Recently, book-to-movie adaptations have been getting a lot of attention in the media, especially after the release of Emerald Fennel’s “adaptation” of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, and director Brett Haley’s take on Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation.
These films often generate a lot of excitement. Seeing something readers are extremely passionate about translated to the big screen with a bucket of popcorn in hand can feel like a dream come true, but what happens when the characters on screen seem almost unrecognizable? What about when they’re so accurate that they make you rethink how you imagined them in your head?
Here are some films I think are great examples of both, with as few spoilers as possible.
Fav: Little Women (2019)
Although I do like all of the Little Women adaptations, the 2019 version directed by Greta Gerwig is my favorite, even if that might not be a universally shared opinion.
I first read Little Women in middle school and was completely entranced by the world it created. As I read, I imagined the beautiful dresses, the field where Laurie confessed his love, and the warm glow of the family members gathered under candlelight. This adaptation was the first version I watched, and it encapsulated the world I envisioned more vividly than any other.
I also enjoy the slightly modernized dialogue, even though I know the 1994 adaptation stays truer to the original text.
Flop: Wuthering Heights (2026)
Although stylistically stunning, this adaptation fell short for me in almost every other way.
As a film, Wuthering Heights felt more like fan fiction than a true retelling of the original narrative. With little connection to the novel’s essential themes, the movie would likely have worked better as a film “inspired by” the story than a self-proclaimed adaptation.
If I had watched it without knowing anything about the book, it probably would have been an enjoyable film. Unfortunately, I couldn’t separate it from the original story while watching.
Fav: Dune (2021)
The Dune franchise is one of my favorites, and even though I enjoyed Dune: Part Two even more, I still love this first film.
I’ll admit that the world-building is more detailed in the books, but that seems inevitable when the source material is nearly 900 pages long. Even so, the film brings a remarkable amount of that world to life visually. Much of the imagery feels lifted straight from the novel, and adding more detail might have pushed the runtime well beyond three hours.
The result is a film that is both visually stunning and surprisingly accessible. Writing about it honestly makes me want to rewatch it.
Flop: The Giver (2014)
I’ve held a small vendetta against this adaptation ever since watching it after reading the book for a sixth-grade assignment.
One of my favorite elements of The Giver is its ambiguous ending, which leaves readers with meaningful questions. The film removes that ambiguity entirely and replaces it with clearer, more action-oriented storytelling. Some characters also behave in ways that feel almost unrecognizable, and the addition of unnecessary romantic subplots only adds to the disconnect.
While the visuals in the film are impressive, I wish the adaptation had remained more faithful to the spirit of the book.
Fav: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
This film is a masterclass in faithful adaptation. It successfully preserves the novel’s central themes of racial injustice and morality while maintaining the integrity of its characters and storyline.
The performances are exceptional, the pacing mirrors the novel beautifully, and the emotional impact of the story remains just as powerful on screen. It’s a classic for a reason, and a film I find myself revisiting often.
Flop: Divergent (2014)
I was a die-hard fan of the Divergent books in middle school, so you can imagine how disappointing it was to see the movie series end so differently from the original story.
Another personal pet peeve of mine is when films cast actors who are nowhere close to the age of the characters they portray. Even my 14-year-old self knew that 29-year-old Theo James was not a particularly convincing 18-year-old Four.
Book-to-movie adaptations honestly walk a difficult line between honoring the original story and creating something new for the different medium. When done well, they can bring beloved characters and worlds to life in ways readers never imagined.
When done poorly, however, they can feel disconnected from the stories that made audiences fall in love with them in the first place. Storytelling is a powerful art.
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