I’m the ultimate book snob who’s always annoyingly repeating, “The book is better.” Yet every once in a while, a movie adaptation of a novel will come along that blows me away. And, in some rare cases, I actually prefer the film to the novel. (It happens!). The perfect set design, cast, and script can come together to make the best movie, like, ever.
With this in mind, here are the best book-to-screen adaptations of all time, where in some cases the film is even better than the original source material!
Keep reading for our best book-to-screen adaptations of all time.
Paramount Pictures
Breakfast At Tiffany’s
I truly adore the Breakfast at Tiffany’s novella by Truman Capote. And yet, Audrey Hepburn’s performance in the film adaptation is so iconic and tragic that I have to admit, I totally prefer the film! Sorry, Capote. Hepburn just breathes new life into the source material, making the movie far more memorable.
Universal Pictures
Wicked
The original novel is chaotic and dark, but, in my opinion, altogether awesome. However, when it was adapted for the stage, it got even better. The only thing that could beat it for me is Jon M. Chu’s Oscar-winning film adaptation. It’s an adventure of epic proportions.
Sony Pictures Classics
Call Me By Your Name
Want to take a trip to somewhere in Northern Italy without having to break the bank? Simply turn on Call Me By Your Name. The sun-soaked shots of mossy Italian ponds, apricot juice, and ancient statues create the most lush scenes imaginable, effortlessly capturing the novel’s magic. And the summer romance between Elio and Oliver is one that’s impossible to forget, long after the credits have rolled. It’s understandable how Timothée Chalamet became an A-list star after this one.
Walt Disney Pictures
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo is one of the most thrilling books I’ve ever read, and there have been a handful of unforgettable film adaptations over the years that have captured its spirit. Yet my personal favorite adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is the 1996 animated Disney version. Alan Menken’s music with Stephen Schwartz’s lyrics brings stunning new life to the source material and modernizes the original text in a truly unique and unforgettable way.
Pathé Distribution
The Count of Monte Cristo
Adore the classic novel by Alexandre Dumas? If so, you’re gonna love the 2024 French film adaptation. It takes all the beauty of the original text, while effortlessly translating it to the big screen. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime movie, taken straight from the heart of a once-in-a-lifetime book.
Warner Bros. Pictures
The Great Gatsby
Anyone else obsessed with the 2013 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel? Leonardo DiCaprio and Carrie Mulligan gave their all to those roles, and Baz Luhrmann refuses to deliver a single boring shot throughout the whole movie. I know there have been other adaptations, but none compare to the most modern one, in my opinion.
Warner Bros. Pictures
IT & IT Chapter 2
The 2017 and 2019 movie adaptations of this epic Stephen King novel are insanely fun, thanks to Andy Muschietti’s directorial work and the colorful script. Not a dull moment in these movies.
Columbia Pictures
Stand By Me
Here’s another Stephen King adaptation that takes the crown as the most faithful to the novella, as well as one of the very best. The unforgettable film, directed by the late Rob Reiner, will leave you shattered and nostalgic in a way we so rarely experience in films nowadays.
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