Top Ten Books I’d Love To See As Movies/TV Shows

(Brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish)

This was not an easy list for me to come up with this week because I almost never go see movies made from books because I hate the way they change the pictures in my head and when I do see a book-to-movie adaptation, I am nearly always disappointed. Getting to ten was pretty difficult, but these are the book-to-movie adaptations I would pay to go see! (Since I live in Malaysia, movies are about $5USD, so a much smaller investment than when I am Stateside. That might make a difference too!)

California by Edan Lepucki-  With a near-future setting, this post-apocalyptic books set outside Los Angeles could easily make a great movie. The plot is strong, the characters are interesting and the dilemmas they face would force viewers to think about what they would do in a world where everything they know has been taken away. It wouldn’t quite be a summer blockbuster, as there aren’t enough chase scenes or firefights, but there is definitely intrigue and mystery.

Compound by S.A. Bodeen- This is one of my favorite YA books! A wealthy Seattle man creates a bomb shelter meant to last for years. On one horrible night, his family takes refuge in the shelter, but not everyone makes it and those who do are forced to live knowing their family members were left above ground. During their years in the shelter, the family faces many struggles, but as they grow older, the kids start to question what they are doing in the shelter and what remains outside. No longer content with just what they have been told, questions lead to more questions and soon many secrets start to unravel.

Lock In by John Scalzi- Another near-future setting book, but this one with the drama and explosions needed for a summer blockbuster! This book looks at a society in which some people are “locked in” their bodies, able to think clearly, but not control their physical beings. This is remedied by a technology that allows the brain to transfer thoughts to a robot-like “body,” allowing those who are locked in to be a part of society. But, complications arise with the new technology. The protagonist is a police officer who is a victim of the locked in syndrome and must straddle the worlds of those like himself and those who have never had to deal with the difficulties of being locked in their bodies. The book is labeled as #1, which means there are more to come which is always something movie studios are looking for.

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – This one was the only easy one on the list. Since I read this when it came out, I’ve wanted someone to make it into a movie, but I want it to be artsy. I want the movie to be in black and white, which just certain pops of red throughout. Done well, this could be an amazing movie- visually stunning!

Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History  by Ben Mezrich – I loved this book when I read it a few years ago and not just because the protagonist shares a name with my husband. Thad decides he is going to give his girlfriend a piece of the moon, but to do so requires him to break in to NASA archives to get at the precious rock. The planning and preparation that go in to the heist are amazing, but the best part of the story is just how crazy it is. This real-life heist could make for a great Hollywood film.

The BFG by Roald Dahl- This one IS coming out as a movie and one that I would love to go see with my nieces and nephews the next time I am home. It is scheduled for release in 2016. It will be an animated version, which I would much prefer a live-action movie, so I’d like to leave this on the list for books that still need to be made into movies. I want this one done with real people!

The Martian by Andy Weir- It is coming out as a movie this summer. I can’t wait to go see it!

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman– This classic story would make for a fantastic movie. A woman who is forced to “rest,” slowly loses her mind. The social commentary on feminism and mental illness could be quite powerful and while the original story is short, there is definitely room to expand it into movie-length.

Trash by Andy Mulligan- This is another great YA novel. One thing I love about it is that it breaks away from the currently popular trends in YA literature and takes a realistic look at poverty in other nations. This book is a powerful reminder of how lucky many students are and how hard some have to struggle just to survive on a day to day basis.

Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey – I found this series a couple of years ago and just flew through the books. This is another future-set book, although much farther future than a few others on this list. Humanity now lives in enormous silos, where everyone is assigned specific jobs and no one can go outside, where the world is poisonous. I always love a post-apocalyptic book and this entire series would work well for multiple movies. (I have to say, the first book was my favorite and would make for the best movie.)

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