Books that Should be Made into Movies (Part One)

Hollywood has gone through a bit of a creative dry spell lately, what with all of its remakes of earlier movies and book adaptations.  The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, The Lightning Thief…what next?  Well, I have a few suggestions of my own.

1.  Genghis: Birth of an Empire by Conn Iggulden

I am actually shocked that some ambitious Hollywood director hasn’t picked up the rights to Conn Iggulden’s bestselling Genghis series.  There have been other movies about Genghis Khan, most notably the one where Omar Sharif was Genghis, but I have a feeling that Conn Iggulden’s version is much more accurate.  If an ambitious director with a large budget (I’m thinking along the lines of James Cameron) was to secure the rights to the series, it would not only be more historically accurate, it would appeal to the masses.  The tale of the khan’s second son who unites the entire Mongol nation and goes on to conquer the largest empire ever is your classic underdog story, which people love.  Oh, and of course it will have lots of battle scenes, which are very popular among theater-going audiences.

2.  The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

If The Iron King (and the other three books in the series) was made into a movie, you would have another Twilight on your hands.  Recognizable fantasy creatures?  Check.  A young female protagonist?  Check.  A simple plot?  Check.  A love triangle where the protagonist has to choose between two inhumanly good-looking guys?  Double check.  Since CGI technology is so advanced, it would be no problem for a director to bring the Nevernever to life.  And there’s no shortage of good-looking male actors that would have teenage fans cheering for Team Puck or Team Ash.  If it was picked up by a director that would stick to the basic plot events (so as not to offend fans), The Iron King would be a huge success.

3.  House of Dreams by Pauline Gedge

Although it would never achieve the popularity of the first two books I’ve listed, House of Dreams has the potential to be a great movie.  As long as it was more historically accurate than The Mummy, it could shed more light n the real ancient Egypt, which is always a bonus.  Thu’s story also has all the makings of a rags-to-riches fairytale, but the tragic ending that promises a sequel will bring fans in for the next movie.  House of Dreams would not be a fast-paced or particularly happy movie, but it would definitely be thought-provoking and bittersweet, much like Citizen X.  It wouldn’t require many special effects, but it would also need an ambitious director with a large budget.

4.  The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

Who doesn’t love a sad, but heartwarming tale of love, loss and redemption?  Well, that’s what The Wish List is all about and if it was turned into a movie, it would end up like The Shawshank Redemption.  There would be an undercurrent of sadness throughout the movie, but it would have its funny moments and ultimately end well.  Since the rating would be relatively low (PG at most), it would attract a large audience of children and adults alike.  Like the original Disney movies, I’m envisioning a movie that kids could enjoy, but that would have more subtle humour and meaning for the adults.

5.  Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman

The general public is fascinated by the mob.  If you don’t believe me, let me mention two words to you: The Godfather.  See what I mean?  But what if Hollywood was to show the other side of The Life, the side that Vince Luca has to deal with all of the time?  It would certainly shed a bit more light on the reality of The Life.  Appropriate for teenagers, hilarious and with a happy ending, Son of the Mob could be a huge success if Vince was portrayed by a good young actor.  If not, well, it would be a complete flop because the story focuses on Vince’s inner struggles.  Only a good actor could manage to pull off such a character.

Here I’ve listed just 5 candidates for movie adaptation, but there are many more deserving books.  Some of these will be covered in part two, but in the meantime, why don’t you tell me what books you think would make excellent movies?

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