Taking books and turning them into movies is an age-old practice that makes fans of the original written work either really happy or painfully disappointed. However, there are countless book-to-movie adaptations that are actually incredibly well-done and sometimes even have fans saying that the movie was better than the book, which isn’t often the case.
There are several authors who have had a significant impact on the book-to-movie niche, with several of their works being adapted on screen. Horror master Stephen King has had 34 of his novels turned into movies or limited series, and Nicholas Sparks, who specializes in romance and drama, has 11 on screen adaptations.
One genre with loads of book-to-movie adaptations is the fantasy genre. The highly visual, out-of-this world environments and descriptions from favorite fantasy books often make great movies. Popular fantasy novels likeThe Hobbit,The Hunger Gamesseries, and thePercy Jackson and The Olympiansseries have all been adapted into successful features.
The fun, imaginative nature of the fantasy genre has also led to massive fandoms following their favorite novels on screen, like with the eight-movieHarry Potterfranchise and the originalLord of the Ringstrilogy. Both of which have maintained their popularity since their initial releases.
Here are six of the best fantasy movies that were adapted from books.
8The Neverending Story (1984)
The Neverending Storyis a German-American fantasy feature based on the 1979 story of the same name by Michael Ende. It’s about a young boy named Bastian Bux (Barret Oliver) who loves to read and stumbles upon a magical book that tells the story of a young warrior who has to stop the dark force called the “Nothing,” before it consumes the mythical world of Fantasia.
The 1984 movie only covers the first half of Ende’s book. The second half was used as a sort of starting point for the sequel,The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter, in 1990. There was also a third movie,The Neverending Story III: Escape from Fantasia, in 1994. However, that third movie isn’t based on the book at all.
The Neverending Storywas very well-received at the time of its release. It managed to enchant critics and audience members alike with its stunning visuals and otherworldly plot. It’s a perfect fantasy film for both children and adults to thoroughly enjoy, even all these years later.
7Coraline (2009)
Coralineis a fantasy/horrorstop-motion animation moviethat premiered in 2009. The movie was written and directed by Henry Selick (James and the Giant Peach) and was based on the novella of the same name by Neil Gaiman.
The movie tells the story of Coraline (Dakota Fanning), who discovers a parallel universe hidden behind a secret door in her house. However, this new world, she finds it has dark, sinister secrets that Coraline must face in order to escape.Coralineis a bit of everything. It’s funny, entertaining, suspenseful, imaginative, and terrifying in parts. While it’s intentionally geared toward more of a “kids and family” audience,Coralineis so well-written and deeply thematic that anyone can enjoy it. Not only do the characters and plots suck in the audience, but the cinematography as well. There’s an intricate beauty to stop-motion animation. It’s so well-thought-out and strategic, it’s hard to look away from the screen andCoralinedoes it extremely well.
6Big Fish (2003)
Movies that Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice) directs are often always dark, beautiful, and captivating, andBig Fishis no different. Released in 2003, it’s a fantasy/dramedy based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Daniel Wallace.Big Fishtells the story of a son who is frustrated with his dying father’s life of tall tales and is trying to distinguish reality from fantasy from all the stories his father told him growing up.
The movie has an amazing, star-studded cast with names like Ewan McGregor (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Moulin Rouge!), Jessica Lange (American Horror Story, Cape Fear), Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd), Steve Buscemi (The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs) and Danny DeVito (Terms of Endearment, Matilda).
WhileBig Fishhas scenes that are pure fantasy and emphasize Burton’s creativity as a director, there are also deeply emotional scenes, primarily revolving around the reconciliation between a son (McGregor) and his dying father (Albert Finney). It’s a well-balanced blend of joyful magic and sentimental moments. It’s one of those beautifully done movies that will make you smile in one scene, but cry in the next.
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5Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factoryis a classic musical fantasy movie based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 novelCharlie and the Chocolate Factory. The 1971 movie tells the story of a poor boy named Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum) who finds a Golden Ticket in a Willy Wonka candy bar that allows him to visit the candyman’s chocolate factory with four other ticket-holding children from around the world.
The whimsical, wonderful world of Willy Wonka was truly brought to life by Gene Wilder (Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein). Wilder’s joyful energy brought the Wonka character to life in such a way that it made him jump right off the screen. Wilder’s stellar performance, coupled with the dazzling visuals and set design, as well as a timeless musical soundtrack, led to a movie that would maintain its popularity for ages.
The movie was remade in 2005 and titledCharlie and the Chocolate Factoryand starred Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) as Willy Wonka. There’s also aprequel movie titledWonkathat’s currently in filming and stars Timothée Chalamet (Dune, Little Women) as a young Willy Wonka.
4The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wizard of Ozis a timeless classic. The musical/fantasy premiered in 1939 and is an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s novelThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz.It’s about a young teenager named Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) who is whisked away with her dog Toto to the magical land of Oz. Here, Dorothy meets a band of unique characters and follows the notorious Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City to make her way back home to Kansas.
The Wizard of Ozwas known for its innovative use of Technicolor at the time and also for its iconic soundtrack featuring songs like “Over the Rainbow,” “If I Only Had a Brain” and “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.“The Wizard of Ozalso led to several adaptations likeOz the Great and Powerful, and also served as inspiration for the famous musicalsWickedandThe Wiz. The Wizard of Ozhas undoubtedly had amassive impact on pop culturesince its premiere and has also been called one of the greatest movies of all time.
3The Princess Bride (1987)
1987’sThe Princess Bridewas adapted from William Goldman’s 1973 novel of the same name, and Goldman came on to write the movie’s screenplay. It’s about a farmhand who, joined by a unique group of companions, is on a quest to save his true love.The Princess Brideis one of those movies that just works so effortlessly and has everything you could possibly want in a movie. There’s romance, action, comedy, suspense, and a healthy dose of satire.
The Princess Brideholds a97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoesand received great praise from critics. It became an instant classic for its intelligent, fresh and innovative take on the classic “damsel in distress, knight in shining armor” fantasy tale and doesn’t take itself too seriously.
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2Lord of the Rings Franchise (2001-2003)
The Lord of the Ringstrilogy is one of the most epic fantasy tales. Based on the novels by J. R. R. Tolkien,The Lord of the Ringscaptivated audiences with the world of Middle-Earth, a slew of interesting characters, and a heroic quest.
Not only is the plot ofThe Lord of the Ringsand the universe it envelops you in worthy of praise, but the trilogy’s ensemble cast really helped to bring Tolkien’s characters to life in ways that are still memorable today. The cast consisted of names like Elijah Wood (Happy Feet, Wilfred), Sean Bean (Snowpiercer, Troy), Dominic Monaghan (Lost), Sean Astin (The Goonies), Cate Blanchett (Cinderella, Don’t Look Up), Ian McKellen (X-Men, The Hobbit) and Orlando Bloom (Pirates of the Caribbean, Troy).
The Lord of the Ringswas magical enough to span beyond just the books and the original trilogy. It also led toThe Hobbittrilogy from 2012-2014, which serves as a prequel toThe Lord of the Rings, which ran from 2001-2003. More recently, it has inspiredLord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, a series that serves as a prequel to bothThe Hobbitand the original trilogy.
1Harry Potter Franchise (2001-2011)
Few franchises manage to have as significant of an impact asHarry Potter. The franchise, which is based on J.K. Rowling’s book series, premiered its first installment,Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in 2001. The franchise finally came to an end in 2011 with the eighth and final movie,Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2.
The spellbinding world ofHarry Potter -from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade - is truly unmatched. It introduced incredible characters and themes and immersed audiences in the magic of theHarry Potteruniverse, leading to a massive, lifelong fandom and even an installation at the Universal Studios theme parks, as well as other attractions around the world.
TheHarry Potteruniverse is extensive, and eight movies simply couldn’t cover everything. Following the original movies' end, theFantastic Beastsfranchise, which is a spin-off prequel toHarry Potter, began in 2016.
While movies likeHarry PotterandLord of the Ringsprovide gripping universes and charming characters to escape with, it truly wouldn’t be possible without consulting the local library for the original source material.
