Five Stages of Dealing with Your Book Being Turned into a Movie


Pantera Press

 

  1. Denial

You’re in denial. How could your favourite book possibly be turned into a movie? Literally no person you’ve ever spoken to has read it. It’s your biggest treasure. And how did you not know about this sooner? This must be an internet hoax.

 

  1. Fear & Anger

Eventually, once the denial wears off, the fear creeps in. You research the cast, and they’re nothing like how the author described. You look up the director – surely they must have the same vision as you – only to find that he or she has credits to the films, Dinosaurs vs. Potatoes and Army Men with Big Guns III: This Time It’s Personal. It’s not looking good…

You spiral inwards, imagining the worst. What if they don’t include the most important parts of the story? Your favourite scenes? What will the world think? And worst of all… what if the movie is a massive success? What if the whole world comes to know and love your favourite story… but only as its disloyal, cinematic counterpart?

Then comes anger. How could they do this to you? How difficult is it to find an actor who shares the same ethnicity, age and appearance as the character they play? And why do the actors say in interviews that they didn’t read the book?

 

  1. Bargaining

The teaser has been released. The music is all wrong, there are unrecognisable moments, and the acting is mysteriously absent. You begin to wonder, What are they trying to hide?

 Perhaps the trailer was just designed terribly to really surprise the audience when an incredible movie eventually comes out? You reason this is the angle they’re taking… So you buy a ticket to an advance screening. You owe it to your favourite author to see this movie.

You’re sure the author was involved in writing the script, and worked closely with the producer and director.

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  1. Depression

But then you learn that the author did not help write the script or even visit on set. Also, a love triangle has been introduced to the story. Great! You know what that means? It’s time to enter the depression phase.

It’s here you need copious amounts of ice cream and a support network of friends or family to eventually move you off the couch and on to the cinema. Who knows, maybe it will surprise you?

 

  1. Acceptance

Well… that was crap. But what can you do? The movie’s made a billion bucks, and the merchandise is everywhere. All of a sudden, everyone says they’ve read the book and they’ve loved it for years. Okay, then…

At the end of the day, you’ve made your peace with the fact that the book will always be the book. Everything else is just someone else’s interpretation. To properly move on, you decide it’s time for a reread of the source material to override the memory of this unfortunate experience.