Over the years, many different books have been adapted into movies and television series. However, adaptations such as these have a bit of a bad reputation, withmovies based on bookstypically seen as being worse than their originals. Although it would be impossible for a film or television show to cover the ground that is possible within the pages of a novel, there are many different examples of good book adaptations.
With book series such asUgliesbeing adapted to less than stellar reviews, good representation of excellent books being brought to the screen are more important than ever. This is especially true when translating the characters to a visual medium. Even though meeting the expectations of every fan is impossible, these movies and television shows did an incredible job when bringing their characters to life.
10Geralt Of Rivia In The Witcher
The Beginning Of The Netflix Series Was Excellent
Geralt of Rivia is one of the most well-known names in the fantasy genre, withThe Witcherseries of novels receiving not only a Netflix television series adaptation, but a popular video game trilogy as well. Fans were initially cautious when Henry Cavill was cast to play the beloved character. After all, the actor was still synonymous with his role as Superman in the DC franchise.
“This Is What Netflix Should Do:” Why The Witcher’s New Adaptation Looks More Promising Than Season 4
Netflix’s next adaptation of The Witcher seems more promising than season 4, offering hope for the franchise after years of criticisms.
However, these worries were quickly laid to rest. Not only was Henry Cavill the perfect casting choice for the character of Geralt of Rivia, but he is also a massive fan of the series as well.This passion shone through in the first season of the show, and it would eventually be the reason he chose to leave the show, citing disagreements with the writing team about the path the series was taking.With the mantle of the character now passing on to Liam Hemsworth in the upcoming season, the fate of the series hangs in the balance.
9Brienne Of Tarth In Game Of Thrones
She Stood As One Of The Series' Strongest Characters
Although theGame of Thronesseries would later be known for its less than stellar final season, when the series had books to pull from, the writing was some of the best in 2010s television. This is especially true in the character of Brienne of Tarth, played to perfection by actress Gwendolyn Christie.Not only does Brienne retain the strength she had in the original book series, but it is amplified through Christie’s excellent performance.
Her battle scenes are just as explosive and bloody as they are in the books, and the series does not shy away from the trials that Brienne must overcome in order to serve the Stark family. Her romance with Jaime Lannister is even addressed, and addressed well, until its fumble in the notorious final season of the show. All in all, she is a great representation of bringing a character from page to screen.
8Samwise Gamgee In The Lord Of The Rings
The Films Amplified Sam’s Heart
Samwise Gamgee is a character who is often overlooked inThe Lord of the Ringsseries, his presence typically overshadowed by his companions. Despite this, Sam manages to not only be one of the most wholesome presences throughout the trilogy.However, like most of the characters throughout the trilogy, the waySam was portrayed in the movies is quite different from his counterpart in the novels.
This is because, for the sake of creating films, many of the characters and their stories were simplified in an effort to fit hundreds of pages of information into the span of a couple of hours. They relied more on being good movies than they did good adaptations, and in the process created some of the greatest films of all time.The Lord of the Ringsfilms are considered titans of film history, and for good reason, remembered for the massive impact they left on those who watched them.
7Mark Watney In The Martian
The Movie Showed Off The Book’s Realistic Science Fiction
Based on Andy Weir’s novel of the same name,The Martianwas a breakout science fiction hit in 2015. Depicting a story that is as close to real life as science fiction can get, the film follows astronaut Mark Watney as he attempts to survive alone on Mars. Both the book and the movie follow incredibly similar paths, with the two having much more in common than most books do with their adaptations.
The Martian
Cast
Adapted by Ridley Scott from Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, The Martian follows the plight of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) after he finds himself stranded alone on Mars after he is falsely presumed dead during a mission. Unable to communicate with Earth and armed with little more than his scientific expertise as a botanist, Watney must find a way to survive on the barren planet until the next scheduled mission arrives.
Specifically, the film takes the well-researched science of the novel and puts it on display.When Weir wrote the novel, he did extensive research in order to maintain that science was as accurate as possible, and this comes across both in the novel and Ridley Scott’s film adaptation of it.Though this is more extensive in the novel than it is in the film, it still comes across well in Mark’s character and the way he solves problems in order to stay alive.
6Anton Chigurh In No Country For Old Men
This Portrayal Of The Hitman Is Possibly More Brutal Than The Novel
Cormac McCarthy is an author known for his brutal writing as seen in novels such asThe RoadandBlood Meridian, and the story ofNo Country for Old Mendoes not shy away from this trend. The story unfolds in the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong, deconstructing the life and morals of the hitman, Anton Chigurh. It is a film consumed by the death and greed that plague humanity, but it manages to be an incredible character study at the same time.
No Country for Old Menchallenges the viewer, as if inviting them to look even deeper into Anton’s character and motivations.
While the original novel does a masterful job of showing the hypocrisy that lies in Anton’s ideals, the film takes it a step further.The film version shows his greed in subtle, brief moments that aren’t explored in the book, as if to directly point out he is not as righteous as he thinks he is.In the end,No Country for Old Menchallenges the viewer, as if inviting them to look even deeper into Anton’s character and motivations.
5Patrick Bateman In American Psycho
The Themes Of The Novel Shines Through In The Film
American Psychois a film that has seen a bit of a renaissance in recent years, with countless memes and references to the film being circulated around the internet. What many might not know is that the satirical horror film was once a novel, written by Bret Easton Ellis.Both the book and the movie manage to dig into the mind of psychopathic killer Patrick Bateman with aplomb, using him as a tool in order to satirize both Wall Street and modern consumerism.
American Psycho
Based on the book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho follows Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) an investment banker in New York in 1987 who leads a double life as a serial killer. As investigators circle Bateman after the disappearance of a colleague, he finds himself trapped in a spiral of murder and excess, unable to stop himself from giving in to his increasingly dark urges. Also stars Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Justin Theroux, and Reese Witherspoon.
Although the novel is what brought the iconic character of Patrick Bateman to life, Christian Bale’s performance of the character is what brought him into the zeitgeist of modern culture. Not only did he perfectly capture the uncanny and not quite human portrayal of Bateman’s actions as described in the novel, but did so in a fashion that was entertaining to any and all watching. Bale played the role of a man playing a role, adding a layer to the character of Patrick Bateman that is difficult to put into words.
4Rosemary Woodhouse In Rosemary’s Baby
The Haunting ’60s Film Was Once A Novel
A film steeped in paranoia and superstition,Rosemary’s Babywas a 1968 psychological horror film that manages to scare viewers even to this day.The story follows Rosemary Woodhouse and her pregnancy as she discovers that her neighbors are not only a part of a satanic conspiracy, but they have been manipulating her for their own nefarious purposes.Based on the 1967 novel, the film does a remarkable job at remaining faithful to the original story.
Rosemary’s Baby
Directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, Rosemary’s Baby chronicles the chilling tale of Rosemary Woodhouse, the wife of an actor who, after finding out she is pregnant, begins to suspect that her unborn child is something far more sinister than a normal baby. John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, and Maurice Evans also star.
Somehow, the film adaptation manages to capture the same feeling of paranoia that is present in Ira Levin’s original novel. Every moment is anxiety-inducing, no matter how mundane it may initially seem. Though the film lacks the evocative language initially used by Levin in the novel, it swaps that out for a creeping cinematography, one that knows when and where to linger in order to silently explain its point.
3Paul Atreides In The Dune Series
The Recent Dune Films Are Some Of The Best Science Fiction Ever
Frank Herbert’sDuneis a novel that has been adapted before, with David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of the book seeing mixed reviews. However, when Denis Villeneuve began his take on the novel with part one releasing in 2021 and part two releasing in 2024, the general consensus was that his was the definitive film version of Herbert’s original story. With incredible cinematography and an all-star cast, this new and improvedDunebrought even more fans into the iconic franchise.
There are 23 books in theDunefranchise.
This is especially true when given the incredible depiction of the story’s main character, Paul Atreides.Villeneuve’s take on the character lies more with the novel, portraying his journey from uncertain noble to ruthless conqueror perfectly.Though the trilogy is not finished, it is likely that this characterization will only improve once the third part of the series finally releases.
2Louis De Point Du Lac In Interview With The Vampire
The Series Keeps The Soul Of The Source Material Intact
AMC’sInterview with the Vampireis a bit of an outlier when it comes to adaptations, simply becausethe series makes so many changes to Anne Rice’s original story. Despite this, the series manages to keep the souls of each of its characters intact. This is especially evident in the character of Louis de Point du Lac, the vampire that is being interviewed throughout the course of the first novel in the series, as well as the first two seasons of the show.
AMC’s Interview With The Vampire’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Almost Perfect (& It’s Finally On Netflix)
The Rotten Tomatoes score for the Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe show Interview with the Vampire, which is finally on Netflix, is nearly 100%.
Even though much about his early life is changed in order to fit the series' new timeline, Louis is still every part the poetic and often long-winded storyteller that he is in the original novel.He is still brooding and reflective, with just as many holes in his narrative as there were the first time he was interviewed, all the way back in 1976. The series even uses specific quotes from the novels at times, as if to really drive home the point that these characters are still the same all these years later.
1Hannibal Lecter In Hannibal
Mads Mikkelsen’s Performance Is One Of The Best
Often considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the greatest crime shows of all time,Hannibaltakes what was offered by the original Thomas Harris series and uses it expertly in order to chart its own path.Telling the story of Hannibal before he was discovered to be the ruthless serial killer and cannibal that fans already knew him to be,Hannibal,despite its namesake, is actually told from the perspective of FBI profiler Will Graham. It is equal parts artistic and enigmatic, creating a show that pushed boundaries.
Played to perfection by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal is perhaps depicted most frighteningly in the NBC series. He is more creative and more manipulative than his counterparts in the original film adaptations, willing to take risks and play with people’s lives just to see what might happen as a result. His cruelty is crafted expertly by showrunner Bryan Fuller, making the fact thatthe show was canceled after only three seasonsnothing short of a tragedy.
Hannibal
Created for TV by Bryan Fuller, Hannibal is a TV adaptation/reimagining of Thomas Harris' Red Dragon novel. The show follows the exploits of FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) and their perpetual game of cat and mouse that unfolds over the series. When a string of murders in Minnesota requires a brilliant mind to crack the case, Will Graham is called in to investigate - but due to the intimate and terrifying nature of the crimes, he is appointed Dr. Lecter to act as his psychiatrist. The truth of Dr. Lecter is that he is Will’s target - but to complicate matters, he’s the only person that can truly understand him.
