Top Ten Tuesday (May 1): Books I’d Like to See Made Into a Movie

Top 10 Tuesday is a weekly meme created by the folks over at The Broke and the Bookish, so that we can all make and read lists to our hearts’ content.

Ahhh, lists. Why are you so much fun?

This week’s top 10 is a topic near and dear to my heart, because I spend way more time than is (probably) healthy thinking about this very subject. And the topic is:

Top Ten Books You’d Like To See Made Into A Movie

[Disclaimer: I know several of these have already been optioned for movies. However, until I see that casting is occurring and a production schedule is out and a release date is set, I don’t see any of them as sure things. Hollywood is a fickle mistress.]


Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. This would either have to be a heavily edited version to fit into a movie, or a show on cable. I’d prefer a show on cable (as long as it’s a channel I get!), so we could really explore the developing relationship between Claire and Jamie, as well as all the incredibly intricate plot surrounding the clans and the war.

 

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb. Actually, the entire Farseer series, followed by the Tawny Man series (throwing Liveships in the middle would probably just be too confusing). But this one would have to be a cable series. It is way, way too complex for a movie. Even with a Peter Jackson 3.5 hour Lord of the Rings treatment. It would be an amazing series, though.

 


Hourglass by Myra McEntire. This one would be a really fun movie, appealing to both the teen crowd (because of the teenage protagonists and the love story) and the sci-fi crowd (because of the time travel and powers). It’s got a good amount of action, but also really interesting story. I picture some pretty nifty special effects too.

 

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. If they could somehow get around the difficulties in casting, especially for Tally and Shay, this would be a really exciting movie. Lots of running and flying and explosions and craziness. Plus, it would surely draw big crowds, what with all the pretty (or Pretty) people in it. And, as a bonus, it has sequels and even a spin-off ready to go.

 

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. I know this would be tricky, watching Sam relive the same day seven times, but I really enjoyed Groundhog Day, so I think it can be done. Plus, I just saw this one as a movie in my head while I was reading. I want to see Sam transform. I want to fall in love with Kent. I want my heart to break for Juliet. This is one that I know has been optioned for film, and I really, really hope it happens.

 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. (Yes, I do love me some Lauren Oliver books. Why do you ask?) I am fascinated by this world where love is a disease. I want to see how it works, how these families function. And of course I want to see Alex, and watch him break through Lena’s defenses. Movies about a sweet love story with some action and sci-fi thrown in are my cup of tea.

 

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu. This one takes inspiration from all sorts of things that did well at the box office — X-Men, Hunger Games, Twilight — as well as several books that I imagine would do well at the box office, like Delirium and Divergent. It is heavy on the sci-fi and action for the guys, and of also has the teen love triangle to draw in the girls (although, I’m a girl and I’d be drawn in by the sci-fi action).

 

Divergent by Veronica Roth. Talk about a book that was written to be turned into a movie! Everything about this book seemed cinematic to me, from the trains to the Dauntless compound, to the initiation challenges and the fear landscapes, to the behemoth finale. I’m pretty sure this one has also already been optioned, and I am really excited to see if it happens. It will be a pretty awesome action movie.

 

Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card. I know that Ender’s Game is already well on its way to the big screen, but I hope they keep going and make this one too. Yeah, it will be even more challenging casting Bean on the streets of Rotterdam than Ender in Battle School, but Bean’s backstory is fascinating. Also, I think the rest of the Shadow series would translate better to film than the Ender sequels.

 

The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. I know that theoretically, this one is going to be the next Narnia movie, but I’m more than a bit skeptical that it will actually get made (the IMDB page is woefully blank right now). However, considering this is my favorite of the Narnia books, and also completely different from all the others, I really hope I’m wrong. I want to see the creation of Narnia and all the different worlds that can be accessed through the magic pools!

 

Of course, if I had my druthers, I’d probably see a movie made from every book I ever enjoyed, since I love movies and books so much. And then I’d probably complain that most of them didn’t do the book justice. Such is the nature of the beast.

12 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday (May 1): Books I’d Like to See Made Into a Movie

  1. I agree with so many of your books! Although I’d honestly rather they skip “the magician’s nephew” and make “the horse and it’;s boy” the next narnia book, but that’s just cause it was my favorite!

    Also, I’m now adding “Hourglass” to my TBR list 🙂

    • Really, I just want them to go ahead and make all of the Narnia books into movies, but since each one seems to fare more poorly than the one before it, I want them to go ahead and make my favorite first, just in case 🙂 But I love all of them, and would be thrilled if they’d do the entire series, no matter how well (or not) they do at the box office! I’m pretty sure that’s not the way Hollywood works, though…

  2. They must have Tilda Swinton driving the carriage in The Magician’s Nephew, or it is not work making. I’m surprised that they are going ahead an planning a movie of it though, since story wise, its ahead of all the other movies.

    I agree for Outlander. That series would make a great miniseries or show on a channel like HBO. Though it also worries what a they would add to it too.

    • I really enjoyed it. It reminds me of a lot of other things I enjoyed, but I don’t hold that against it. It’s just a lot of fun, like an action movie. I’ll put up a review when we’re closer to release.

  3. Your last quote about wanting to see everything and then complaining about all of them is exactly why I had so much trouble picking my 10. I didn’t want to pick anything that I knew they would really screw up! Lots of really great choices here – I only just finished Hourglass and you’re right it would make an amazing flick, and be very popular.

  4. See, and “The Magician’s Nephew” is my favorite so I hope they DON’T make it into a movie. They will screw it up like they messed up the last two (“The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” was good but it still took liberties with the dialogue that bothered me a lot). “TMN” has so much depth and beauty and power that cannot be adequately summed up in a visual presentation. Except maybe from Guillermo del Toro- he’s got an eye for fantasy.

    In relation to all the books you’ve mentioned, I am only aware of the last one. Apparently, YA is something I need to get into.

    • Really? I really enjoyed Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Yes, they definitely took some liberties with both the plot line and dialogue, but I’m not a book purist when it comes to movies. Sometimes things need to be shifted around, condensed or eliminated to make sense in a different medium. My biggest request of film adaptations is that they correctly capture the feel of the world, the basics of the story and the essence of the characters. All details are negotiable if those demands are met. Am I disappointed when a favorite scene is changed or omitted? Definitely, but it normally won’t ruin my enjoyment of the overall film, as long as those 3 tasks are executed well (example: Jurassic Park).

  5. I would LOVE to see Outlander on HBO! I would definitely add that channel just for that show. I agree 100% with Before I Fall, Delirium, and Hourglass! They would be fantastic!

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