The movie industry has a long history of taking novels and turning them into films. Some of these adaptations have been much better than others, but there are some books that lend themselves to the screen more than most. Here are five sci-fi books made into movies that are worth seeing.
1) The Martian by Andy Weir
One man’s struggle for survival on Mars is both harrowing and hilarious, depending on which day you ask him. There’s plenty of science (mostly accurate!) mixed with Mark Watney’s wry sense of humor to keep things interesting as he tries to survive long enough for NASA to rescue him before his food runs out or the planet kills him.
It's also hard to imagine a more compelling movie based on a book than one where the fate of an astronaut's life hangs in the balance, so this came as no surprise to anyone when it was announced that Ridley Scott would direct. If you loved Gravity or Apollo 13, then this is a must watch movie.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Ready Player One takes place in the future where everyone spends their time plugged into a virtual world called Oasis. When the creator of Oasis dies, he leaves behind an Easter Egg with untold riches to be claimed by whoever can win a series of game challenges that require knowledge of 1980s pop culture and science fiction.
While the book itself is very heavy on references and trivia, one doesn't need to have grown up at the same time as its protagonist Wade Watts to see why this story has such allure; there's a treasure trove of items from films like Back to the Future and Monty Python And The Holy Grail for gamers to explore, as well as obscure terms like Zemeckis Cube.
This is something Ready Player One got right and by the looks of it, there's about to be an epic game for audiences to play.
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
A classic tale of a scientist who takes his nephew on an underground expedition where they encounter dinosaurs and other prehistoric wonders, Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of those novels that's perfect for film.
It has everything you want out of a movie: action, adventure, romance and the list key goes on. This was made into a movie by James Mason and Pat Boone back in 1959.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Battle Royale has a lot in common with The Hunger Games, so it's not much of a surprise that when the films production company that produced Battle Royale released a film version of The Hunger Games back in 2012, became a boost.
However, whereas Battle Royale is graphically violent and dives into extra-governmental and governmental control mechanisms, The Hunger Games focuses on a totalitarian government that controls its populace through fear.
It tells a very powerful story about social inequality and revolution without beating you over the head with it and manages to be at once instructive and entertaining.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
A cult classic, the story of a man who just wants to survive as he's swept up into galactic adventures and has his brain implanted in an alien's body is immediately endearing. The novel has a manic humor that translates very well to the big screen and is developed with spectacular special effects.
It also stars the likes of Martin Freeman, all of which lends itself to becoming an instant classic. While there are some who were disappointed by the Americanized version of this story, it's worth watching just to see how different (and yet similar) they made it work for Western audiences.
You've probably heard of some of these books being turned into movies, but have you watch any of them? If so, which one was your favorite? Let me know in the comments.
I didn’t watch any of them yet. But I am a sci-fic lover so I am definitely going to watch all these. I have a question ? Are these movies made on true based ?