society. The trilogy became extremely popular and was quickly adapted into a motion picture directed by Jon M. Chu. The film was lauded for its exceptional casting and garnered several Golden Globe nominations. Though it is known for being one of the first hit films with an entirely Asian cast, it also has one of the most breathtaking wedding scenes I’ve ever seen in my life. The use of color and texture to express expectations and family relationships in the movie is astonishing.
6. Emma
When it comes to Jane Austen, many jump up to fight over 1995 vs 2005 Pride and Prejudice adaptations, but I present player two: Emma. While the 2020 version starring Anya Taylor-Joy was enjoyed by critics, I hold a candle for Gwyneth Paltrow’s 1996 version. Paltrow plays disastrously self-assured matchmaker Emma Woodhouse in this comedic take on the Austen novel. The screenplay’s enhanced banter and dry humor make it one of my favorite adaptations.
7. To Kill A Mockingbird
Though this movie is from 1962, it still remains one of the best adaptations of all time. Harper Lee’s classic, Pulitzer Prize–winning novel was expertly turned into a film that won three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Gregory Peck. The film brought to life the incredible characters of Atticus Finch, Scout, and Boo Radley, and stuck to the novel’s slow-burn plot structure.
8. Hidden Figures
One of my favorite movies of 2016, Hidden Figures tells the true story of mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who worked on the US space program. Prepare to be inspired by this adaptation of Margot Lee Shetterly’s extraordinary work as it sheds much-needed light on the often-overlooked struggle of black women in their quest for intellectual recognition but also weaves together a gripping and intimate tale of triumph against all odds.
While there are many adaptations that I love, I’m truly overjoyed that Bonnie Garmus’ Lessons in Chemistry got picked up by Apple TV+. Starring Brie Larson as Elizabeth Zott, I cannot wait to see one of my favorite books this year be brought to life!
What is your favorite paper to screen adaptation? Let me know in the comments.
8. Hidden Figures
