Filmmakers have to make a lot of choices when adapting a book, and this means that two different adaptations can end up looking nothing like each other. Sometimes, this is completely intentional, especially when a filmmaker decides to radically change a story that has already been told many times before. This explains why so many Shakespeare plays and Austen novels are often reimagined in modern contexts.

Watching two movies which use the same source material highlights just how many decisions each adaptation makes. Book lovers often have gripes when their favorites are adapted in ways that they don’t agree with, but two filmmakers with equally good intentions can often end up with two wildly different end products. There is no single correct way to adapt a book, and the directors, writers and actors always leave their mark.

10

The Last Man On Earth (1964) & I Am Legend (2007)

Based on I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

People who only know I Am Legend from the Will Smith movie might be surprised to learn that Richard Matheson’s novel isn’t about zombies at all. I Am Legend is about a strange virus that wipes out most of the human population, but the undead are turned into vampires, not zombies, and they have all the classic weaknesses that vampires have, such as garlic, sunlight and wooden stakes.

The Last Man on Earth is much more faithful to Matheson’s novel, even though it changes the title. The protagonist is alone in a city overrun by vampires, and the woman he meets isn’t immune like Anna in I Am Legend. She is part of a group who are living with the virus, without succumbing to it. Although it has been 17 years since the first movie, an I Am Legend sequel is currently in the works with Will Smith returning alongside Michael B. Jordan.

9

Romeo & Juliet (1968) & Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Based on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s plays have been adapted hundreds of times, and they have inspired countless more movies and TV shows in a much looser way. The Lion King tells the story of Hamlet, West Side Story is a musical retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and 10 Things I Hate About You places the characters of The Taming of the Shrew in an American high school. These are just some examples of Shakespeare’s work being morphed and twisted beyond recognition.

Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet is much closer to the original text in some ways. Its script is almost identical to the original, making it similar to Franco Zeffirelli’s version, considered by many to be the definitive movie adaptation. Romeo + Juliet makes a few changes here and there. The most obvious is that it brings the story into a more modern setting, with the feud between the Montagues and Capulets mirroring urban gang warfare.

8

Thunderball (1965) & Never Say Never Again (1983)

Based on Thunderball by Ian Fleming

After a long legal battle over the filming rights to Ian Fleming’s Thunderball, EON was forced to allow Taliafilm to produce Never Say Never Again. It’s the second James Bond movie not to be produced by EON, but it had a sizable budget and an impressive cast, meaning that it was far more than a knock-off. The most surprising inclusion in this cast was Sean Connery himself, which has caused some confusion over the years about whether Never Say Never Again should be considered official canon.

Although they tell the same story, Thunderball and Never Say Never Again have vastly different reputations. While Thunderball helped ensure the Bond franchise had a future, Never Say Never Again has been voted the worst Bond movie by fans. This could be partly because of its contentious place in relation to the official EON Bond movies, but it also doesn’t have many of the elements which fans of the franchise love.

7

Pinocchio (1940) & Pinocchio (2022)

Based on The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi

The Adventures of Pinocchio has had many adaptations over the years, but Disney’s 1940 version is the one which has endured the longest in the public imagination. It has become a symbol of the fabled Disney magic that lifted so many of the studio’s earliest feature films, thanks in part to the original song, “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is much darker and stranger, and it managed to outshine Disney’s own live-action remake in 2022.

In keeping with Guillermo del Toro’s mastery of dark subjects, his Pinocchio adaptation explores the depths of fascism and the fragility of mortality. There are still songs and cute characters, but these are often overshadowed by strange horrors. Disney’s classic movies have a habit of softening the edges of some troubling fairy tales. Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella are two famous examples of Disney movies which omit terrifying moments from their source material.

6

Manhunter (1986) & Red Dragon (2002)

Based on Red Dragon by Thomas Harris

Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter is one of the most chilling characters in film history, but Hopkins isn’t the only actor who has played Thomas Harris’ famous serial killer. Mads Mikkelsen took on the role for the TV series Hannibal, but Brian Cox was the first actor to portray Dr. Lecter in 1986’s Manhunter. The Succession star took a different approach, portraying Hannibal as a more grounded character.

While Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter is an unsettling ghoul who haunts Will Graham’s dreams, Cox’s approach makes him more relatable, which is perhaps even more disturbing. There are moments during his conversations with Will where they appear to be equals, but the context of Hannibal’s crimes constantly looms over them. Michael Mann’s stylish direction makes Manhunter more stylish and suspenseful, whereas Red Dragon is more concerned with Will Graham’s emotional journey.

5

Emma (1996) & Clueless (1995)

Based on Emma by Jane Austen

Jane Austen’s most frequently adapted novel is Pride and Prejudice, but Emma also has its fair share of movies. The story of a meddlesome young woman who passes the time by playing matchmaker still resonates all these years later. Emma is pampered to the point of boredom, but there is something about her antics that are irresistibly charming. The best adaptations of Emma capture both sides of the protagonist.

Douglas McGrath’s 1996 adaptation is a fairly straightforward adaptation, albeit one that is more concerned with the Regency-era finery and the bucolic atmosphere of Austen’s work. Clueless is a more radical reimagining of the text, bringing Emma‘s cutting social satire right up to date by casting Emma as a spoiled valley girl named Cher. For all her faults, Cher is inherently likable and easy to root for, just like Austen’s heroine.

4

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971) & Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (2005)

Based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl famously hated the 1971 adaptation of his beloved children’s novel. He was hired to write the script, but the project was eventually taken out of his hands after he consistently failed to meet deadlines. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is partly his own work, but there are parts he despised, including the casting of Gene Wilder, the overly sentimental ending, and the songs.

Although he didn’t live to see it, it’s possible that Dahl would have preferred Tim Burton’s adaptation of his book. To start with, Burton kept the book’s original title, instead of shifting focus toward Willy Wonka. The Oompa-Loompas sing songs with lyrics taken directly from the book, and the tone is generally much darker. There are a few other key differences between the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory adaptations, all of which make the 1971 version more of a family-oriented adventure.

3

Dune (1984) & Dune (2021)

Based on Dune by Frank Herbert

Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi masterpiece Dune got the label of an “unfilmable novel” many years ago. It was first published in 1965, but it took decades before a worthy adaptation was created, despite its unparalleled influence on the sci-fi genre. Alejandro Jodorowsky’s famous failed attempt had Salvador Dalí, Orson Welles, H. R. Giger and Pink Floyd involved, but it still couldn’t make it over the finish line.

The first adaptation came in 1984, with David Lynch tackling the novel. Lynch’s film has gained a cult following, but most fans of the novel agree that it has been blown out of the water by Denis Villeneuve’s version. Villeneuve made the important decision to split Dune into two movies, and this allows Dune to take its time with some of the most important story beats, as well as fleshing out the world in a more naturalistic way.

2

The Scarlet Letter (1995) & Easy A (2010)

Based on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, but it’s set during the 1640s. Despite its anachronistic setting, the story remains relevant in the 21st century. There have been many adaptations of The Scarlet Letter. Roland Joffé’s 1995 version is the most famous, but its impressive cast couldn’t save it from being hammered by critics, and it holds a reputation as one of the worst adaptations ever made.

Joffé’s The Scarlet Letter deviates from its source material to try and create a steamy and seductive tale of forbidden desire. Easy A is even further from the source material, but it still manages to maintain the essential kernel of truth at the heart of The Scarlet Letter. The high school comedy shows that, although religious dogma may not be as pressing an issue, women are still judged by absurd standards for their relationships in modern society.

1

Treasure Island (1934) & Treasure Planet (2002)

Based on Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is a classic adventure novel, with a young boy who goes off in search of treasure while trying to outrun and fight off treacherous pirates. It was written in the 19th century, when there were still a lot of mysteries about the people and potential riches waiting over the horizon, especially in the minds of curious young boys who were given adventure stories. Decades later, stories about space travel have taken up the same niche.

There have been many adaptations of Treasure Island over the years. The 1934 version is among the most popular and the most faithful, but it’s very much a product of its time. 2002’s Treasure Planet revitalizes the spirit of the story by transplanting it into outer space, with galleons flying across the cosmos and strange aliens accompanying Jim on his journey. Treasure Planet deserves a live-action remake much more than some of the films Disney has already chosen.