Book to Movie Adapatations in 2015

Hey guys, did you know like a kazillion books are being made into movies in 2015?

Just in case you don't keep a giant list of upcoming films, I thought I'd make a post letting you know some of the upcoming films based on our favorite Children, MG, and YA books.

***Since some films are sequels, there are possible spoilers for Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent series***

Paddington Bear 

Based on: Paddington Bear by Michael Bond

Release Date: January 16, 2015

A young English boy befriends a talking bear he finds at a London train station. A live-action feature based on the series of popular children's books by Michael Bond.

Cinderella 

Based on: Cinderella by Charles Perrault

Release date: March 13, 2015

A live-action retelling of the classic fairy tale about a servant step-daughter who wins the heart of a prince.

Insurgent 

Based on: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Release date: March 20, 2015

Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart.

Home 

Based on: The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex

Release date: March 27, 2015

When Earth is taken over by the overly confident Boov, an alien race in search of a new place to call home, all humans are promptly relocated while all Boov get busy reorganizing the planet. But when one resourceful girl, Tip, manages to avoid capture, she finds herself the accidental accomplice of a banished Boov named Oh. The two fugitives realize there's a lot more at stake than intergalactic relations as they embark on the road trip of a lifetime.

Paper Towns 

Based on: Paper Towns by John Green 

Release date: June 5, 2015

A teenager embarks on a miraculous journey to find a friend who has gone missing.

Pan

Based on: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Release date: July 24, 2015

The story of an orphan who is spirited away to the magical Neverland. There, he finds both fun and dangers, and ultimately discovers his destiny -- to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan.

Goosebumps

Based on: The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine

Release date: August 7, 2015

A young kid teams up with the niece of young adult horror author R.L. Stine after the writer's imaginary demons are set free on the town of Greendale, Maryland.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials 

Based on: The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Release date: September 18, 2015

The Gladers have escaped the Maze, but now they face a new set of challenges on the open roads of a world ravaged by solar flares and disease.

The Little Prince
Based on: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Projected Release Date: October 7, 2015

From Mark Osborne comes the first-ever animated feature film adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's iconic masterpiece, The Little Prince. At the heart of it all is The Little Girl, who's being prepared by her mother for the very grown-up world in which they live - only to be interrupted by her eccentric, kind-hearted neighbor, The Aviator. The Aviator introduces his new friend to an extraordinary world where anything is possible. A world that he himself was initiated into long ago by The Little Prince. It's here that The Little Girl's magical and emotional journey into her own imagination - and into the universe of The Little Prince - begins. And it's where The Little Girl rediscovers her childhood and learns that ultimately, it's human connections that matter most, and that what's truly essential can only be seen with the heart.

Jem and the Holograms

Based on: Jem and the Holograms

Release Date: October 23, 2015

The young owner of a music company uses revolutionary tech to disguise herself as a rockstar.

This isn't a YA book, but I don't care, this TV show was awesome. 

Mockingjay Part 2 

Based on: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Release date: November 20,2015

After being symbolized as the 'Mockingjay' Katniss Everdeen and District 13 engage in an all-out revolution against the autocratic Capitol.

Fallen

Based on: Fallen by Lauren Kate

Release Date: 2015

A young girl finds herself in a reform school after therapy since she was blamed for the death of a young boy. At the school she finds herself drawn to a fellow student, unaware that he is an angel, and has loved her for thousands of years.

Check out Books Are Bread's Post about upcoming premieres. She has better rando commentary than me.

Monday Musings: Film Adaptations of Books

Do you get excited for the Film Adaptations of your favorite books? 

Did you think that The Giver movie was maybe a little too "Hollywood" for your liking?

Whether we like that our favorite books are turned into movies, they tend to do well. Otherwise, why would Hollywood keep taking the hottest books for source material. I personally don't mind when a great book gets made into a film. It's not like they made the movie and therefore the book is suddenly no longer available. Just because the story has been interpreted in a new medium doesn't negate the original source material. If you hate the film then just don't pay attention to it anymore, just reread the original book that made you fall in love with the characters and story in the first place.

I think that as long as we don't expect the film adaptation to be 100% like the original book story then we won't be as disappointed. We have to acknowledge that a 2-hour movie cannot include everything from our favorite 500-page novel. And we also have to know that some of the more subtle story points cannot be interpreted well onto the screen. But that's alright, because a good story is always a good story. Even a bad film interpretation can't take that away.
(And let's not forget the great movies that we got out of some of our favorite books: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games)

I also often hear conversations about how Hollywood is becoming lazy with the fact that most of it's movies are based on books and comics and remakes of older classic films. However, there are a lot of old movies that were based on books, we just didn't know it:

Who Framed Roger Rabbit was based on Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K Wolf.

Mrs. Doubtfire was based on Anne Fine's Alias Madame Doubtfire.

Forrest Gump was based on Forrest Gump by Winston Groom


Die Hard is based on the 1979 book Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp

Cruel Intentions was based on Les Liaisons dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos (published in 1782)

Goodfellas was based on the 1986 novel Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi

Stand by Me based on The Body by Stephen King

Blade Runner came from Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Starship Troopers was based on the 1959 book Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein

Field of Dreams was based on Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella.

Shawshank Redemption was based on Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

Do you like the movie adaptations of your favorite books?

Book to Movie Adaptations: Fall and Winter 2014 Releases

I'm the guy in the back.

This is a list of the upcoming Novel to Film adaptations that are being released in Fall/Winter 2014.

Release Date: September 19, 2014

This is Where I Leave You 

Adapted from: This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper 

From IMDB: When their father passes away, four grown siblings are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens.

My Random Thoughts: I kind of like these stories. Where previously estranged family members are forced back together where they have to face their pasts and (hopefully) make amends. I kind of like to think that there's always a second (or third or fourth) chance for people, especially families.

Trailer:

 

Release Date: September 19, 2014
The Maze Runner
Adapted from: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

From IMDB: Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape.
(Man this blurb doesn't even seem to do this awesome story justice in my mind, but if I were to write my own blurb it would just go "Awesome awesome awesome. Epic epic epic. Shucking awesomely epic.")

My Random Thoughts: SO EXCITED FOR THIS MOVIE. Let's all go see this opening night and then meet back on the internet to squeal about it.

Seriously though, the casting is epic (Teen Wolf's Dylan O'Brien, Game of Throne's Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee aka Minho aka my maze runner crush)

You guys, this WILL be a good movie, this story was destined for the big screen, we must all go and pay homage to the wonderful story gods for this awesomeness in our lives.

(Go HERE for my review of Maze Runner the novel).

Trailers:

Release Date: September 26, 2014

The Boxtrolls

Adapted from: Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow

From IMDB: A young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator. Based on the children's novel 'Here Be Monsters' by Alan Snow.

My Random Thoughts: I did not read this book. So when I saw the original teaser trailer I thought "what is this movie about?!" However, now, older and wiser by a few months I think this could be really adorable. And I have a soft spot in my heart for stop-action claymation films (Where are my Wallace and Gromit fans at?)

Trailer:

Release Date: October 3, 2014

Gone Girl 

Adapted from: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

From IMDB: With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.

My Random Thoughts: I have to admit, I didn't read the book and I have to be in a very particular mood to watch a thriller. That being said I know so many people who are very excited to for this movie. So I will probably go see it with them. Also, the book seems like it would adapt well to the screen (although I thought this about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and that film didn't do as well as everyone thought it would).

Trailer:

Release Date: October 10, 2014

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 

Adapted from: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst 

From IMDB: Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, and things just get worse as his day progresses.

(haha, love it they do not pretend it is anything more than what it is)

My Random Thoughts: Sometimes I see these movie trailers and think, wow they really took...liberties with that book. But then again, this was a 30 page picture book. I have to admit, I liked what they did with Where the Wild Things Are (but that might have been because of the soundtrack). So I am not in immediate hate-mode for this movie. The being said, I didn't love this book like I loved Where the Wild Things Are. 

Trailer:

Release Date: October 22, 2014 (UK Release)

Love, Rosie

Adapted From: Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern

From IMDB: Rosie and Alex have been best friends since they were 5, so they couldn't possibly be right for one another...or could they? When it comes to love, life and making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies.

My Random Thoughts: The book was written as a series of correspondence (through letters, IMs, e-mails, and texts). So I wonder how that will adapt for the big screen. However, Ahern's P.S. I Love You was already adapted so maybe they have this correspondence-type film down.

Trailer:

 Release Date: November 21, 2014

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 

Part 1

Adapted from: Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

In the Hollywood tradition of taking a series and stretching it to as many films as possible so they can wring the marrow from our very souls, comes The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.

From IMDB: Katniss Everdeen reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against the autocratic Capitol.

My Random Thoughts: This book is 110% different than the first two. So for people who haven't read the trilogy prepare yourself to enter a completely different film than you expect.

Trailer:



NEWLY RELEASED TRAILER (9/15/2014):

Release Date: December 17, 2014
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Adapted from: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

In the new tradition of taking a not-so-long book and stretching it into three films to suck even more of the marrow from our souls, comes The Hobbit: Did there really need to be three?The Battle of the Five Armies.

From IMDB: The Company of Thorin has reached Smaug's lair; but can Bilbo and the Dwarves reclaim Erebor and the treasure? And, if so, can they hold on to it?

My Random Thoughts: I didn't see the first two, but I do like dragons and Middle Earth and epic soundtracks. So I will probably see these movies...eventually.

Trailer:

Kat un-confuse-ifies Things: Kick-off post! (after credits scene of Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End)

I decided to start a new feature where I'll take things that confuse people in YA, MG, or movies and interpret/explain it.

On the interpret side, it'll be mostly my theory (but based on facts, and only a little bit my gut feeling) and then on the explain side, I will use my ability to remember teensy details to help decipher confusing plots and characters. Hopefully I can get some guest posters too.

There WILL be spoilers in these posts. So if you don't want to know an ending or plot twist, TREAD CAREFULLY.

[SPOILERS]

So in Pirates of the Carribbean: At World's End there was some confusion about that scene after the credits.

You know, the scene where that 9-year-old boy and Kiera Knightly wait for Orlando Bloom to come back from collecting souls on the Flying Dutchman. So many people believed that this is just a one-day visit for poor Orlando Bloom. But I believe they are wrong.

If you listen to the lore of Davey Jones it goes like this: He was tasked with going onto the Flying Dutchman to courier dead souls to the afterlife for ten years. As long as Calypso was faithful and waited for him, he would finish his duty after ten years and another would take on the task. HOWEVER, Calypso was a little bit wayward in her affections and she skedaddled. SO, Davey Jones was cursed to courier the souls FOREVER, only allowed to set foot on dry land one day out of every ten years.

SO, since Kiera Knightley was faithful to Orlando Bloom and waited for him, he is now free of his duty and he can come home. So people who were sooo boo-hoo sad that this was not a happy ending can rest assured. It IS a happy ending, Orlando is home to stay and he can see his son for the first time (BTW, congrats on making a baby on your first try you two, way to be super fertile).

UPDATE: This is super wrong apparently! I watched Pirates of the Caribbean 5 (don't judge me!) and apparently he was SUPER cursed! Which would have really sucked except 5 kind of helps give closure.