Books/Comics that NEED to be adapted to the screen

QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
edited July 2017 in General Movies & TV Posts: 1,812
I couldn't find a thread like this one so I figured I'd make one.

What novels or comics do you think need to be adapted into movies or a television series?

Currently off the top of my head...

Movies:
The Once and Future King by T.H. White (1958)
I'm really surprised that this hasn't happened yet. I know there have been various versions of the King Arthur story but none that are truly epic. The Once and Future King could easily be a trilogy if they wanted it to be, maybe even four movies. They would of course have to add to the story if they go that route but I wouldn't have a problem with it. They did that to The Hobbit.

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (1974)
About a team that goes to another planet to get revenge on an alien race that attacked humans. The author mimics the Vietnam war. The book does have three other sequels of sorts that they could use to either add to the story or to make a saga out of.

The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer
There have been a few attempts to make these into movies and none of them quiet hit the mark. Troy was okay but it wasn't anywhere as good as it could've been. I want to see each of these as a stand alone movie but still have the same actor as Odysses. If done right these movies could become award winners. Something along the lines of Gladiator meets The Lord of the Rings.

TV Series:
Jack Reacher by Lee Child (1997 - present)
I'm one of the few that loves the movies but I'd much rather see a TV show about this. Each season could be based off of one book. Tittle the show Jack Reacher, or just Reacher, and the season title off of what book it's based on. There are so many books that they wouldn't have to worry about running out of material to use.

The Dark Tower by Stephen King (1982 - 2004)
I know the movie is coming out and I'm excited for it, also I believe it's going to be after the book series, but I'd much rather see this as a series on Netflix based off the books. They could even use the prequel graphic novels for more material.
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Comments

  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited July 2017 Posts: 17,730
    A film of Horse Under Water (1963) by Len Deighton would be a chance to bring back Harry Palmer perhaps in a period piece spy film.

    Here's a blog article I wrote on the possibilities of a film version of Horse Under Water back in 2009:

    http://thebondologistblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/george-lazenby-and-film-of-horse-under.html

    A comment from The Deighton Dossier's Rob Mallows on my blog article above:

    There is, according to Len, now a possibility of Horse Under Water being filmed - a production company has secured the rights, but nothing's in production yet.

    So, some hope there for the future at the very least....
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    The Illiad and The Odyssey cannot be done justice on the screen. It just won t work.

    This one could be a smashing thriller:
    http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1384559.The_Windchime_Legacy
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    The Robert Langdon books and movies are both pretty bad, but Dan Brown s first two books were stand-alone thrillers, and I read the first one DIGITAL FORTRESS. It would have made a great movie. I read a few years ago that there were plans for a tv series, but have no idea what came out of that.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,449
    Asimov's Robot and Foundation novels could be serialised when done properly, i.e. not like the Will Smith film.

    Clarke's Rama series has potential but may only work when the screenwriters are allowed a lot of freedom with the source material.

    Tons of great Batman comics and graphic novels could be adapted to the big screen, but only when the right people get to do it.

    Then there's a great thriller called Shibumi which @Perilagu_Khan suggested to me ten years ago or so, I can't remember. ;-) Either way, excellent book; might be turned into an interesting spy thriller.

    I honestly believe that the Illiad and the Odyssey can be turned into expensive television series, since there's a lot of talking going on in those books and that's exactly what television series are good at: talking.

    Oh and almost all of Ed Brubaker's comics and graphic novels since Brubaker, even more so than Alan Moore for example, knows how to tell a story. I'm talking about Criminal, The Fade Out, Kill Or Be Killed, Scene Of The Crime, Velvet and others. Plenty of stuff for films and television.

    And since we're talking comics, the ongoing series Injection could make a thrilling film.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Are comic books in the mix? If so, there is a ton of it that would make good movies.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,449
    I read that much in the OP.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    All right. COMANCHE, BERNARD PRINCE, BRUNO BRAZIL for starters. And a proper adaptation of BLUEBERRY.

    Would also love to see TORPEDO 1936 on the big screen.
  • Posts: 17,241
    All right. COMANCHE, BERNARD PRINCE, BRUNO BRAZIL for starters. And a proper adaptation of BLUEBERRY.

    Would also love to see TORPEDO 1936 on the big screen.

    Tex Willer? :D
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Not a fan, but why not?
  • Posts: 17,241
    Not a fan, but why not?

    Only an occasional reader myself, but the character would be sure to fit the movie format if Lucky Luke is!

    Like @QsAssistant, I would like a Jack Reacher tv-series. Also agree on all points regarding it. One book for each season would be great, given that this isn't a 24-episode thing. Bosch would be a good comparison.

    Not read too much of Deighton's work, but a new Harry Palmer film would be very welcome. Perhaps even a mini-(tv)series, @Dragonpol? With SS-GB being produced for tv, why not Palmer?
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    The Illiad and The Odyssey cannot be done justice on the screen. It just won t work.
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    I honestly believe that the Illiad and the Odyssey can be turned into expensive television series, since there's a lot of talking going on in those books and that's exactly what television series are good at: talking.
    I agree with @DarthDimi, The Illiad and The Odyssey could easily be made into a miniseries. It was originally believed that George R. R. Martian's series, A Song of Fire and Ice, couldn't be adapted to the screen and now Game of Thrones is one of the best shows ever made.
    Are comic books in the mix?
    Yes they are. I'll update the title of the thread so there's no confusion.

  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    The Illiad and The Odyssey have been filmed several times. But they can never be done justice, not if they are made in any traditional way at least.
  • QsAssistantQsAssistant All those moments lost in time... like tears in rain
    Posts: 1,812
    @Thunderfinger I agree that The Illiad and The Odyssey have never been made properly. Mostly because of a low budget and/or the technology at the time. As I said before, Game of Thrones has shown us that it's possible for it to happen with a high enough budget. I have faith that someday The Illiad and The odyssey will have their time to shine on the screen.
  • Posts: 5,774
    Speaking of antiquity, a faithful adaptation of the myth of Jason and the Argonauts that doesn't stop with Jason getting the Fleece and Maedea, like the Don Chaffey movie.

    Other than that, John Gardner's The Secret Generations is way overdue for an adaptation as a mini-series.
  • Posts: 12,837
    I'd love to see the Nick Stone books adapted into a film series. There was talk of Jason Statham doing something with it but it never really panned out. Chris Ryan's Geordie Sharpe series would also make great films. There isn't really a solid military action series is there? It's a real gap in the market imo because I'm sure there are lots of people like me who love those sorts of books and would pay good money to see them on the big screen. Guess they just don't fit the current blockbuster mould, it seems like apart from Bond, the only action films to get big budgets and proper blockbuster treatment are sci fi and superhero films unfortunately.

    Jack Reacher could use a fresh start too I agree. Cruise does his best but he just doesn't suit the character. Casting a famously short actor as a character who's massive size is part of what makes him stand out is just a really stupid move imo. One of the biggest miscasts in cinema history. First film was decent, second one just felt generic. Time for a reboot imo (film or TV), preferrably with a Gone Tomorrow or Killing Floor adaptation.

    And I thought the film was fine and got unfair reviews (deserves more credit just for having the balls to do something different for a blockbuster imo, such as the historical sections all being in Spanish with a muslim moor protagonist) but I think Assassin's Creed would work a lot better as a TV series. What makes the games special to me is the epic stories that span years and have different well developed main characters and colourful supporting casts. The film nailed the action, had an interesting story and Aguilar was definitely distinct but they didn't spend enough time in the past to develop him. The modern day stuff was interesting, which surprised me because I usually hate that side of the games and think they should ditch it altogether, but even if they had done more animus scenes you can't expect to deliver a satisfying AC story in a two hour film imo. But a TV series could be fantastic, allow for a long epic story like the best of the games have and they'd have time for modern day too if they insist on including it. How I'd do it is as an anthology, each series with a new assassin in a new time period.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    @Thunderfinger I agree that The Illiad and The Odyssey have never been made properly. Mostly because of a low budget and/or the technology at the time. As I said before, Game of Thrones has shown us that it's possible for it to happen with a high enough budget. I have faith that someday The Illiad and The odyssey will have their time to shine on the screen.

    The art in those books lie in how they were written, not in the stories they depict. To do them justice, you would need a narration over it.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    The hungry caterpillar :
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,730
    Not a fan, but why not?

    Only an occasional reader myself, but the character would be sure to fit the movie format if Lucky Luke is!

    Like @QsAssistant, I would like a Jack Reacher tv-series. Also agree on all points regarding it. One book for each season would be great, given that this isn't a 24-episode thing. Bosch would be a good comparison.

    Not read too much of Deighton's work, but a new Harry Palmer film would be very welcome. Perhaps even a mini-(tv)series, @Dragonpol? With SS-GB being produced for tv, why not Palmer?

    That would be equally welcome, @Torgeirtrap. In fact, any kind of adaptation really by this stage would be great. :)
  • edited July 2017 Posts: 17,241
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Not a fan, but why not?

    Only an occasional reader myself, but the character would be sure to fit the movie format if Lucky Luke is!

    Like @QsAssistant, I would like a Jack Reacher tv-series. Also agree on all points regarding it. One book for each season would be great, given that this isn't a 24-episode thing. Bosch would be a good comparison.

    Not read too much of Deighton's work, but a new Harry Palmer film would be very welcome. Perhaps even a mini-(tv)series, @Dragonpol? With SS-GB being produced for tv, why not Palmer?

    That would be equally welcome, @Torgeirtrap. In fact, any kind of adaptation really by this stage would be great. :)

    It really would! I was sure I had read something about another Deighton-series in the works too. A little bit of searching, and I found it! Turns out this article was a few years old, and I couldn't find any more information apart from what was written here:
    http://www.indiewire.com/2013/04/simon-beaufoy-to-adapt-those-len-deighton-novels-quentin-tarantino-once-wanted-to-tackle-99462/
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2017 Posts: 17,730
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Not a fan, but why not?

    Only an occasional reader myself, but the character would be sure to fit the movie format if Lucky Luke is!

    Like @QsAssistant, I would like a Jack Reacher tv-series. Also agree on all points regarding it. One book for each season would be great, given that this isn't a 24-episode thing. Bosch would be a good comparison.

    Not read too much of Deighton's work, but a new Harry Palmer film would be very welcome. Perhaps even a mini-(tv)series, @Dragonpol? With SS-GB being produced for tv, why not Palmer?

    That would be equally welcome, @Torgeirtrap. In fact, any kind of adaptation really by this stage would be great. :)

    It really would! I was sure I had read something about another Deighton-series in the works too. A little bit of searching, and I found it! Turned out this article was a few years old, and I couldn't find any more information apart from what was written here:
    http://www.indiewire.com/2013/04/simon-beaufoy-to-adapt-those-len-deighton-novels-quentin-tarantino-once-wanted-to-tackle-99462/

    Yes, heard about that myself some years ago. Sounds good, though doubt it will happen now.
  • Posts: 17,241
    True. Still, with production companies taking an interest in adapting Deighton's work, one could hope for a Harry Palmer-story being produced for tv or cinema :-)
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    I would love to see an adaptation of Ben Aaronovitch's Peter Grant series, it's one of the most addictive book series I have ever read and it's got so much potential! Set in London, around a special section of the Met (known as The Folly), the book series is a mix of fantasy with police procedural (think Sherlock Holmes meets Harry Potter) and science (after all, The Folly was founded by Sir Isaac Newton himself). It has loads of dark humour, great characters, and is shock full of pop culture references including to Bond.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Is the Mandrake film happening? Anyone who knows?
    Mandrake%2BS007%2Bintro.jpg
  • Posts: 17,241
    Is the Mandrake film happening? Anyone who knows?
    Mandrake%2BS007%2Bintro.jpg

    This is the only thing I've read about it at all:
    http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Mandrake-Magician-Movie-Has-Finally-Found-Its-Star-135727.html
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Yes, I read that. I think Cohen is a good choice. He is a good actor, not just a clown.
  • Posts: 17,241
    Yes, I read that. I think Cohen is a good choice. He is a good actor, not just a clown.

    Never seen Cohen outside Borat and roles like that, but I'm sure he'll be able to do a more serious role too. Steve Carell is a comedian too, and he's done several drama roles.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    The Dark Tower by Stephen King (1982 - 2004)
    I know the movie is coming out and I'm excited for it, also I believe it's going to be after the book series, but I'd much rather see this as a series on Netflix based off the books. They could even use the prequel graphic novels for more material.

    This is getting a TV expansion based around Roland's past. Idris Elba is set to return for present day sections.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Yes, I read that. I think Cohen is a good choice. He is a good actor, not just a clown.

    Never seen Cohen outside Borat and roles like that, but I'm sure he'll be able to do a more serious role too. Steve Carell is a comedian too, and he's done several drama roles.

    He has a somewhat more serious role in Hugo Cabret. Comedy is the hardest thing to pull off anyway. If you can do that, you can probably do a lot of other stuff as well.
  • Posts: 17,241
    Comedy is the hardest thing to pull off anyway. If you can do that, you can probably do a lot of other stuff as well.

    Agreed. I guess comic timing helps a lot.
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