How many times have you read a fantastic book only to learn that it is being adapted into a film or television series? Then you watch the movie / TV series with great expectation… and what a mess!
Disclaimer: Before you read any further, keep in mind that this is simply our perspective, and not everyone will agree with us.
Here is NerdiPop’s top 5 Movies / TV series that ruined the book.
# 1. The Strain
Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan wrote the vampire horror thriller The Strain in 2009. It is the first installment in The Strain Trilogy, followed by The Fall (2010) and The Night Eternal (2011).
The book synopsis
A Boeing 767-300ER arrives at JFK and begins taxiing on the tarmac when it abruptly comes to a halt. All but one of the window shades are closed, the lights are turned out, and communication channels have gone silent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is notified. Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather, the chief of the CDC Canary project, a rapid-response squad that deals with biological threats, is tasked with investigating. When Goodweather and Dr. Nora Martinez boarded the jet, they discovered that everyone on board had died except for four persons. Abraham Setrakian, a former history professor and Holocaust survivor, believes something awful has happened and that an unnatural battle is brewing in a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem. As the vampiric virus that has infected the passengers spreads across New York City’s streets, a war of epic proportions begins. Dr. Goodweather, with the help of Setrakian and a small group of fighters, attempts hard to stop the outbreak in order to preserve the city, as well as his wife and son.
The TV series
The series got off to a great start. The first episode was very good and it showed a lot of promise in terms of adapting to the novel. Unfortunately, the Vampires were badly executed, and the television series failed to evoke the same sense of dread and terror as the novel.
#2. Twilight Saga
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series consists of four vampire-themed fantasy romance novels.
The book synopsis
It follows Isabella “Bella” Swan, a teenage girl who relocates to Forks, Washington, and falls in love with Edward Cullen, a 104-year-old vampire. The series is mostly recounted from Bella’s perspective, with the exception of the epilogue of Eclipse and Part II of Breaking Dawn, which are told from the perspective of Jacob Black, a werewolf. Midnight Sun is an unpublished retelling of the first book, Twilight, from Edward Cullen’s perspective. The novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, which tells the narrative of a newborn vampire who featured in Eclipse, was released in hardcover on June 5, 2010, and as a free online ebook on June 7.
The movie adaptations
The novels were enjoyable, but the films were not. The Twilight movies create an almost monotonous environment for anyone hoping to watch anything related to the books due to the awful acting, trite plot, and poor characters. The worst part is Kristen Stewart and Robert Patterson’s casting. These films could have been more successful if the actors and scripts had been better.
We are major fans of Marvel’s X-Men, and Wolverine is, without a doubt, one of our favorites. We have loads of graphic novels and comic books on Wolverine, his origin, and anything else related to him.
The comic book / graphic novels synopsis
Wolverine is a series of Marvel Comics comic books starring Wolverine, a member of the X-Men. There have been 323 issues and 11 annuals produced as of April 2013. It was the character’s first and most well-known title.
Wolverine is a fictional superhero who appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, as well as film, television, and video game adaptations; he is most frequently seen in X-Men-related fiction. In 1974, writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita, Sr. collaborated to develop him. Wolverine is a member of the “mutants,” a fictional sub-species of humans born with superhuman abilities. He can totally recover from any physical injury or illness in a short period of time. His claws are long and retractable, protruding from the backs of his hands. His skeleton was surgically lined with adamantium, a mythical metal that is practically indestructible. Wolverine is a member of the X-Men, a team of superheroes who fight for mutant rights and to preserve the peace between mutants and normal humans.
The movie adaptations
We were naturally quite thrilled about the upcoming Wolverine films, as we’re huge Wolverine fans. What a waste of time. Hugh Jackman is the only bright spot in the Wolverine films. I think he was an excellent option for Wolverine, but the plot was terrible. The filmmakers took the iconic Wolverine character, comic book events and people, and mashed them all together in an attempt to make a slightly entertaining summer blockbuster.
#4. Beastly
Alex Flinn’s novel Beastly was published in 2007. It’s a modern-day rendition of the fable Beauty and the Beast, told from the perspective of the beast.
The novel
Flinn based her tale on several different versions of the Beauty and the Beast fable. Many of these are alluded to in the novel in a lighthearted manner, particularly in the chat room transcripts in which Kyle’s character converses with other teenagers who have been converted into animals. Beastly has gotten positive reviews, including one from BookLoons, which says, “The story is recounted from the beast’s perspective, which adds an unusual twist to this contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Despite the fact that the plot is well-known, Flinn’s rendition is certainly worth reading “.
The movie
We had a great time reading the book. It’s one of our favorite books because of the lighthearted tone in which it was written, the use of modern social media in the narrative, and the smart interactions between the characters. Then there was the release of the film. It was a complete letdown. Kyle is not transformed into a beast like in the book; instead, he is left with scars, extra tattoos, and no hair! Some girls might even think he’s hot in this situation! Fundamentally wrong, poorly written, and horribly performed, Beastly adds little to the history of its ageless source material.
#5. IT
Stephen King’s horror novel “It” was published in 1986. The story follows the exploits of seven youngsters as they are tortured by the titular monster, who uses its victims’ anxieties and phobias to disguise itself while pursuing its prey.
The novel
In 1960, a group of social outcasts are tormented by an evil demon who can shape shift into a clown and feed on children’s anxieties before killing them. They are ridiculed by a gang of greasers led by Henry Bowers. After defeating the evil clown as children, it reappears 30 years later, and they must once again defeat it as adults.
The TV mini series
Technically It is not a movie and more like a TV miniseries. It (1990) isn’t as disappointing as most of the entries on the list, but it has some problems. We originally read It many years ago and some parts of the book still stays with me to this day.
The line “we all float down here” springs to mind. The movie stars Tim Curry as Pennywise the killer clown. In our opinion he has caused more people to fear clowns than any other movie. The miniseries didn’t seem to have the same depth as the novel. The characters in the novel came to life more than the ones on television. Even though it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to perform all of the things in the book in 1990, some of the effects are done exceptionally effectively, while others are not. If you look at the sections that weren’t so fantastic, the finish wasn’t that amazing, which is unfortunate because they explain why it looks the way it does at the end in the book. Still not the worst, but far from the best adaptation of Stephen King’s work.
