Film Adaptions of Books Are Hot!

Posted by Derek Armstrong Nov 22, 2006

Lord of the Rings may have had to wait for CGI and Peter Jackson, but it was an inevitable epic film adaption. Book adaptations are a long-standing tradition, from James Bond to My Friend Flicka (and the new version Flicka). This year's blockbuster releases show an increasing willingness for fans of the book to line up for the movie (courtesy of Films and Books Magazine):

• Flags of Our Fathers, still a box office leader. Clint Eastwood does well with adaptations, from his recent success with Dennis Lehane's bestselling Mystic River, to Flags of Our Fathers from Bradley and Power.

• Greg Rucka's classic Whiteout, is soon to release from Dark Castle. Almost inevitably, it's title twin, Ken Follet's White Out will make it to the big screen.

• Fox "is betting on Fantasy Book Adaption" writes Films and Books Magazine of Susan Cooper's popular book series The Dark is Rising, soon to be developed by David Cunningam.

The trend will continue. Publisher Kunati reports that their entire spring lineup of novels and memoirs is in demand at numerous Hollywood Production companies. Some hot titles, such as Rabid and The Game, both thrillers, are being read simultaneously by over a dozen companies.

Options are inexpensive. Book Publishers' acquisition teams tend to be highly discriminating, on average publishing less than a quarter of one percent of submissions or less. Fresh ideas tend to come from novelists working to breakout and make a mark with major reviewers, far more regularly than from spec script writers who often fall into formulas to ensure a quick sale.

Hollywood also looks to successful publishers for a built-in audience—or potential for a very large audience, indicated by strong reviews. Built in audience, review publicity, fresher ideas, discriminating acquisitions editors. A winning combination almost certain to create even more demand in the future from Hollywood for the best of New York.