We’re seeing more quality video game adaptations than ever, but book and comic adaptations are still hugely popular with risk-averse TV and movie execs thanks to their proven fanbases. There are hundreds to choose from, some of which have become so successful that their viewers don’t realise they’re watching an adaptation, so we set a bounty asking our community of readaholics to sort the best from the rest. The adaptation doesn’t have to be 100% faithful to its source material - some of the best adaptations take liberties; just look at Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings - but it does have to be excellent. Loads of passionate book and comics fans took up the gauntlet, and loads more helped us identify the best nominees. Read on to discover the collective verdict of a community of experts on the very best TV and movie adaptations of books and comics.
Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049
First up, here’s Sturmer with a sci-fi classic (and its sequel) that’s as iconic and influential on screen as it is on the page:
“The best movie adaptations are Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017), based on Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Ridley Scott - and later Denis Villeneuve - did a fantastic job of bringing this dystopian science-fiction novel to the big screen. Both films complement each other and stand strong individually. They not only accurately capture the book's philosophical ideas but also pose their own existential questions that have influenced culture for at least three generations. They’ve inspired people to dream and create new art forms, music, games, movies, novels, and more.”
The Walking Dead
While it’s widely agreed that the show shambled on for half a dozen seasons too many, few can deny that The Walking Dead had a running start. Here’s EveOnlineTutorials, who nominated it as the best comic-to-show adaptation:
“I love The Walking Dead, although I can only watch it during the day. While the show adds in some new plotlines and characters, it’s a mostly faithful adaptation of the comics, especially in how it honours the comics’ sense of horror. That includes all the gruesome deaths and torture as well as the love and respect between the characters. But most importantly of all, it’s got all the zombies you’ll ever need!”
MadamClutter agrees, adding:
“When it first came out, it was so different. It was one of the first to bring the popularity of the zombie-horror comic genre to the land of television, or at least the first to bring it back. I was devoted until... well, if I just say ‘Glenn’, you'll probably know what I'm talking about. I couldn't go back after that episode. One other note is how the cast meshed so well together. It seemed they were one of those tight-knit casts that actually liked to be with each other. I liked seeing the actors goofing around in bloopers or having farewell dinners when one of them got bit and in turn bit the dust.”
Batman Returns
Madam Clutter also has a couple of great recommendations of her own. First up, the comic-to-film Batman adaptations starring the brilliant Michael Keaton:
“I have a very strong stance that the best Batman movie is the 1989 Batman followed by Batman Returns. Michael Keaton will always be my Batman. Then you get Jack Nicholson’s Joker, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, and Danny DeVito’s Penguin in the sequel. Each of them gave amazing performances, and altogether they make movie magic! I love the gothic aesthetic mixed with the cheesy, camp tones of the old Adam West series. Keaton did well both in and out of the mask. He was relatable - somehow an average guy trying to do good even though he’s a deeply troubled billionaire. It didn’t feel the need to explore those demons too deeply, and Michael Keaton - as he declares himself - is Batman.”
Practical Magic
As for her book-to-movie adaptation, Madam Clutter nominated the 1998 comedic fantasy, Practical Magic:
“I loved the movie when it came out, but who didn’t? I made the mistake of trying to read the novel by Alice Hoffman afterwards - I’ve enjoyed her other works - but the movie had already ruined it for me. It’s been on DNF (Did Not Finish) status for almost a year now. It’s just such a different vibe from the movie; it’s way darker, with relationships that are much more strained. Plus, I don't recall a Midnight Margarita scene in the book. If it was in there, it definitely didn’t compare to the scene in the movie, but then again, what could? If you’ve ever danced around while putting the lime in the coconut, I think you'll agree with me!”
Fight Club
While we’re on the topic of films that surpassed their source material, here’s Stella's nomination of Fight Club. As she notes, even the book’s author Chuck Palahniuk admitted the film’s superiority:
“It’s one of those rare instances in which the film is better than the book. The narrative just works better with a visual medium. Even the author admitted ‘I was sort of embarrassed of the book, because the movie had streamlined the plot and made it so much more effective and made connections that I had never thought to make.’”
Just About’s very own Rich adds: “100%! It’s little touches like the quasi-subliminal cuts of Tyler before he appears properly or the breaking of the fourth wall that tell the story so well on film.”
Watchmen
Both of the following nominations are hyper-violent satirisations and re-explorations of superhero tropes. We’ll start with the 2009 Watchmen film, which was based on Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins’ graphic novel - a nomination from Laser-Bicep:
“The film conveyed the moral dilemmas, political conspiracies, and existential questions raised in the Watchmen universe and didn’t shy away from the dark tone of the comics. The film’s noir-ish style is pretty cool, and its use of colour and slow-motion is reminiscent of the comic’s visuals. Although it condenses the story, the movie still provides depth to key characters like Rorschach and his monologues or Dr Manhattan and his existential crisis. Having an excellent soundtrack helps too; I love its use of Hallelujah.”
Fans of the graphic novel, however, still want to know the answer to ‘the big question’. No, not ‘who watches the Watchmen?’, but in the words of Makster: “Why did they get rid of the giant squid alien, though?”
The Boys
What happens when superheroes with very human flaws begin to abuse their powers? Two of our bounty winners recommend the hit superhero satire The Boys, which originated in equally dark comic books by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. First up, here’s Shovel's nomination:
“The show is crazy. It redefines the superhero genre and takes its satire to the max. The storytelling is bold, features complex characters, and tackles real-world hot-button issues. And don’t even get me started on the superb casting and their amazing portrayals.”
And now here’s Josh B's nomination:
“It’s never going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but I love The Boys TV show. It’s gritty and satirical, and they’ve shown that if superheroes were real, they’d be a long way from Marvel characters. It keeps the highly graphic nature of the comics and has the casting down to a T. It’s a brilliantly written and produced series. It’s a shame that they’re finishing with season five, but they’re doing the right thing by not carrying it on after it runs out of steam.”
Hunger Games
The Boys was Shovel’s nomination for a comic-to-show adaptation, but she’s also got a novel-series-to-film-series adaptation: The Hunger Games. As with The Boys, she argues that the adaptations “excel in their respective formats by honouring the original works while enhancing the storytelling with thoughtful changes”. And now, let the Hunger Games begin:
“The Hunger Games films are based on Suzanne Collins’s novels of the same names. They were released in the era of films like Maze Runner, Divergent, and Twilight, and it’s super interesting to see how well The Hunger Games stands out. The casting is amazing; especially Jennifer Lawrence’s widely acclaimed portrayal of Katniss Everdeen. She brings an authenticity to the character and does her so much justice. I rewatched this year and can confirm that the movies withstand the test of time. It all felt so real!”
I, Robot
Next up we have a movie adaptation of one of the first sci-fi books of the genre. Lanah Tyra nominated this one; we’ll hand over the reins:
“I love Asimov's works. While many people criticised the I, Robot movie because it's not a faithful adaptation of the novel, I think these people missed the fact that it was never meant to be a word-by-word adaptation. It even says ‘based on’ in the credits. And in that regard I think it did an amazing job. It took the basics of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics:
‘A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
‘A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
‘A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.’
“It showed the conflict these laws can cause for an artificial intelligence, and placed the story into a modern setting with modern problems we can all relate to. Bonus points for starring Will Smith too.”
Shovel agrees, “What a vibe! I rewatched it recently, and it’s mad how close to home it is in 2024.”
American Gods
Our final choice but for a few honourable mentions is American Gods, based on the novels of the brilliant Neil Gaiman. This nomination comes from Marcus:
“The first two seasons follow the books very closely. The acting, the special effects, and the storytelling all help to bring the narrative to life. I wish this series didn’t end on a cliffhanger, as they were almost at the end of the original story. I hope that they get one more season to tie up loose ends, but it’s still one of my favourite adaptations.”
Honourable mentions:
TheGreatestBanana12 nominated the TV show Shadowhunters. “It’s such a shame it got cancelled before they concluded the storyline; I’d recommend it to anyone!”
Makster nominated Harry Potter. “What an incredibly ambitious project from the get go! The third film is the best in the franchise; it was the first to deviate from the books and become its own thing. I especially loved the running theme of time, as showcased for example by the Whomping Willow changing with the seasons.”
Limal nominated the 2023 animated movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. “The movie perfectly matches the Miles Morales I had in my head from the comics - the way he moves, talks, reacts, all of it!”
Let us know if there are any great book and comic adaptations that we missed. And if you enjoyed this article, make use of our snazzy new share cards and share it with your pals (click the share button below). Some text has been amended for brevity. You can find the original wording at the bounty post.
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