As a film critic who has been in the industry for over three decades, I’ve seen my fair share of flops and successes. But none have left me quite as baffled as these two movies on this list.
As a dedicated adult fan of Young Adult literature, I can’t help but feel a pang of dismay when a beloved series I’ve eagerly followed online for years finally makes its way to the big screen, only a decade after its peak popularity. Now in my mid-to-late twenties, I find myself faced with an ensemble of unfamiliar actors who are all remarkably younger than me. The impending film promises to be a cringe-worthy experience not just for the adaptation itself, but also for me, as I grapple with my deep connection to the source material and the nostalgia it stirs within me.
If you’ve read Scott Westerfeld’s dystopian series “Uglies” and learned that Netflix has adapted it into a movie after almost 20 years, you might find yourself curious about how it turns out. There’s a chance it could be fantastic, making the mental space reserved for those books seem less wasteful in hindsight. It’s worth noting that young adult series were often our first novels where we felt the characters and their struggles resonated with us. The intricate lore gave us a sense of accomplishment, and the themes of overcoming oppressive powers seemed relevant and challenging for fiction to tackle.
The trend in Hollywood for adapting Young Adult (YA) literature hasn’t followed a rigid chronological path, but a large portion of the films can be traced back to three hugely successful franchises: Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games. These stories retained their popularity until completion (despite Mockingjay – Part 2 not doing as well at the box office), inspiring studios to try and capitalize on the YA audience’s enthusiasm. This led to an influx of films featuring grand fantastical realms, intense romantic entanglements, and heroic struggles against oppressive regimes. Some of these adaptations, like The Maze Runner and Divergent, were successful enough to merit follow-up movies.
Despite numerous attempts, many other books failed to broaden their reader base, secure sequels, or recoup their investment. After all these years, they’ve become forgotten gems, lingering in the shadows of teen-movie fame. In recognition of Uglies‘s valiant effort to revitalize the trend, let’s explore 15 overlooked Young Adult adaptations, arranged according to their cultural influence, from “I can’t believe they made a movie of that?” to “Oh yes, I vaguely recall that.
15.
The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (2007)
Budget: Approximately $45 million
If you’re familiar with the title “The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising“, that’s great! This movie, although based on the second book of Susan Cooper’s series with the same name, was set in England during the 1960s and ’70s. It tells the story of a young English boy (portrayed as an American in the film) battling supernatural forces of darkness according to folklore. Unfortunately, the author didn’t care for the movie adaptation. Despite its $45 million production budget, it only managed to attract $31.4 million worth of viewers. Our condolences go out to fans of “The Seeker” (who might be in their 60s) as they may feel disappointed that their beloved series was used as a cautionary tale for producers of the 2000s not to aimlessly pursue success similar to Harry Potter.
14.
The 5th Wave (2016)
Budget: The cost was approximately $38 million.
There’s debate among experts about when the trend of Hollywood adapting Young Adult (YA) novels will end. The underwhelming financial performance of the two-part conclusion to The Hunger Games in 2015, along with the mega success of more affordable, non-fantasy films like The Fault in Our Stars in 2014, served as warning signs. When the final Maze Runner film, The Death Cure, was pulled in January 2018, and the Divergent series wasn’t completed, it seemed to mark the end of YA dystopian franchises. In 2016, the alien-invasion thriller The 5th Wave, which was hoped would become a franchise starter, didn’t even make a significant impact at the box office. Interestingly, the adaptation rights were acquired before the novel was even published, suggesting more desperation from the studios than the actual value of the material for cinema.
13.
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (2009)
Budget: A total of $40 million was spent on this production.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=LMe_VjM48LY
If Universal had primarily emphasized that John C. Reilly plays a red-haired vampire in this film, instead of focusing on Chris Massoglia who looks like a digitally enhanced version of Robert Pattinson as the teenage lead, the movie might have recovered its production cost. Unfortunately, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant failed to impress at the box office, possibly due to the intricacy of the storyline. To make matters more confusing, the title includes the names of two novels based on a vampire trilogy by Darren Shan, who is both the main character and a pen name for Irish author Darren O’Shaughnessy – quite an overcomplicated mythos!
12.
Vampire Academy (2014)
Budget: A budget of approximately $30 million was set for this production.
Among the three young adult series on this list, “Vampire Academy” is the only one that attempted a television adaptation following a lackluster film. Unfortunately, both the movie and the series failed to capture audience interest – Peacock decided to cancel “Vampire Academy” after just one season last year. It’s hard not to feel sorry for author Richelle Mead, whose books are set in a historic boarding school for vampires and their human protectors. However, her books are the only adaptation of this story that has gained popularity. The film, starring Zoey Deutch and Lucy Fry, was a mix of unrefined snarky humor and recycled vampire tropes, which led to its dismal performance in the U.S., so much so that it didn’t even make it to cinemas in the UK, where academies are quite popular.
11.
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010)
Budget Amount: Approximately $27 million
In Australian teen circles, this movie adaptation based on John Marsden’s series made minimal ripples elsewhere but created quite a stir. It depicts a scenario reminiscent of the film “Red Dawn,” where a group of Australian teenagers fight back to defend their homeland after being invaded. If we were rating its cultural significance in that region, it would likely be number one — for many teenagers, this was the most anticipated release of the year. However, its global reach is limited due to lackluster ticket sales outside of Australasia. Perhaps it’s better this way: Instead of following the book’s decision not to identify the invading country, the film attributes the invasion to a coalition of Asian powers seeking Australia’s resources. This is one of those instances where a choice that could have been neutral became a xenophobic oversight.
10.
Beautiful Creatures (2013)
Budget Range: Between $50 million and $60 million
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=J6iQFve58-w
The movie “Beautiful Creatures,” released in early 2013, was based on the first book of the “Caster Chronicles” series and was directed by Richard LaGravenese. It tells the story of a group of magical beings called “casters” who can cast spells and reveal their true light or dark nature at maturity. The main character, Lena Duchannes, played by Alice Englert, is nearing her 16th birthday. Her family history includes a curse that makes the women turn into dark casters due to an ancestor who brought back Ethan Wate (played by Alden Ehrenreich), Lena’s boyfriend, after he died in the Civil War. Unfortunately, this film about a haunted romance didn’t resonate with audiences, but it brings us one step closer to having a young adult fantasy movie set in each American state, like “Twilight.
9.
I Am Number Four (2011)
Budget Range: Between $50 million and $60 million
Among the vibrant, up-and-coming stars in this sci-fi drama about alien fugitives, only Timothy Olyphant, who portrays a protective guardian of an extraordinary high school-age alien, continues to be associated with intriguing productions. This might not be what you’d expect from a cast aimed at teenage fans, but perhaps the actors, now in their late 30s, would have been household names if ‘I Am Number Four’ had matched their collective talents. Alex Pettyfer plays Number Four, and Teresa Palmer is Number Six – extraterrestrial beings with developing powers who are pursued by malevolent, less attractive aliens. Although it was successful internationally, its underperformance in the domestic market thwarted any adaptations of ‘Pittacus Lore’s’ subsequent books (a shared pseudonym, as far as we know, not an actual person).
8.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)
Budget: A hefty sum of approximately $60 million
Initially, Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower, who are likely to become prominent figures in Netflix’s flagship productions, were the initial, less fortunate choices for the on-screen adaptation of “The Mortal Instruments.” This series revolves around beings known as Nephilim, half-human, half-angel creatures, mentioned in the Bible and often interpreted as offspring or descendants of humans and angels, although it’s uncertain if the show adheres to the Old Testament as canonical. These Nephilim reside in New York City and wage battles against demons. Given the film’s poor performance, a suitable musical instrument for this production might have been a slide whistle. However, fans eventually received a three-season long series on Freeform featuring Katherine McNamara and Dominic Sherwood instead of Collins and Bower. Producers may have hesitated to commit to adapting the entire franchise, as it encompasses 17 published novels in “The Shadowhunters Chronicles,” with author Cassandra Clare still actively working on additional installments.
7.
Chaos Walking (2021)
Budget: A whopping $100 million
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I recently found myself watching an unexpected addition to the genre of twisted young adult adaptations – a production born amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Titled ” Chaos Walking,” this film is a peculiar mix of cinematic brilliance, led by the visionary director Doug Liman and the creative mind of Charlie Kaufman. The story unfolds in a dystopian setting where survival is key, and if that’s not intriguing enough, it also features Nick Jonas.
6.
Beastly (2011)
Budget: The cost was approximately $17 million.
2011 marked a significant year in Alex Pettyfer’s career: He featured in two films based on young adult novels and found himself at odds with Channing Tatum. The movie version of “Beauty and the Beast” from that time, titled “Beastly“, portrays Kyle Kingson (Pettyfer), a hairless, tattooed ‘beast’ who is smitten with his classmate (Vanessa Hudgens). His monstrous appearance results from him bullying a secret witch (Mary-Kate Olsen). This adaptation of Alex Flinn’s novel was particularly aggressive in appealing to the “Twilight” audience, as indicated by its cover. However, its blatant attempts to win over fans didn’t attract the same number of viewers. Yet, it offers a tie-in game on the Wii, which might still hold some appeal.
5.
Mortal Engines (2018)
Budget: A whopping $100 million
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=plA7N05y81M
The enduring influence of “Mortal Engines” on popular culture is notable due to a museum exhibit in the movie displaying statues of Minions from “Despicable Me.” This unexpected appearance adds humor, as each “Despicable Me” installment has earned over half a billion dollars globally, while “Mortal Engines,” despite being co-written by Peter Jackson, is considered one of cinema’s biggest disappointments. Similar to “Chaos Walking,” this was an ambitious project that missed its moment and failed to capture the audience’s interest. Released for Christmas, it was competing against a host of other popular films like “Bumblebee,” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “Aquaman,” and even another Illumination production, “The Grinch.” The Minion brand now stands as an unwelcome reminder to this film.
4.
Ender’s Game (2013)
Budget: A sum of approximately 110 million dollars
In 2013, the action and space themes of “Ender’s Game” didn’t captivate teen audiences as much as the original novel did in 1985, and the film failed to recoup its substantial budget. It seems today’s youth are less interested in stories about military manipulation of teens committing atrocities. Although the initial book could be classified as young adult literature, efforts to establish a “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter” hybrid franchise fell flat; the more mature and philosophical sequel, “Speaker for the Dead,” would likely struggle to maintain its integrity on screen. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that author Orson Scott Card is one of the most vocal anti-LGBTQ+ figures in science fiction literature, so we should appreciate not having multiple such authors currently associated with a fantasy franchise.
3.
Eragon (2006)
Budget Estimate: $100 million
At 15 years old, Christopher Paolini began writing “Eragon,” the initial book in the widely acclaimed “Inheritance Cycle.” To preserve the authenticity of his writing style, it would have been fitting for a 15-year-old to direct the movie adaptation. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, a teenager couldn’t direct a $100 million film, so they entrusted the project to seasoned visual effects artist Stefen Fangmeier instead. The storyline of “Eragon” bore strong resemblances to the fantasy realms of J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Le Guin, and George Lucas. Unfortunately, the film was released after both the “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars” prequel trilogies, which made the perceived lack of originality in “Eragon’s” narrative and characters more pronounced. Despite this, the movie was a commercial success due to its international earnings — it’s worth noting that high-fantasy films tend to perform well overseas because their imaginary worlds resonate with a broader range of viewers. The film also provided John Malkovich an opportunity to emulate his “Jeremy Irons in ‘Dungeons & Dragons'” performance, even though Irons was part of the cast as well.
2.
The Golden Compass (2007)
Budget: A whopping 180 million dollars
Among all the films on this list, “The Golden Compass” is the one that cost or earned the most and is arguably the most familiar to many people. However, despite its numerous advantages such as a popular fantasy source material with deep themes, an extensive universe to delve into, and a substantial budget for execution, it didn’t claim the top spot – we regretfully had to place it lower. Initially, New Line Cinema and director Chris Weitz (who later directed the more successful “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”) attempted to create a blockbuster hit. However, in an effort to appeal to a wider audience, they made significant mistakes that impacted the film’s success. The substantial budget necessitated massive box office returns for profitability, but by toning down the anti-religious criticisms from Philip Pullman’s book, they alienated secular readers, while keeping the themes intact angered religious viewers as well. Fortunately, the trilogy was later adapted into a prestigious fantasy television series on HBO titled “His Dark Materials.
1.
The Host (2013)
As a cinephile, I’m sharing some fascinating financial details about a movie I recently watched. This film had an initial budget of $40 million dollars, and surprisingly, it managed to gross a total of $63 million worldwide. The star-studded cast included Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons, Diane Kruger, and William Hurt.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Z7J4p3-cFZ0
In simpler terms, “The Host,” a movie from the writer of “The Truman Show” and “Gattaca,” which was popular in the late 2000s and early 2010s due to its author Stephenie Meyer, found itself at the top of some lists despite being a relatively minor sci-fi love triangle film with alien possession. The story follows a young woman whose body is invaded by an alien, and she must choose between two boys who are either attracted to her or the alien within her. This film, starring a four-time Academy Award nominee, represents the trend of Young Adult (YA) films during the “Twilight” and “Hunger Games” era where producers aimed at the online fanbase of the books and relied on their approval to ensure box-office success. Although it didn’t achieve great financial success, making only $26 million domestically, it is characteristic of the lackluster thinking that defined the YA craze. Furthermore, since “The Host” is a standalone book, there were no plans for any sequels to be canceled, saving it from potential embarrassment.
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2024-09-13 23:55