Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Top Books I'd Like to See Made Into Movies

It's Tuesday again so again we have a Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by the ladies over a The Broke and the Bookish. This week's question is what are the top 10 books I'd like to see made into movies. 

1. A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore - Chris Columbus, he of movies and not of misguided spice trade navigation, actually owns the movie rights to this so I have a small glimmer of hope that this will get made into a movie. A Beta Male becomes a death (not the Death) and tries to navigate his new condition while raising his daughter and running his second-hand shop which comes complete with characters like Abby Normal.

2. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde - I don't think my favorite series, Thursday Next, will transfer well from page to screen. There are too many jokes and plot points that require you to be a reader and not a viewer. Shades of Grey however, would be fantastic to see since the whole society is based on the fact that people can only see a single color and other than that everything is just various shades of grey. I'd love to see the world through Eddie Russett's eyes.


3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - Another one that's been in the talks to get made into a movie, so another small possibility of actually seeing this on the big screen. I'd love to see how the Battle School is rendered but I still think they need to age Ender and the other kids up or else I'll never be able to take the movie seriously.


4. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clark - Look how much people like British wizards in the Harry Potter world. Now it's historical fiction mixed with fantasy. They would need to cut the story down to get it to fit, or else split it over two movies, but I'd see it. I imagine there would be some beautiful settings.


5. World War Z by Max Brooks - Well look at this, another one that's in the talks to get made into a movie. Now I understand there is a vast difference between rumors of a movie and something actually getting made but I'm getting my hopes up for this one. I'm not exactly sure how they'll weave a narrative out of the collection of "survivors stories" but I'm looking forward to it. Even if it means lot of zombie nightmares.


6. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahme-Smith - Oh hey, more zombies! And it's another one that is supposedly in the talks of being made. There are plenty of versions of P&P but I think the world can accept one where Lizzie and Darcy are both champion zombie killers.


7. Fool by Christopher Moore - I'd love to see this as a movie. King Lear, told from the Fool's point of view, with a typical Moore twist. It's a hilarious, sometimes dark retelling of Shakespeare's play and has the Fool as the driving force behind everything that happens, along with a back-story and name, Pocket, for the courtly jester.

I was really thinking I could make it to 10 this week but alas, it appears not to be. What are some books you hope get make it to the silver screen?

Comments (19)

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Oooh, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies... Now there's a version of Pride and Prejudice I'd like to see! (To be clear- I love Jane Austen, just not costume dramas in general... but zombies I can get on board with :) )
1 reply · active 726 weeks ago
Agreed with costume dramas. I think adding zombies and ninjas to it will help tremendously!
I just finished P&P&Zombies and really enjoyed it. I'd love to see it on the big screen. Also, you've inspired me to begin the Shades of Grey series!
2 replies · active 726 weeks ago
Since you're already familiar with Fforde's writing style, I think you'll enjoy it! It's not quite as good as TN but still pretty great.
Hope you like Shades of Grey! I don't like it quite as much as Thursday Next but it's still pretty great and would work well as a movie.
Yay! P&P&Z! I think it'd make a great movie. I've been wanting to read Fool and A Dirty Job; they sound like they'd make great movies.
1 reply · active 726 weeks ago
I hope you get a chance to read those Moore books! They're both fantastic and I'd love to see them on the big screen.
Well I haven't read any of these books, but from what you describe, I'd like to see Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - I should probably go ahead and read it too.
1 reply · active 726 weeks ago
I think you'd enjoy Strange & Norrell, though there is a lot of it!
P&P&Z is a great idea! I keep hearing rumors about it, but nothing seems to be happening with it.

And kudos with the Moore books! I put Lamb on my list... and I'm kind of surprised his vamp trilogy hasn't been turned into movies yet.
1 reply · active 726 weeks ago
Latest I heard was Portman won't be playing Lizzie anymore (sad) so I'm not sure what that means for the development of it. I'd love for it to get made.

I hope you like Lamb! I don't think it will ever get made into a movie but I love the book! I have a feeling the current, squealing vampire audience will not appreciate the Moore treatment of them :)
Haven't read it but just so you know PP&Z is slated to come out in 2013. . . i think i remember hearing rumors of Natalie Portman starring.
1 reply · active 726 weeks ago
I heard about Portman but heard something about her dropping out of the project recently. I would have loved her as an ass-kicking Lizzie.

I tend to be wary of movies actually getting made until IMDB moves them out of the "in development" stage.
I wholeheartedly agree with your number 6. Would actually get me interested into revisiting Austen
1 reply · active 726 weeks ago
I really hope this one actually gets made. I'll be depressed if it falls through.
Every time I read your lists I'm reminded that I have yet to read Christopher Moore! I'm on board with World War Z and the P&P and Zombies. I also heard about Natalie Portman as Lizzie and I was so on board with that. I wonder who will really do it...
1 reply · active 726 weeks ago
I'm very bummed to hear Portman pulled out. She would have made an awesome ass-kicking Lizzie. I hope this doesn't mean the whole project is doomed.
So many of us seem to Jonathan Strange on our list - I really hope that someone in Hollywood will pick up on this :-)
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
I don't think it would be the easiest movie to adapt for film, but I'd love to see it!

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