It's no guarantee, but sometimes books work as TV shows and movies. They aren't always perfect copies (alright, they never ever are), but they translate well to a visual media. In a perfect world where the end result would be a flawless movie or television show, here are my
Top Ten Books I Would Love To See as a Movie/TV Show
1.
Unwind, by Neal Shusterman
This series has a lot of suspense, action and character development that could easily translate into a TV show.
2.
Stephanie Plum By the Numbers Series, by Janet Evanovich
Yes, they tried this as a movie with Katherine Heigl and anyone could see that it was going to fail miserably. 1. It should be a television show. 2. Betty White should be Grandma. It would be can't-miss TV.
3.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
It might be incredibly difficult to capture the essence of this novel on film, but it would be a decent start if Morgan Freeman was cast as the titular role.
4.
I Hunt Killers, by Barry Lyga
So as not to draw out the action too much, I think this would be best as a miniseries. Allegedly, this title is in the works for an ABC Family series, so hopefully they preserve the sheer epicness that is this novel (and it's sequel).
5.
Every Day, by David Levithan
The pursuit of an impossible relationship is the basis of many a successful movie, and I think this novel could make for an interesting addition. Difficult casting for sure as A would need to be portrayed by more than a handful of actors. There are great lessons to be found in these pages that could translate well to some cinematic interpretation.
6.
Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
This one is listed as "in development" on IMDB and I'm not surprised: It's a great story and the sets for this book would look utterly fantastic on the big screen if done correctly.
7.
The Mother Daughter Book Club, by Heather Vogel Frederick
I think this series is really sweet and would make for a cute Disney Channel type show. It could be cast with fresh faces to be scrutinized later in their careers when they stop being prepubescent. But I do think this would make a fun addition to TV, especially because children's literature would be openly discussed on TV.
8.
The Cuckoo's Calling, by
Robert Galbraith J.K. Rowling
I'm thinking BBC series for this one. They can do no wrong. And with such amazing material, it would be near impossible to.
9.
Bossypants, by Tina Fey
I know this is a weird addition. I've read the book and I've listened to the audiobook read by Fey herself. But I want to watch Tina read this book. Seriously, plop her down on a stool, have her read from the book, and film it. I would buy a ticket to see that and I hate paying to go see movies. Comedy gold.
10.
Hex Hall, by Rachel Hawkins
Perhaps it's because I just finished the second book in this trilogy, but I think this would be a fun TV series (if we weren't suffering from paranormal romance/adventure overload). It's funny, contains magic, and has a sarcastic female lead. I can definitely see myself binge-watching this on Netflix.
The Night Circus could potentially be a wonderful film, if done the right way!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about "One for the Money." The whole series would make a good TV show. I'm reading "The Cuckoo's Calling" right now and I'm glad to hear you liked it enough to wish for it in screen form. I'm not totally hooked into the story yet but hopefully it will become a page-turner soon!
ReplyDeleteinteresting list! you're right--some things are just better in a longer format than a 2 hour movie. with that in mind, i actually think that Every Day would have to be a mini series to really give a feel for the breadth of characters that A has been in the course of his/her life.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can't wait to see the visuals on The Night Circus!
I think you're right about Every Day making a better miniseries than movie. They could always condense some of A's bodies into a montage, but it would be more effective as a miniseries.
DeleteGood list, I love Hex Hall and The Giver as well.
ReplyDelete