Bookish: Top 5 Tuesday – Books That Need To Be A Movie

“Easy,” I thought. “There are loads of books that I love that could be movies. Exactly how hard could this be?!”

Ah, hubris. You tasted so good. Until…. well, until I tried thinking of some books and then realised that if they weren’t already a movie then they were a TV show. It was every single book I could think of.

Even worse, for some of them I realised that I was already thinking of the movie/ TV show because I hadn’t even read the ruddy book. 

Ah, humiliation. You don’t taste quite so nummy.

Here is my offering for Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm’s Top 5 Tuesday. Please don’t tell me there’s already a movie or TV show for any of the below, my self-esteem won’t be able to handle it.

Ok fine, you can tell me but whisper it softly.

 

 

(Artist: Abigail Larson)

According to Wikipedia, the movie and TV rights for The Night Circus have already been sold. But this was back in 2012. It’s now 2019. Seven years on and not a whisper.

I’m not part of the movie world but I don’t think it’s uncommon for screenplay rights to be purchased and then subsequently lapse because nothing has happened. It takes a lot to make a quality film adaptation and I know we’d rather studio’s took their time and got it right, right?

Or, if they can’t get it right, not make a movie at all.

The Night Circus is such a visual treat of a book that I think it would make a gorgeous movie but because of the non-linear plot of the book, the various story line complexities and possibly because its too imaginative I can see this one being a hard book to adapt.

BUT I WANT IT!! *throws fists up like a toddler*

 

 

(Artist: Marc Simonetti) 

My lists don’t feel right unless there’s a Neil Gaiman on them and because Good Omens is actually going to be released as a TV show this year *gently wheezes* and American Gods already has been released as a TV show then I am selecting Neverwhere.

Now, I’m cheating here. This has already been adapted into a stage play, a radio adaptation and *says it very quietly* a TV show. Butbutbutbutbut I haven’t actually seen the TV show and it was on BBC Two in 1996 so it doesn’t count. It. Doesn’t. Count.

Apparently a script for a movie has been written but, like many others, this is an abandoned project. I feel that this also could be due to the highly visual nature of the story and the complexity in getting ‘London Below’ just right.

But with the right producers this could be awesome.

(Artist: HoLLyp0p)

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly is a seriously underrated book.

If you like fairy tales and things grimmer than grim then I invite you into a Dark Narnia with our protagonist entering a world where fairy tales are real but nothing has quite had its happy ever after.

This is the book equivalent of dark, slightly bitter chocolate and I love it. I love it so much that I would take my money and watch it as a movie. I would also petition Guillermo del Toro to make this movie because it’s very much his ‘type’ and he would absolutely do it justice.

Despite its surface of darkness this book does have a heart. Sure, it’s a pumping, bleeding one but its there. I want this in my cinema.

 

 

(Artist: Radiogheist)

I have an Uprooted problem. The problem is that I read it last year and loved it, so all in all, not really much of a problem.

My ‘thing’ is fairy tales and apparently magic and wonder and whimsy;  Uprooted is a mix of all of those things. I also like creepy and dark and luckily Uprooted can add those to the list too.

I would love to see this adapted into a movie because I am greedy and want more Uprooted. Apparently, so Wiki tells me, Ellen DeGeneres is producing a movie adaptation and Warner Brothers already have the film rights.

We can only wait and see.

 

 

Confession: I haven’t read any V.E. Schwab which means I haven’t actually read the Shades of Magic series. Because I haven’t read it, it means my summary of why it’s on the list will be brief.

*clears throat*

It looks like an awesome series that I hope to read at some point but based on the description it looks like it would make an awesome movie.

Ok, fine. Here’s another reason;

I have a million and one books that I want to read so I’m probably not going to be able to get round to reading this any time soon but I still want to experience it.

Ok, FINE.

I’m lazy and I just think I want to watch the movie.

 

So here are my Top 5 for the week. What are your thoughts? Would you also like to see any of these turned into movies? Do you think I’ve picked some duds that will end up in production hell forever?

Do you think I should read Shades of Magic rather than waiting for a non-existing movie that will never be created?

Answers on a postcard or in the comments below please.

See you next week!