All 6 Movies & TV Shows Based On John Green Books, Ranked

The writing of John Green led to some of the most successful young adult novels ever, and he has received several acclaimed adaptations of his work for both film and television. From his debut, Looking for Alaska, to his latest novel, Turtles All the Way Down, Green captured the essence of what it meant to be a teenager and tackled the difficulties of growing up, mental health struggles, and the need to find meaning in life. A powerful and profound young adult writer, Green’s work has resonated deeply with countless readers and viewers across the world.

With writings that date back almost 20 years, Green’s work has been adapted six times, and although they all have their unique charm, some were better than others. The very best of Green’s adaptations included some of the best teen movies ever, and they did so with a level of intelligence and philosophical curiosity not often seen in content aimed at teenagers. Although Green’s weakest adaptations suffered from a lack of depth, his very best were resonating explorations of humanity, the search for purpose, and the need to embrace life among all its challenges.

6

Paper Towns (2015)

Based on Paper Towns (2008) by John Green

John Green’s works have always struck a chord with teen readers, as his depiction of adolescence and self-discovery felt powerful and relatable. However, the 2015 movie adaptation of his 2008 novel, Paper Towns, just missed the mark. With Nat Wolff as the nerdy protagonist Q Jacobsen and Cara Delevingne as every manic pixie dream girl wrapped into one Margo Roth Spiegelman, Paper Towns was full of mystery but sorely lacking in intrigue as Q followed a series of clues to track down his lifelong crush and, in the process, learn how to live.

While Green’s novel was full of the same wit and intellectual ponderings as his previous work, the film version of Paper Towns was not nearly as deep or moving as it sought to be. Delevingne had previously made a name for herself as a supermodel and, unfortunately, did not have the acting skills needed to pull off a character with as much supposed hidden complexity as the elusive Margo. Overall, Paper Towns felt like it was full of over-the-top teen drama tropes and clichés that lacked the impact and substance to stand among Green’s best adaptations.

5

Dil Bechara (2020)

Based on The Fault in Our Stars (2012) by John Green

The Hindi-language adaptation of John Green’s coming-of-age romantic tragedy, The Fault in Our Stars, retold the story through the lens of Indian culture. Dil Bechara was a powerful adaptation with a message of hope, love, and positivity about a cancer-stricken girl, Kizie Basu, who found love with Manny, a young man in remission whom she met in a support group. One major difference between The Fault in Our Stars and Dil Bechara was that the protagonists were not teenagers but instead portrayed as being in their early 20s, which was more in line with Bollywood representations of romance on screen.

Dil Bechara received critical acclaim in India for its hopeful message and powerful lead performances by Sushant Singh Rajput and Sanjana Sanghi. Sadly, much of the coverage was based around the untimely death of Sushant, as Dil Bechara was his final film role, as he died just one month before the film’s release. Because of this, Dil Bechara held special resonance and acted as a sentimental swansong for Sushant’s career.

4

Let It Snow (2019)

Based on Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances (2008) by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

The Christmas rom-com Let It Snow was based on an anthology novel that John Green wrote with two other young adult fiction writers, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, in which three separate stories intertwine with one another. Let It Snow was set during a huge snowstorm and, with a talented cast and a good dose of humor, maintained the fun spirit of the original book. While Let It Snow wasn’t quite as deep or complex as the best adaptations of Green’s work, it was exactly the kind of fun, lighthearted holiday cheer audiences want from a Netflix Christmas movie.

With a star-studded cast of up-and-coming young actors, Let It Snow had comedy, drama, and romance all packed into its swift 92-minute runtime. There were plenty of witty quips and the kind of wayward but endearing characterizations so often seen in the works of John Green. In essence, Let It Snow didn’t try to present itself as anything more than some holiday fun and an enjoyable story to watch with a simple cup of cocoa, wrapped up in a blanket, and safe indoors protected from blistering snow outside.

3

Turtles All the Way Down (2024)

Based on Turtles All the Way Down (2017) by John Green

Turtles All the Way Down excelled and faltered at the same time, as it had an endearing sense of heart and a strong lead performance by Isabela Merced but lacked the depth to be truly compelling. Telling the story of a 16-year-old girl with obsessive-compulsive disorder who reconnected with her childhood crush while trying to uncover the secret of his billionaire father’s disappearance, Turtles All the Way Down had all the classic components of a John Green story, but its central relationships felt underdeveloped, and its narrative came across as slightly convoluted.

Despite its shortcomings, Turtles All the Way Down’s greatest strength was in the way that it portrayed Aza Holmes’s OCD, thought spirals, and mental health troubles. Turtles All the Way Down took audiences into the mind of Aza as she struggled to connect with others, was too worried about bacteria to kiss her crush, and later was effectively called out for being too self-absorbed by her best friend Daisy (Cree Cicchino.) There was great representation in Turtles All the Way Down, as its story of friendship, grieving, and growing up proved that Green’s works still resonate in 2024.

2

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Based on The Fault in Our Stars (2012) by John Green

While The Fault in Our Stars was not John Green’s first novel, it was the book for which he became most well-known, and its 2014 film adaptation became a cultural sensation. The Fault in Our Stars was the story of a 17-year-old girl named Hazel Grace Lancaster with lung cancer who fell in love with Augustus Waters, a teenage ex-baseball player, amputee, and survivor of osteosarcoma. The teenage lovers bonded over their shared illnesses, and The Fault in Our Stars was a rare teen drama that balanced gravitas with heart and humor.

Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort brought believable power to their two lead roles, and the success of The Fault in Our Stars rested on their incredible chemistry and commitment to this tear-inducing and heartwarming story. The film was a faithful adaptation of Green’s novel, which pleased readers who had deeply connected with his book and turned it into a major bestseller, with more than 23 million sales worldwide (via Time.) The Fault in Our Stars movie was also extremely successful and grossed $307 million (via Box Office Mojo) against a $12 million budget.

The Fault in Our Stars started with the tragic story of a lonely, ill teenager, but it soon turned into a whirlwind romance as the two characters found precisely what they needed in each other. It was hard to hold back tears as Hazel and Augustus traveled on the romantic trip of a lifetime to Amsterdam, funded by a charity that fulfilled the wishes of chronically ill children. As the fantastical romance of teenage love was paired with the daunting realism of cancer, The Fault in Our Stars was a story that could warm even the coldest heart.

1

Looking For Alaska (2019)

Based on Looking for Alaska (2005) by John Green

The greatest of all of John Green’s movie and television adaptations was the Hulu series Looking for Alaska, which perfectly captured the essence of his debut novel while also deviating from it. As an eight-part miniseries, this adaptation had enough time to fully develop its cast of incredible characters and effectively explore the mysteries behind the enigmatic teenage girl, Alaska Young. With themes of grief, hope, love, and youth, Looking for Alaska was an emotional rollercoaster and a powerful adaptation of its beloved source material.

Looking for Alaska was full of the same psychological depth and philosophical ponderings that made Green’s book a young adult classic. As Miles Halter, a teenage boy obsessed with famous last words, found himself enrolled at the Culver Creek Academy, he discovered important friendships, found meaning, and learned countless life lessons. While Looking for Alaska followed many of the expected beats of a standard coming-of-age story, it did so with such charm and skill that it rose above the trappings of its well-worn genre.

With an infectious balance between light-hearted fun and its more serious themes, Looking for Alaska was far better than the average teen dramedy, as Charlie Plummer and Kristine Froseth brought real pathos to their roles as Miles and Alaska. Another standout performance was Denny Love as Mile’s roommate, Chip ‘The Colonel’ Martin, who tried to balance the conflict among different social groups. Looking for Alaska was a series firing on all cylinders and a fantastic adaptation of a profound and challenging young adult novel by John Green.

Sources: Hindustan Times, Time, Box Office Mojo