Charles GruganOver the years, many successful movie adaptations have been based off of previously famous material.
It is very common for production companies to purchase the rights of a novel. Books that generate enough buzz are purchased in order to win money at the box office.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.
In the summer of 1975, “Jaws” was released to theaters. The movie, based on the novel of the same name, was a box office smash and started the revolution known as the summer blockbuster.
Other popular adaptations based off other material include “The Godfather,” “Jurassic Park” and “Mystic River.”
These four movies are just examples, but when you add the amount of money these films grossed in the box office, the astronomical number will cause the calculator to freeze.
Not only were these films highly successful in the theaters, but between the four movies, they won 11 academy awards.
Sometimes this formula doesn’t always work. While the movies mentioned above were favored by critics, “The Da Vinci Code” was bashed by a lot of people saying that it was a dull adaptation of the thrilling novel.
But because it made money, Sony/Columbia Pictures is planning on filming “Angels and Demons,” the prequel to “The Da Vinci Code.”
This is a formula that movie executives will continue to follow, because it has proved in the past to be a moneymaker.
However, there is a new fad in town that is proving to be more successful than book adaptations; comic books and graphic novels.
Spider-Man, Superman and Batman are all favorite comic book franchises. In 2005, “Batman Begins” was released. It was considered to be a reboot to the franchise and it was based off the graphic novel “Batman: Year One.” It was a huge success and grossed over $200 million in the theaters.
Last summer, “Superman Returns” was released. It did not make as much money as they hoped it would have, but the studio is still planning on a sequel.
And then there are the “Spider-Man” movies, which are pretty much a money machine. The third installment to the series is due in theaters on May 4, 2007.
Graphic novels are comic books with a different twist. They are usually much longer and more complex.
They are becoming more popular with the recent releases of “Sin City,” “V for Vendetta,” and “300.”
The producers of “Sin City” are working on a sequel, with filming dates starting in the summer of 2007. “300” has grossed nearly $193 million so far and even though there is only one graphic novel, there have been talks about making a sequel.
What’s next after graphic novels? It’s uncertain which direction moviemaking is going to take, but one thing for sure is that books and graphic novels are a sure bet for success.
What is your favorite book adaptation?
