With so many of our favorite novels being adapted for the screen, there are always mixed feelings about how the movie compares to the book. If it were up to us, we think we’d make great casting decisions for these books-turned-films so that the characters align with the ones in our heads. Here are five books that we wish would be made into films, and who we think should star in them.
1. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
This heart wrenching, New York Times best selling novel tells the story of Hannah Baker, who leaves a series of tapes for her classmate Clay Jensen. A film was reportedly in the works, with Selena Gomez set to play Hannah, but the movie never began production. Logan Lerman was rumored to play Clay, and personally we think he’d be perfect for the part. As for Hannah, Taissa Farmiga has our vote.
2. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Two of Sarah Dessen’s books were adapted for the movie How To Deal, which wasn’t very popular. We’d like to see one of Dessen’s many well-loved books on the silver screen, and The Truth About Forever is our pick. The novel is about a girl named Macy who gets a summer job as a caterer. There she meets Wes, and they play a game of “Truth.” This game continues as their relationship deepens. If it were up to us, we’d cast Penn Badgley as the artistic Wes, and Dianna Agron would play Macy.
3. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
The Fault in Our Stars was a huge success, Paper Towns hits theaters soon, and Looking for Alaska is headed to the big screen as well. We might as well add John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines to the list! The book follows Colin Singleton on his quest for love. He meets the quirky Lindsey Lee Wells along the way, and they become friends. We think Chloe Grace Moretz would make a great Lindsey, accompanied by Dylan O’Brien as Colin.
4. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time recently opened as a Broadway play, and we think it would make a great movie as well. A film adaptation may be in the planning stages, but no production has begun. The story follows Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old with high-functioning autism, as he tries to solve the mystery of his neighbor’s murdered dog. Though he’s a bit older, Keir Gilchrist (It’s Kind of a Funny Story) could definitely play Christopher.
5. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
We may have read Stargirl in middle or high school, but we still love the timeless story. This New York Times best seller would make a fantastic movie, fit for all ages. Again, a film version was planned, but never happened. In the YA book, a boy named Leo meets the out there Susan Caraway, who goes by the name Stargirl. She doesn’t care what others think of her, in contrast to the rest of the high school student body. Leo is intrigued by Stargirl, and they form a relationship. We’d pick Ansel Elgort to play Leo, and Madeline Carroll (Flipped) for Stargirl. This film would definitely have an indie feel.