Buzz
While the box office today is overrun with reboots, remakes, and countless adaptations, not every book is rushed into production. Some take years—even decades—before finally making their way to the big screen, sometimes with unexpected delays. From timeless literary classics to the latest cultural sensation, being a hit novel doesn’t always mean a swift movie adaptation.
1. Dangerous Liaisons Book: 1782 // Movie: 1959
Although the 1988 film adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ Les Liaisons Dangereuses directed by Stephen Frears is the most famous, the first film version actually came much earlier, in 1959, with Roger Vadim’s updated take on the legendary story.
Even so, Vadim’s adaptation came almost 200 years after the novel was first published in 1782. While movies didn’t even exist (technically!) when the book was released, the novel had immense popularity over the years, inspiring stage productions, radio shows, and TV adaptations. It’s almost surprising it took this long to be turned into a film.
2. Winter’s Tale Book: 1983 // Movie: 2014
Mark Helprin’s 1983 novel finally made its way to theaters in Akiva Goldsman’s film adaptation of the same name. While the book stretches over 800 pages, the film clocks in at just under two hours, meaning much of the original story was condensed to fit the cinematic format.
Maybe that’s why it took over thirty years for it to make its way to the big screen—on a winged horse, no less? It could also explain why Martin Scorsese, who initially bought the rights to the book, ultimately pulled out of the project, declaring it unfilmable.
3. The Hobbit Book: 1937 // Movie: 2012
J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved fantasy novel has seen numerous adaptations over the years, including a 1966 short film composed of animated stills and a 1977 animated version. However, the definitive live-action adaptation didn’t arrive until 2012. Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy will conclude later this year, proving once again the enduring power of Tolkien’s tale.
4. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Book: 1937 // Movie: 2008
This relatively forgettable film featuring Amy Adams just before she became a household name was a low-key hit. Directed by Bharat Nalluri, the film is based on Winifred Watson’s novel, offering a bubbly story. Watson, known for darker works like Fell Top and Odd Shoes, wrote Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day in an attempt to create something lighter after publishers had previously rejected her more serious works.
Watson’s instincts proved correct, as Pettigrew was a major success. Initially, a 1941 musical starring Billie Burke was planned, but World War II put those plans on hold indefinitely. Eventually, the film adaptation was made with Amy Adams and Frances McDormand, taking 67 years to finally make its way to the screen.
5. John Carter Book: 1917 // Movie: 2012
One of Edgar Rice Burroughs' most iconic characters, John Carter, first appeared in a serialized magazine story in 1912. Burroughs later made Carter the central figure in several of his Barsoom novels, including A Princess of Mars, which was the inspiration for the 2012 film John Carter.
A film project many years in the making, John Carter had been on the radar since 1931, when Bob Clampett first expressed interest in adapting the book. Over the decades, numerous talents including Frank Miller, Jon Favreau, and Robert Rodriguez were attached at different points. Directed by Andrew Stanton, the final version of the film was a box office disaster, despite being a tribute to an entire century of John Carter fandom.
6. Fifty Shades of Grey Book: 2011 // Film: 2015
In the grand scheme of things—and compared to some of the other books on this list—four years between the publication of a book and its movie adaptation may not seem like much. But for fans of E.L. James' hugely popular trilogy, it's hard to believe it took until 2015 for the infamous love story to hit the big screen.
James originally wrote the story, which was first posted as Twilight fan fiction titled “Master of the Universe,” in 2009. Although the narrative has evolved significantly since its fanfiction days, the anticipation for the movie has been building for years. The film’s release date has already been pushed once—from summer 2014 to Valentine’s Day 2015.
