The infamous Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni drama surrounding the release of It Ends with Us, a screen adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller that follows a woman with a painful past trying to break the cycle of domestic abuse. While the book was beautifully written, one can’t help but wonder if this much drama consumes other casts as they navigate moving the intricate pages of the book to the big screen. So as Hollywood’s hunger for film adaptations of novels grows, a surge in bestsellers begins heading to the big screens-unlocking spaces for heated fan debates, readers to boycott the media, and, of course, new celebrity scandals.
The surge in book-to-film adaptations has no doubt consumed the media, not only captivating audiences, but offering both excitement and challenges for authors and fans alike. There are many challenging moments throughout the creation of these films, from the prologue to the epilogue: cover to cover. And why this trend is booming in today’s media is the number one question among film lovers are readers alike.
In recent years filmmakers have turned to bestselling books as source material for blockbusters. Whether it be familiar creativity,or the desperate need to push out engaging films, the industry has boomed with these films. To be fair, it comes with its perks: built-in fan bases and ready made narratives. It’s a lower risk pathway to success. Genres such as Young Adult (YA), thriller, and fantasy have consumed the media, driving a whole new audience of seasoned readers to box offices to see their favorite stories come to life.
As these adaptations are on the rise, certain series are being highly anticipated by readers and viewers alike. Current films rumored to be in the works consist of A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. Fans are in high demand for these titles, going as far as making personal fan casts: such as Ben Barnes playing Rhysand in the ACOTAR film and Ariana Greenblatt as Jude in The Cruel Prince. Fans have also taken to predicting alternate endings and shipping characters with no romantic tension whatsoever. But this leaves me to wonder who is really writing the story once it moves to the screen?
Adapting books to film is challenging enough with adapting story lines, condensing complex narratives, and casting controversy. However, one of the biggest growing issues may be fan commentary, which can pressure writers and directors to alter storylines to appease audiences rather than stay true to their creative nature, which readers fell in love with in the first place. It’s almost as if the fans believe they can re-write the story themselves. However, for loyal readers this struggle is ongoing in the adaptation process and some feel like they are being robbed of their own creativity.
Readers feeling this way is leading to boycotts of these adaptations. It Ends with Us was a huge hit at the box offices but when reviews came out about the book being better and the drama surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni surfaced readers decided seeing the movie was not worth it. Another adaptation getting similar backlash includes Percy Jackson which has received criticism with how the cast of the new series is growing up too fast in front of the screen.
The uproar has caused some to wonder how this trend is successful. What exactly makes an adaptation successful? Personally, I believe films like The Hunger Games and Little Women understood the assignment. They have a loyal fan base, stayed true to the original story, and cast loveable actors to play fan-favorite characters. This leads to success and the fans eat it up.
So while book-to-film adaptations are fun, there is a lot of work that goes into it from making viewers happy to making readers happy. It is all a whirlwind of creativity and everyone is just trying to find where they belong in this world, whether it’s in reality or in a world you can only reach in your wildest dreams.