Emerald Fennell just released her movie adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, and to say that viewers are divided is an understatement. While the book is a gothic masterpiece, celebrated for its raw emotions and haunting atmosphere, the film’s modernized elements and stylistic choices clashed with the timeless, brooding essence of the original.
However, this isn't the first movie adaptation to botch the book...and it won't be the last! Here are some other movies that can't hold a candle to the books they're based on.
The Hobbit
Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy faced significant criticism for straying far from J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved novel. While the book is a charming, tightly-paced adventure, the films stretched the story into three lengthy movies, adding subplots, characters, and action sequences that weren’t in the original text. The inclusion of CGI-heavy battles, a love triangle, and an overemphasis on spectacle over substance left many viewers feeling disconnected from the whimsical tone of the book.
I Am Legend
Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend is a haunting exploration of isolation, humanity, and the blurred line between hero and monster. However, the 2007 film adaptation starring Will Smith diverged significantly from the novel’s core themes, leaving fans of the book disappointed. The most glaring change was the ending. In the book, Robert Neville realizes he has become the monster in the eyes of the infected, challenging the concept of morality and perspective. The film, however, opts for a more conventional Hollywood ending, where Neville sacrifices himself as a hero.
Watchmen
While Zack Snyder’s 2009 film adaptation of Watchmen stayed visually faithful to the source material, many fans felt it missed the deeper essence of the story. The most divisive aspect was the altered ending. The film replaced the novel’s infamous “giant squid” with a more conventional nuclear explosion plotline, which some felt diluted the story’s unique and unsettling resolution. While the movie captured the look of Watchmen, many fans believe it failed to fully embrace the intellectual and emotional depth.
The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson’s 2009 film adaptation of The Lovely Bones struggled to balance the novel’s emotional depth with its supernatural elements, leaving many fans disappointed.
The film’s heavy reliance on dazzling CGI to depict Susie’s “In-Between” world often overshadowed the raw, human emotions at the heart of the story. Critics felt that the visual spectacle detracted from the intimate portrayal of a family grappling with tragedy.
The Neverending Story
Michael Ende’s The NeverEnding Story is a rich, imaginative novel that explores themes of self-discovery, creativity, and the power of storytelling. While the 1984 film adaptation is beloved by many for its nostalgic charm, fans of the book often feel it falls short of capturing the story’s full depth. The movie only adapts the first half of the novel, leaving out much of Bastian’s transformative journey in Fantastica. While the visuals and iconic moments like Falkor’s flight are memorable, the adaptation’s lack of fidelity to the book’s deeper narrative left many fans feeling it only scratched the surface of Ende’s masterpiece.
And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is a masterclass in suspense, renowned for its chilling atmosphere and shocking ending. However, many adaptations of the novel, including recent ones, have struggled to stay true to Christie’s original vision, leaving fans divided.
One of the most significant changes in many versions is the ending. Christie’s novel concludes with a dark, unsettling twist that reveals the killer’s identity and motives in a way that leaves readers reeling. Some adaptations, however, opt for a more conventional or softened resolution, undermining the story’s grim brilliance.
