Young adult novels are proving popular with filmmakers, buoyed by the phenomenal success of the Harry Potter and Twilight movie franchises. But not all YA novels translate well to the big screen; The Golden Compass, based on the first novel in Philip Pullman’s award-winning teen fantasy series, received mixed reviews from critics and under performed at the box office (Josh Friedman, “‘ Golden Compass’ Points Overseas,” The Los Angeles Times). 2007’s “The Seeker,” based on Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising novel, met a similar fate, receiving mostly negative reviews (as reported by Rotten Tomatoes) and being pulled from numerous theatres after its opening.
Nevertheless, the movie rights to a number of bestselling teen novels have been snatched up by producers. Which titles can teens expect to see in theatres in the near future?
The Rumours: Film Versions of YA Novels
Sometimes, a novel comes along that is so popular with teens it sparks wishful rumours about a film version. Other times, a movie is planned but falls through. Unfortunately, there won’t be any casting calls in the near future for the titles listed below.
Tithe by Holly Black: As yet, a Tithe movie is just a rumour, stoked by a 2005 article on the Monsters and Critics website (which mentions a film version of a later book in the Tithe series). Holly Black’s novel about a fairy changeling would make a good movie in the right hands, though it doesn’t quite have the thrills that characterize other books in the YA fantasy genre. Black writes in a LiveJournal post, “In Answer to the Movie Question,” that “for now, the answer is still no.”
A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray: This excellent historical fantasy novel was optioned for a movie, but Libba Bray reports on her website that those plans have fallen through.
From Novel to Movie: YA Books Coming to Theatres
The following YA books are (probably) coming to the big screen, barring unforeseen events.
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr: The Wicked Lovely movie is scheduled for a 2012 release, according to IMDb. The website reports that the film will be produced by Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Picture Show Productions. Wicked Lovely is a fantasy-romance story about a young woman with the ability to see fairies.
The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis: This is the fourth novel in Lewis’s classic Christianity-themed series. IMDb lists The Silver Chair movie as “in development,” with an expected 2011 release date. This, of course, does not mean the film is a sure thing, but The Silver Chair’s filmability (which dwarfs that of Voyage of the Dawn Treader) will likely improve its prospects with studio executives.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan: This zombie novel set in a Puritan-esque community surrounded by trees (and the living dead) has a 2011 release date, according to IMDb. The Forest of Hands and Teeth movie will be a dark tale of love and loss that will likely perform well at the box office.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Publishers Weekly reports that Suzanne Collins is writing the screenplay to the movie version of her phenomenally successful dystopian teen novel. The rights to The Hunger Games movie have been purchased by Lionsgate.
All of the novels listed above make for great reading, so if you do go to see one or more of these film incarnations, make sure you check them out in their original form first.
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Heather Fawcett - Heather Fawcett is a Vancouver-based writer and editor. She holds an M.A. in English Literature and specializes in teen fiction, having ...
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