10 Fantasy Movies That Are Completely Different From the Books


Books have been tailored to the silver display screen numerous instances, beginning method again earlier than Hollywood was Hollywood. Principally, e book variations have been round since cinema’s start, which is an fascinating prospect for lots of readers. Diversifications enable followers’ favourite tales and characters to come back to life in a method like no different on the display screen, which not solely supplies followers with further content material but in addition permits them to relive these tales in a brand new method.




The problem with turning a e book right into a film is that filmmakers might want to take some inventive liberties and alter it up a bit as a result of there actually would not be a lot level in going to see the film if it have been the identical because the e book. It is regular to anticipate alterations, however some filmmakers could have gotten a bit too carried away and brought these modifications method past an inexpensive restrict. It would not converse to the film’s high quality — they may even be wonderful, however one factor is for certain: these films are fairly far faraway from their supply materials.


10 ‘The Golden Compass’ (2007)

Directed by Chris Weitz

Picture through New Line Cinema


Earlier than HBO’s His Dark Materials was launched, there was the 2007 movie The Golden Compass, which tailored the primary in a trilogy of novels, albeit very, very loosely. The filmmakers clearly thought they might make a franchise out of the movie as a result of they shoved apart complete plotlines for use in a sequel, which in the end by no means occurred.

Truthfully, itemizing all the variations between the e book and the movie might take hours as a result of The Golden Compass is totally unrecognizable from the supply materials. Thematically, the movie sacrifices the novel’s thought-provoking analyses of faith in favor of a kid-friendly story akin to Harry Potter. It isn’t that the film was terrible, though it definitely wasn’t good. Nonetheless, it lacked all the “oomph” that made the unique collection nice and felt prefer it was throwing away essential plot components for the sake of visuals and motion, which is rarely an excellent signal.


The Golden Compass Movie Poster With Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, and a Girl Riding a Polar Bear

The Golden Compass

Launch Date
December 7, 2007

Director
Chris Weitz

Runtime
113 Minutes

Writers
Chris Weitz

9 ‘Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’ (2010)

Directed by Chris Columbus

The main characters of rhe Percy Jackson movie.
Picture through twentieth Century Studios

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief was directed by Chris Columbus, who beforehand directed the primary two Harry Potter movies, which have been a essential success. So, with him taking the reins on a brand new e book collection, it must be a recipe for fulfillment, proper? Effectively, no. In truth, this primary film wasn’t something in any respect like the unique novel that kickstarted a beloved fantasy collection.


A few of the film’s subplots are totally totally different, and a few main characters are simply straight-up lacking from the film. The collection tried to salvage itself with a sequel three years later, however this was too little, too late. The injury had already been performed, which is why the remainder of the novels have been mainly deserted by Hollywood till the Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV collection got here alongside only recently. It is higher to simply give attention to the TV series–it’s higher and extra devoted.

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8 ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the 5 Armies’ (2014)

Directed by Peter Jackson

Azog commanding his orcs at the Battle of the Five Armies
Picture through Warner Bros.


The Hobbit trilogy takes lots of inventive liberties from its supply materials. Granted, your complete story is advised with out something being actually ignored, however with lots of further padding. Such is the case with the ultimate movie, The Battle of Five Armies. This bloated movie is by far the worst in the Hobbit trilogy as a result of it is just about all motion and little or no substance, which is each good and unhealthy. The unique novel does point out the eponymous battle, but it surely lasts for about 4 seconds. Within the e book, Bilbo (Martin Freeman) is knocked out earlier than the battle and wakes up when it is over. Clearly, this may be fairly lame to indicate on display screen.

The precise battle itself is way more thrilling than it’s within the e book however nonetheless provides lots of fluff, a lot of it pointless. There are some issues that the film does properly, reminiscent of making the deaths of main characters way more impactful and emotional somewhat than simply mentioning them in passing, because the e book does. However there are additionally lots of cartoony struggle scenes, unwarranted appearances from characters who weren’t within the e book, and CGI that is not at all times all that nice.


7 ‘Eragon’ (2006)

Directed by Stefen Fangmeier

Eragon with the dragon Saphira in a promo image for Eragon
Picture through twentieth Century Studios

Eragon was actually a catastrophe of a movie when it came to staying true to the source material. For starters, the e book is over 700 pages lengthy and method too prolonged to suit right into a 100-minute film. Thus, enormous moments have been utterly reduce out, and whole subplots have been omitted totally. Many fan-favorite characters fail to make an look, and maybe worst of all, the dragon grows from a baby to an grownup within the blink of a watch… actually.


The movie bit off far more than it might chew, clearly anticipating a sequel that may enable it to finish the story. However with how a lot of a let-down it was to its followers, this bold plan was by no means going to occur. Eragon lacks all the allure that units the novel aside from different fantasy collection. Certain, even the books aren’t something phenomenal, however the film did little or no to extend the books’ reputations.

Eragon 2006 Film Poster

Eragon

Launch Date
December 15, 2006

Runtime
104 minutes

Writers
Peter Buchman , Christopher Paolini

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6 ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

Directed by Victor Fleming

Dorothy holding Toto and looking up in The Wizard of Oz
Picture through MGM


It ought to go with out saying that The Wizard of Oz is by far probably the most iconic films of all time. But, despite this legendary standing, it is wildly different from the novel. Now, there are some fairly good causes for this, particularly the truth that it was 1939 and CGI hadn’t been invented but. Thus, some scenes would have been actually unfilmable, even with sensible results.

Because it seems, lots occurs after the titular wizard is visited. There’s a complete new leg of the journey, that includes all-new characters and places, all of which function obstacles on the way in which to get Dorothy (Judy Garland) dwelling. The film is enjoyable, whimsical, and revolutionary, however e book readers will discover themselves in a unique, extra mysterious model of Oz. Each variations are phenomenal and groundbreaking entries to their respective mediums and are every value each second of studying/watching.

The Wizard of Oz poster

The Wizard of Oz

Launch Date
August 15, 1939

Forged
Judy Garland , Frank Morgan , Ray Bolger , Bert Lahr , Jack Haley , Billie Burke

Runtime
101

Writers
Noel Langley , Florence Ryerson , Edgar Allan Woolf , L. Frank Baum , Irving Brecher , William H. Cannon

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5 ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)

Directed by Peter Jackson

Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) stands with his sword raised across his face as the army of the dead surround him
Picture through Warner Bros. 

Like The Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is completely incredible and comes fairly near being an ideal film. Nonetheless, anybody who’s learn the books can attest to the truth that the e book trilogy and the film trilogy are two worlds aside. Every movie is fairly totally different from its respective novel, however the third and closing entry is by far the one which acquired essentially the most drastic modifications. For one, there may be an occasion within the e book dubbed the Scouring of the Shire, which Peter Jackson omitted on objective as a result of he felt it was anti-climactic (which, frankly, it form of is).


On high of that, the battles within the film are for much longer and extra drawn-out but in addition extra thrilling. Additionally, the ring being destroyed is a big deal within the film, however within the e book, it is not as extensively celebrated as there are extra chapters afterward. In the end, every model of the story is an epic story for the ages in its personal proper, and every must be celebrated and immortalized till the tip of time.

lord-of-the-rings-return-of-the-king-movie-poster

4 ‘Inkheart’ (2008)

Directed by Iain Softley

Meggie resting her head on Mortimer's shoulder in 'Inkheart'
Picture through Warner Bros. 

Inkheart was a brilliant common novel, however no matter repute it had was completely demolished by its lackluster movie adaptation. Followers weren’t happy with how far the film went off the rails, with an excessively sophisticated plot that it tried to execute however failed miserably. Granted, the film might have been method worse, however that does not make it good.


Inkheart
lacked any of the allure that the novels had, which makes it simply plain boring.

The story someway felt each oversimplified and dumbed down and, like a lot of its sort, fell quick when it got here to together with much-needed characters or scenes that may have made it lots higher. Thus, Inkheart was shortly forgotten about, performing as one of many final whimpers of Brendan Fraser‘s once-successful career. Quickly, many who have been followers of the books had a tough time remembering the film even existed. In brief, Inkheart lacked any of the allure that the novels had, which makes it simply plain boring.

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3 ‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)

Directed by Rob Reiner

Wesley protects Buttercup with a sword in The Princess Bride
Picture through twentieth Century Studios


The Princess Bride is the last word fairy story story a couple of younger farmboy named Westley (Cary Elwes) pursuing the love of his life, Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright), who’s betrothed to a different towards her will. It is acquired lots of journey, one-of-a-kind humor, memorable characters, and touching romance rolled proper into one. Regardless of its essential acclaim through the years, it stays a severe departure from the e book.

The story that’s really within the e book is just about the identical, however the novel additionally accommodates lots of meta content material concerning the writer’s journey to really write the e book. After all, this distinctive method would not translate very properly to the massive display screen, so it was swapped for a grandfather telling his sick grandson a bedtime story, which frames the occasions of the story itself. Whereas the general occasions of the fairy story are roughly the identical, the meta content material that comprised an enormous chunk of the e book is totally eliminated. Not like different situations, this modification was arguably for the higher.


The Princess Bride Film Poster

The Princess Bride

Launch Date
October 9, 1987

Runtime
98 minutes

Writers
William Goldman

2 ‘Shrek’ (2001)

Directed by Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson

Shrek and Donkey looking confused in Shrek (2001)
Picture through DreamWorks Footage

You could be shocked to listen to that Shrek is definitely primarily based on a youngsters’s e book. That is as a result of the film collection’ legacy has far outweighed that of the supply materials, even when it differed lots from the supply materials. See, the Shrek e book is not a novel; it is a children’ e book, that means the precise story may be completed in about 5 minutes. To make a characteristic movie, the folks at DreamWorks wanted to stretch out the plot and add lots to it.


This determination was in the end profitable as a result of the Shrek film series is widely celebrated now that it has been given the meme remedy. However aside from its standing on the web, many bear in mind it fondly for its cleverly subversive humor. The broad strokes are the identical in {that a} repulsive ogre meets a donkey, defeats a dragon, and marries an equally repulsive princess, however the finer particulars are in no way the identical.

Shrek Film Poster

Shrek

Launch Date
Might 18, 2001

Runtime
90 minutes

Writers
William Steig , Ted Elliott , Terry Rossio , Joe Stillman , Roger S.H. Schulman , Cody Cameron

1 ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Manufacturing unit’ (2005)

Directed by Tim Burton

The cast in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) standing by the chocolate river staring up in wonder
Picture through Warner Bros.


Roald Dahl was identified for hating the 1971 adaptation of his novel, however he was certainly rolling in his grave upon the discharge of 2005’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Within the e book, Willy Wonka is extra than simply an eccentric weirdo; he is a villainous mastermind meant to be a warning to younger readers about all of the unhealthy issues that would occur to them resulting from “kid-friendly” companies who prioritize revenue over clients. To go together with the message, the Oompa-Loompas are literal slave laborers trapped within the chocolate manufacturing unit.

Within the film, Wonka is not a villain. He is a deeply troubled man with lots of repressed childhood trauma, and his Oompa-Loompas really actually get pleasure from their work on the chocolate manufacturing unit since they’re clearly having the time of their lives within the film. It is honest to say the movie missed the book’s point fairly spectacularly. Nonetheless, and whereas it is not so good as the 1971 flick, Charlie and the Chocolate Manufacturing unit is entertaining all the identical.

charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-poster


NEXT: 10 Underrated Sci-Fi Movies Based on Books


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