Some of the most anticipated movies for this year are adaptations of books and comics. Many loved the Hunger Games and excitement is now building for the upcoming premiere of The Hobbit. There is nothing like seeing your favourite characters come life on screen. And lets face it, books make brilliant movies! Along with the well known adaptations like Harry Potter, the Twilight series and Lord of the Rings, here are a few books that you may have not realized were the basis for favourite movies.
1. Shrek! by William Steig
An American cartoonist, William Steig brought Shrek to life with words and imagery. His picture book, Shrek!, was written in 1990 and featured a young ogre who goes on a journey. Did you know the name “Shrek” is derived from the German word, Schrek, meaning fear?
2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 book, written by British author Roald Dahl. The story inspired both Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the more recent motion picture, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp. Did you know Roald Dahl wrote a sequel to the movie, called Charlie and the Glass Elevator? He also planned to write a third book to complete the series, but never finished it.
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Diary of Wimpy Kid is a realistic fiction novel that first appeared on FunBrain.com in 2004. A hardcover version was released after is was read 20 million times online. After becoming a bestseller, the movie was released a couple of years later.
What’s your favourite book that’s been turned into a movie? Leave us a comment or Tweet to us at @TheMagazineHQ