17 On-Screen Adaptations That Were Actually Way, Way, Way Better Than The Books They Were Based On, And 8 That Were So Horrible, They Almost Felt Offensive

If the book ’s source hat the moving-picture show , that should tell you something .

Every time a book is adapted into a movie or a TV show, a predictable debate ensues: one side will tell you the adaptation is terrible if it doesn’t follow the novel word for word, whereas the other will argue that it only needs to capture the “spirit” of the source material.

I remember readingPercy Jackson& the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as a class in elementary school. Afterwards, we went on a field trip to the theatre to watch the film. As we were leaving, my teacher remarked that she wasn’t even sure the screenwriters read the book.

I wanted to see how often Hollywood makes adaptations that are entirely different from their source material. As it turns out, they do it quite frequently, but surprisingly, a lot of the time, the adaptations are considered better than their books.

Let’s start with movies and shows that somehow managed to turn out better than the books. (I got most suggestions from thisReddit thread, with a few additional ones from me.)

1.The Shining(1980)

2.Jaws(1975)

3.Fight Club(1999)

4.Mary Poppins(1964)

5.The Devil Wears Prada(2006)

6.Breakfast at Tiffany’s(1961)

7.How to Train Your Dragon(2010)

8.Jurassic Park(1993)

9.Starship Troopers(1997)

10.The Mist(2007)

11.The Magicians(2015-2020)

12.I Am Legend(2007)

13.The Prestige(2006)

14.Jojo Rabbit(2019)

15.Annihilation(2018)

16.Children of Men(2006)

Now for the adaptations that should have stuck to their source material.

17.Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief(2010)

18.Blade Runner(1982)

19.Ready Player One(2018)

20.Ender’s Game(2013)

21.World War Z(2013)

22.I, Robot(2004)

23.The Dark Tower(2017)

24.Wheel of Time(2021-)

25.All Quiet on the Western Front(2022)

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Woman with snake-like hair looks at smartphone; young man in a jacket appears in the background, looking away

A man in a sheriff's uniform stands near a beach, holding a radio and waving toward the water, where people are swimming

Person in a casual, edgy outfit with a patterned shirt and leather jacket, standing confidently with hands on hips in a dimly lit setting

A person in vintage-style clothing and hat stands confidently, casting a shadow on a wooden door

Three women wearing elegant evening gowns at a formal event. They appear to be watching something intently

Person in elegant black dress, pearl necklace, and sunglasses holding a paper cup and bag, standing outdoors with cars and people in the background

Animated characters wearing Viking-style armor and helmets, standing in a group with surprised expressions

A soldier in futuristic armor faces a large alien insect creature on a rocky terrain, holding a weapon defensively

Silhouettes of several people standing in a foggy, indistinct environment, looking towards a bright light

Two people perform a chemistry experiment in a dimly lit lab. One sits on a table, handling equipment; the other examines a flask under candlelight

Person sits at a desk with a laptop, looking down at a dog. The setting is a study with books and papers on the walls

Two men in 19th-century attire, one leaning against a wall, the other gesturing as they converse on a cobblestone street

A woman in vintage attire smiles while walking a bicycle with a basket. A boy in a period-style outfit walks his bike beside her on a cobblestone street

Five people in tactical gear with rifles stand in a field, appearing focused and ready for action

Person holding a coffee cup walking past a graffiti-covered wall that reads "The Human Project Lives." Another person is crouched down

A person stands on a rooftop at night, holding a large trident, with a city skyline in the background

Futuristic cityscape with flying car near a building displaying a giant woman's face on a digital billboard

A young man walks through a dystopian scrapyard, wearing a casual t-shirt and jacket, navigating between piles of wrecked vehicles

Two individuals in futuristic uniforms, one older with a beret, sit in a command room. The older one gestures, suggesting guidance or instruction

Helicopter flies over a crowd of people climbing a wall, creating a chaotic scene. Dust and debris rise around them

A man holding a gun is surrounded by futuristic humanoid robots in a high-tech setting

Scene from a dramatic film or show: a person aims a gun in an elaborately decorated room with candles and ornate furnishings

Person standing on a cliff, gazing over a vast landscape with trees and a cloudy sky. They wear a long-sleeved outfit, appearing contemplative

A soldier in a battle-worn uniform and helmet looks directly at the camera, with fellow soldiers blurred in the background

Every time a book is adapted into a movie or a TV show, a predictable debate ensues: one side will tell you the adaptation is terrible if it doesn’t follow the novel word for word, whereas the other will argue that it only needs to capture the “spirit” of the source material.#

I remember readingPercy Jackson& the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as a class in elementary school. Afterwards, we went on a field trip to the theatre to watch the film. As we were leaving, my teacher remarked that she wasn’t even sure the screenwriters read the book.#

I wanted to see how often Hollywood makes adaptations that are entirely different from their source material. As it turns out, they do it quite frequently, but surprisingly, a lot of the time, the adaptations are considered better than their books.#

Let’s start with movies and shows that somehow managed to turn out better than the books. (I got most suggestions from thisReddit thread, with a few additional ones from me.)#

1.The Shining(1980)#

2.Jaws(1975)#

3.Fight Club(1999)#

4.Mary Poppins(1964)#

5.The Devil Wears Prada(2006)#

6.Breakfast at Tiffany’s(1961)#

7.How to Train Your Dragon(2010)#

8.Jurassic Park(1993)#

9.Starship Troopers(1997)#

10.The Mist(2007)#

11.The Magicians(2015-2020)#

12.I Am Legend(2007)#

13.The Prestige(2006)#

14.Jojo Rabbit(2019)#

15.Annihilation(2018)#

16.Children of Men(2006)#

Now for the adaptations that should have stuck to their source material.#

17.Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief(2010)#

18.Blade Runner(1982)#

19.Ready Player One(2018)#

20.Ender’s Game(2013)#

21.World War Z(2013)#

22.I, Robot(2004)#

23.The Dark Tower(2017)#

24.Wheel of Time(2021-)#

25.All Quiet on the Western Front(2022)#

And follow BuzzFeed Canada onTikTokandInstagramfor more like this!#