# Books that need to be made into movies



## rcordiner (Jul 4, 2010)

Hey guys 

Just had an idea - are there any books you have read that would make a great movie?  

My thoughts - Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitude

And (even though it's not a book) - Calvin and Hobbes!


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## karencantwell (Jun 17, 2010)

Yes!  Calvin and Hobbes, definitely.

Also, I say The Help -- my guess it's already cast if not filming.  I should go research that one . . .


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

I just finished reading *The Increment* by David Ignatius and it read like a screenplay to me. I can totally see it being a blockbuster movie next summer!



Of course, this might have had something to do with the fact that his previous book was turned into a big Hollywood film with Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio...

 *=*


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2010)

The Things They Carried

Best book of the past 20 years.


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## rcordiner (Jul 4, 2010)

Is there a link for Things that Carried - sounds intruiging now ...


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2010)

rcordiner said:


> Is there a link for Things that Carried - sounds intruiging now ...


I`m not sure if t`s out for kindle or not. A quick search on Amazon would tell you. The author is Tim O`Brian. You should know though that it`s about reflections on the Vietnam War era. I`ve yet to find another book that so precicely cuts to the core of the human condition.


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## originalgrissel (Mar 5, 2010)

I've been waiting for years for someone to make "The Giver" by Lois Lowry into a feature film. It's such an incredible book and though it is generally found in the young adult section it is a book everyone should read. I'd also love to see "Gathering Blue" & "Messenger" the 2nd & 3rd books in that series made into a films as well. All three books are just wonderful!


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## Trophywife007 (Aug 31, 2009)

I'd love to see Daniel Silva's books made into movies, especially The English Assassin, The Confessor and Death in Vienna.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

See this thread from a few weeks ago.


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## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

foreverjuly said:


> The Things They Carried
> 
> Best book of the past 20 years.












Phenomenal book. Not a chance that it could be made into a good movie, though.

David Dalglish


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## TheSeagull (Oct 25, 2009)

Ender's Game with a 3D Tron-like style.


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2010)

Half-Orc said:


> Phenomenal book. Not a chance that it could be made into a good movie, though.


That is clutch, David. Price on the kindle version isn't too bad either. I think you're right a movie version would be virtually impossible, just like it was with Catch-22. You have any favorite parts? We could get an actual book discussion going about this one...except I'd have to pick up with it after I wake up. I can't believe I'm still up.


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## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

Discussion would have to be in a different thread (hijacking reasons, obviously). But the twin stories of the kid walking down the street, and whether or not he threw the grenade. Messed my head up bad. Oh, and Lemon Tree.

David Dalglish


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

My sports novels can be made into movies. I wouldn't mind the check that goes along with it.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

foreverjuly said:


> That is clutch, David. Price on the kindle version isn't too bad either. I think you're right a movie version would be virtually impossible, just like it was with Catch-22. You have any favorite parts? We could get an actual book discussion going about this one...except I'd have to pick up with it after I wake up. I can't believe I'm still up.


I thought the movie version of Catch-22 was pretty good -- surprisingly good yet faithful, considering what it was working with.


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## askenase13 (Mar 1, 2009)

I love the Alex Hawke novels by Ted Bell. Here's the link for the first book: http://www.amazon.com/Hawke-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B000FC0PJO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1279292961&sr=1-1

They are action/adventure in a Bond-like manner. In fact, when I read them I saw/heard Pierce Brosnan as Hawke.


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## Beth O (Jul 9, 2010)

"The Help" is currently in active pre-production.  But it's a go picture.  This isn't one of those pictures that will spend years in development hell.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

I haven't read the book(s) yet, but Starz has Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth starting as a miniseries next week...

http://www.starz.com/pillars


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## Double Booked (Jul 14, 2010)

Most of Barbara Kingsolver's books would make great movies - The Bean Trees, Pigs in Heaven, Animal Dreams, even The Poisonwood Bible.

Also, I can see either Hugh Laurie or Robert Downey, Jr., in The Prisoner's Tale (shameless promotion of spouse) - it would be a riot!


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## aussie.354 (Jul 12, 2010)

John Fitch V said:


> My sports novels can be made into movies. I wouldn't mind the check that goes along with it.


LOL - nothing like a bit of shameless plugging!

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - though I have usually found that the film is nowhere as good as my imagination when reading the book.

Cheers


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## Double Booked (Jul 14, 2010)

T.L.,

There's an excerpt from The Prisoner's Tale in the Amazon store - hopefully my profile cover link or avatar will take you there.

This is a good point - the casting of a movie from a book is important. For instance, Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love - I don't see her in that part at all.


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## julieannfelicity (Jun 28, 2010)

originalgrissel said:


> I've been waiting for years for someone to make "The Giver" by Lois Lowry into a feature film. It's such an incredible book and though it is generally found in the young adult section it is a book everyone should read. I'd also love to see "Gathering Blue" & "Messenger" the 2nd & 3rd books in that series made into a films as well. All three books are just wonderful!


I agree and was going to suggest this also. I think "The Giver" would be an excellent movie! Of course I'm going to suggest my all-time favorite book, "Up a Road Slowly" by Irene Hunt. I just love that book!

People have even said, in their reviews, my book is so easy to visualize that it'd be a great movie. We'll have to wait and see about that one, lol.


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## Alice Y. Yeh (Jul 14, 2010)

originalgrissel said:


> I've been waiting for years for someone to make "The Giver" by Lois Lowry into a feature film. It's such an incredible book and though it is generally found in the young adult section it is a book everyone should read. I'd also love to see "Gathering Blue" & "Messenger" the 2nd & 3rd books in that series made into a films as well. All three books are just wonderful!


I'll 'third' on _The Giver_. Paul Zindel's _The Pigman_ would also make for a rather deep film, depending on how it was done.

To be honest, movies that come from books always make me a little nervous. They tend to be either fantastic or horrendous, and more often than not, it's the latter. With that being said, when they get it right, they absolutely nail it.


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## Music &amp; Mayhem (Jun 15, 2010)

I'll cast my vote for Elmore Leonard's Mr. Paradise. Yes, I know, you may or may not have liked Get Shorty and Jackie Brown, but if you read Mr. Paradise, trust me, you will be casting the movie in your mind before you get to Chapter 2. Ah, those pom-pom girls. Check it out! One is on the cover! Mr. Paradise


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## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

aussie.354 said:


> LOL - nothing like a bit of shameless plugging!
> 
> The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - though I have usually found that the film is nowhere as good as my imagination when reading the book.
> 
> Cheers


I enjoyed that one, too. I hear the mini-series is going to be on StarZ network next week. But I don't have cable or satellite TV , so will have to wait for the DVD. Christmas gift?


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## Double Booked (Jul 14, 2010)

According to Wikipedia, The Giver may be in production as a movie...


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## Music &amp; Mayhem (Jun 15, 2010)

T.L. Haddix said:


> I absolutely love Justified, which is a TV series on FX that is based on an Elmore Leonard short story.


So happy you mentioned this. It's a terrific example of Leonard's use of ironic humor even in the midst of baaaaad action.


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## Beth O (Jul 9, 2010)

Add me to the list of "Justified" fans.  My husband loves it because it feels like a western and I love it for Timothy Olyphant.  A win-win.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

N. Gemini Sasson said:


> I enjoyed that one, too. I hear the mini-series is going to be on StarZ network next week. But I don't have cable or satellite TV , so will have to wait for the DVD. Christmas gift?


If you have Netflix Streaming, you can watch it there - according to the website it will be available to watch 7/24 (the day after it airs on Starz).

Oh, and we also love Justified!


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## Five String (Jun 6, 2010)

An old, obscure, not on kindle Vietnam war novel by John DelVecchio, The 13th Valley. Harrowing, thrilling, hilarious, heartbreaking. No political bent, just a portrait of a brief, fictitious campaign in Vietnam.


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## heathermichelle (Jul 27, 2010)

I would personally love to see the Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell made into movies.  I would also love to see the Stephanie Plum series buy Janet Evanovich but I'm not sure anyone but HBO could take on some of those scenes!  ;-)


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## Jacqdenco (Jul 27, 2009)

Janet Evanovich first Stephanie Plum book "One for the Money" is being made into a movie with Katherine Heigl playing Stephanie. It was mention on the "The View" a couple days ago.


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## Music &amp; Mayhem (Jun 15, 2010)

heathermichelle said:


> I would personally love to see the Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell made into movies.


So would I. Who do you think should play Scarpetta? Got any candidates?

Also, I wonder why no one has made a movie from any of the John Sandford "Prey" series featuring Lucas Davenport. That's another one I would love to see. Some of his books are pretty gruesome!


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## aussie.354 (Jul 12, 2010)

How about _Birds of Prey _ by Wilbur Smith?


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Music & Mayhem said:


> So would I. Who do you think should play Scarpetta? Got any candidates?


Might as well guess Angelina Jolie, since that's what's happening....unless it changes....
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118002704.html?categoryid=10&cs=1


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## joshtremino (Jul 31, 2010)

The book I'm waiting to be made into a movie is Hunger Games. It's a pretty awesome, brtual, and romantic YA novel. I can't wait to read the final book in the series.


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## Music &amp; Mayhem (Jun 15, 2010)

Meemo said:


> Might as well guess Angelina Jolie, since that's what's happening....unless it changes....
> http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118002704.html?categoryid=10&cs=1


Wow! Thanks for posting the link. I hadn't heard about it!


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## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

I definitely _don't _ want to see Calvin and Hobbes as a movie of any sort! The artwork makes the strip, and I don't want to hear Hollywood's idea of Calvin's voice or Hobbes' and the pictures don't need animation to move! Calvin and Hobbes is already in its perfect form...I just want MORE!

My book _Risen _ has been optioned five times already with no movie ever getting made, so I'd kinda like to see it actually happen.

I'd still like to see a *good * version of _I Am Legend_, but after three strikes, that book is probably "out."


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## Beth O (Jul 9, 2010)

joshtremino said:


> The book I'm waiting to be made into a movie is Hunger Games. It's a pretty awesome, brtual, and romantic YA novel. I can't wait to read the final book in the series.


The author's writing the screenplay. I don't know how far along they are in development, but I imagine with the success of the books they are trying to fast track it.


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## Cliff Ball (Apr 10, 2010)

I think S.M. Stirling's "Change" series would make good movies, as would the "Ring of Fire" series from Eric Flint, and a lot of Harry Turtledove's works.


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## Malweth (Oct 18, 2009)

The Wheel of Time series with the caveat that the entire series be completed and done on a Lord of the Rings / Harry Potter budget. Clearly much abridgement will occur.


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## LibraryGirl (Dec 16, 2008)

I'll third the suggestion for Hunger Games  by Suzanne Collins. Looking forward to Mockingjay (3rd in Hunger Games series) being released in 3 weeks. Kindle price (at last check) the same as the same day release of the hardcover through Amazon. WOOHOO!!!


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## eɪ.li.ən (Aug 3, 2010)

The Taking by Dean Koontz.


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## mparish6 (Apr 14, 2010)

The Three Little Pigs. Use some of that crazy Avatar-style 3-D what-not and add a twist ending. I can just see it now...


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## Melonhead (Jan 1, 2010)

I am so psyched, I just discovered one of my all-time favorite books, Never Let Me Go, is a movie now and will be out in September.


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## Jill1989 (Feb 4, 2010)

Nelson DeMille's "The Charm School".  One of my all time favorite books, I have read it numerous times and just finished reading it again after all the news recently about the Russian spies caught in DC and other parts of the US.  Great book and would make a fantastic movie!


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Jill1989 said:


> Nelson DeMille's "The Charm School". One of my all time favorite books, I have read it numerous times and just finished reading it again after all the news recently about the Russian spies caught in DC and other parts of the US. Great book and would make a fantastic movie!


Oh absolutely! One of my all time favorites as well - and it's available on Kindle! Priced a little high for a book that came out in the '80s (price set by the publisher, of course), but such an excellent read it's worth it!


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## KprINDLE (Jul 7, 2010)

Have to say The Ark. The entire time I was reading, I kept thinking - what an exciting scene this would be in a movie! http://www.amazon.com/The-Ark-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B003IYI6T2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1281126841&sr=1-1


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Bad Guys, by Linwood Barclay. It's a hilarious Canadian mystery.



Debra


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## amiblackwelder (Mar 19, 2010)

Umm...I'd love to see Shiver made into a movie possible or The Tale of the Vampire Bride.


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## Imogen Rose (Mar 22, 2010)

Mary Janice Davidson's Queen Betsy series... crying out for an HBO or movie version.


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## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

Imogen Rose said:


> Mary Janice Davidson's Queen Betsy series... crying out for an HBO or movie version.


You didn't know? The lead role has already been cast...










Here's the *context* for that pic, by the way...


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## Sharlow (Dec 20, 2009)

I'm a fantasy person myself. I'd say just about any book I've read and liked, I know vague. But just some...hmm... Wheel of Time series, Shannara series, Thomas Covenant series, Elric saga, Rift war saga, and so many more I could go on forever.


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## Music &amp; Mayhem (Jun 15, 2010)

Meemo said:


> Re: Nelson DeMille's Charm School. Oh absolutely! One of my all time favorites as well - and it's available on Kindle!


Here's another great Nelson DeMille title: Nightfall

It would make a fantastic movie. It's related to the TWA 800 crash off Long Island. An NYC cop assigned to terrorist squad investigates.


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## jmkwriter (Sep 14, 2009)

Monster by  A. Lee Martinez and definitely Calvin & Hobbes.


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