Ten Books I’d Make into Movies If I Had a Skijillion Dollars
By: DThompson | in: Books, Movies |I’m willing to bet at one point you’ve finished reading a book and thought. “Man, if I had a spare two hundred and fifty million lying around I’d make this into a movie faster than you could say ‘Yeah, that’ll be the day’.” In fact, if you read as much as I do you probably have several books you’d like to make movies out of. You might even pass slow days daydreaming of a satisfying creative career while you scribble whole lists of books you’d film if only someone would see how incredibly talented you are and give you the chance. Well, if any of you happen to be Hollywood bigwigs looking for the next big thing are aren’t all that concerned about throwing good money after bad then I’d like to formally present this DTHOMPSON’S LIST OF TEN BOOKS I’D MAKE INTO MOVIES IF I HAD A SKIJILLION DOLLARS
1) Stephen King - The Long Walk
One of King’s most depressing works, written as Richard Bachman, is also his most gripping. A simple premise puts you in the middle of a life or death situation as a walking race begins and every contestant who drops below four miles an hour more than twice is shot dead on the spot. It has the potential to be talky but was one of the best books I ‘ve ever read. Anyone who can transfer what’s on the pages to the screen would have a Spielberg sized hit on their hands.
2) Isaac Asimov - Foundation
Asimov wrote a fantastic set of books about a mysterious group that controls the future of mankind from the shadows, a gordian knot of stories that twist and turn like oiled eels. Just when you believe you know what the score is you realize everything you thought was sure is totally wrong and it happens again and again.
3) Edgar Rice Burroughs - A Princess of Mars
Since we now know that Mars is a wasteland unfit for life this story of high adventure amid the ferocious and generally many-legged life forms of Barsoom might not go over that well. Ah heck, it was a fantasy to begin with and watching John Carter race [literally] from one end of Mars to the other to save Deja Thoris, the most beautiful woman on the planet [naturally] would be pretty cool. Plus it’s a trilogy so if it’s popular you could laugh to the bank two more times.
4) Alan Moore - Watchmen
Terry Gilliam was going to make this, the most complex of graphic novels and the very last word on super heroes by uber scribe Alan Moore. Then you know what happened? Nothing. Not a damn thing. It’s such a dense story, dealing with the psychology of its gifted protagonists along with byzantine secret plots and people’s desperate need for protection. If they can film From Hell Watchmen should already be made.
5) Elmore Leonard - Swag
While many authors write about crime and criminal acts, very few write crime fiction from the criminal’s point of view. Leonard is the master of this form and none of his books is as firmly rooted in the lives of its criminal protagonists as Swag. Follow two morally challenged small time thieves as they embark on a string of quickie mart robberies while the cops chasing them show up for exactly one short chapter. And what a title!
6) Rex Miller - Slob
Rex Miller wrote a lean mean novel about a big fat psychopath who basically doesn’t speak or clean himself or really do anything but be a lightning fast murder machine. Pity poor Detective Jack Eichord saddled with finding a monster you would NEVER want to meet. Slob moves like a whip crack and would make an ultimate thriller.
7) Harlan Ellison - Along the Scenic Route [short story]
In the world of the future people duel on the highway with mega souped up cars. When one ordinary Joe loses his cool and initiates a challenge he finds himself in WAY over his head. Opportunities for virtually non-stop car chase heaven exist here, in spades. Plus, it would be hella cool FUTURE car chase heaven.
Robert A. Heinlein - Sixth Column
Late in his career Heinlein wrote a novel about fundamentalist Christianity taking over America and turning into a clamped down theocracy. The novel concerns itself with the struggles of a group of revolutionaries and their attempts to fight city hall. A fine adventure and more topical by the second.
9) Henry Kuttner - The Graveyard Rats [short story]
Apparently Henry Kuttner’s VERY short short story was the first thing he ever wrote. It’s certainly one of the most frieghtening things I’ve ever read. Equal parts Poe and Lovecraft the hard part would be stringing it out to feature length. However, if you used this story verbatim as the final third of your film no one would leave saying anything but “Wow!”
10) James Morrow - Towing Jehovah
OK, maybe more of an art house film, but one that would require a large budget. God is dead and floating in the Atlantic Ocean. See, you want to watch it already.
Posted on July 12, 2007
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65 Responses to “Ten Books I’d Make into Movies If I Had a Skijillion Dollars”
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ooooh some really interesting books I have to read.
THX D!
How about your dream of making a “Make your own adventure” DVD series Rusty?
All in good time, meanwhile I have to write a song of the week.
Dang, maybe I should just read in general…
Must admit I haven’t read a single one from your list. Guess who’ll be placing holds at the library.
The Long Walk is the best Stephen King book I’ve read. I wonder why they haven’t made it into a film yet. It’s not long and it’s almost written as a movie script. They made Dreamcatcher into a film, and that was the worst book King has ever written (and the movie was a turkey as well)
I’d like to see - or make - a remake of Stephen Crane’s “The Red Badge of Courage”.
100% on Watchmen but, I can’t help feel that they would ruin it.
I would also suggest that Heinlein’s “future history” stories would make a great TV show, if done right.
Let’s not forget Orson Scott Card’s “Enders Game”.
Looks like Enders Game is already in the works:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400403/
I like the challenge of this blog posting. This is a good commercial list if you are a teenager or have the reading habits of one. I would suggest, in similar vein, a recent book by John Updike called The Terrorist . This incredibly well written novel is written in the first person so that the reader is drawn into the mind of a young American Muslim and his suicide mission. This book is terrifying in its ability to convince the reader about how a young American can become a terrorist. The book may never become a movie but if I had a gazillion dollars, it would.
I feel the same way about Watchmen. Luckily, it’s finally being made. They even have a conceptual shot of Rorschach on IGN.com. It looks pretty awesome.
“I would suggest, in similar vein, a recent book by John Updike called The Terrorist”.
You’ll maybe like to watch Julia Loktev’s 2006 Day Night Day Night. I wonder if she wrote the screenplay with Updike’s book in mind or just a coincidence.
Anyways, it’s a very frightening and thought provoking movie.
I would simply say that anyone who considers Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy to be “teeny-bop” reading has probably not bothered to read the books and has a generally “down the nose” attitude towards all genre fiction.
I would further suggest that any person who consider James Morrow’s discussion of religion and what it means to society and the individual contained within the pages of Towing Jehovah to be material only suitable for teenagers to have a very unique idea of exactly what teenagers read. And I would go on to suggest quite a bit more if I were not constrained by common politeness.
Why would anyone find it necessary to insult with an ad hominem attack before they can mention the books they themselves would wish to film?
Great list, writing down the ones I haven’t already read :). Speaking of King, I’d love to see a movie made of The Talisman/Black House (King w/ Straub) I think that would be fantastic. I heard they are making the talisman into a “tv special series” type dealy (like it or the stand was made into in the past) but I would love to see them made with a HUGE budget, freaking awesome.
As for Ender’s Game being made (awesome!), thankfully the same thing has happened to many books that used to be on my list including Fight Club, The Gormenghast Trilogy, Crash and the Sin City graphic novels.
One that you missed “The Thomas Covenet Chronicles” it’s a bit LOTR but much darker. But V good list, Alan Moore RULZ
Would add: The Wheel of Time Series (Robert Jordan) (many books in the series=many sequels!)
Sword of Truth Series (Terry Goodkind) would also be Great (and also have built in sequels).
Heck, I’d love to see them make ‘MMORPGS” (Massive Online Games) of these!
I definitely agree with The Long Walk, I have been saying the same thing for years, but after what they did with “Running Man” I am a little hesitant. Great list.
i hear they’re in the works for a watchman movie
A Princess of Mars in already in production over at Pixar
Watchmen is in preproduction with Zack Snyder (”300″) directing
Brian Dennehy owns Swag, but isn’t doing anything with it (yet)
The Graveyard Rats has already been made (part of Trilogy of Terror II)
All courtesy of imdb.com
I haven’t read a single one but you definitely peaked my interest.
Hooray! Books to read! And I don’t mean to be a nazi or anything, but you should probably work on your punctuation. It’s hard to understand what you’re trying to say with all the commas that are missing. :\
Haha, nice post!
I have to say, every suggestion made sounds great to me. I read the Thomas Covenant books in college and they were excellent, in a downbeat way. I missed Trilogy Of Terror II so I had no idea that Graveyard Rats has been put to film. I hear a DVD calling my name!
That Pixar is making Princess Of Mars is almost more great news than I can handle!!
But, watch it Lady English, you’ll make me angry and I’ll dispense with periods as well!
Oh, Rusty, not to ruin your day, but they already made a Choose Your Own Adventure DVD, sort of a D&D adventure. As Jon Stewart would say, “Suuuuuuuuuuuck!”
“Footfall” by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.
Slight error in there….
‘Sixth Column’ is about invasion of the west by Asian Commie hordes. The one about fundamentalist takeover is ‘Revolt in 2100′.
I’m sitting here looking at my bookshelves and I don’t think I could be satisfied with only 10.
*The Mote In Gods Eye” by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Amber Chronicles by Roger Zelazny
The Dream Park series again by Larry and Jerry
the Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison
Temeraire books by Naomi Novik I understand these are already under option by the same production company that did LOTR.
“Back to the Moon” by Homer H. Hickman,Jr
The Firekeeper series by Jane Lindskold
” Snow Crash” by Neal Stephenson
The “Rama” books by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee
“Hellspark” by Janet Kagan
Theres the 10 and I’ve only been through the first bookcase. Admitedly they are all science fiction/fantasy,but they all have a fascinating outlook on life. Just my opinion of course.
The Janet Evanovich books would make super movies. I suggest Sandra Bullock for the part of the main character.
Another couple to add to the list (and they’d probably actually *cost* a skijillion bucks to put on film — might be cheaper to just do the whole movie in CGI to begin with):
Spacehounds of IPC by E.E. “Doc” Smith
Glory Road by Robert A. Heinlein
SeeTee and SeeTee Shock by Jack Williamson (as Will Stewart)
The Peace War and Marooned in Realtime by Vernor Vinge
And a couple that probably wouldn’t cost a skijillion to make, but I’d still love to see:
The Exile Waiting and Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre
Stephen King did a really good series not too many people tend to mention, which would be just simply amazing if it could ever make it to film. The Dark Tower series he did was phenomenal. It’s a little off his path, but I believe he has references to that series in 19 other books that he has written. So, for something that has tied into so much of what Stephen King has written over the years, this series really does deserve consideration to be a movie.
Goosebumps man! I had goosebumps. I would REALLY ( please, if there are producers here read this post!) really love to see the following put into a movie.
Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, Rise of Endymion (the four parts) by Dan Simmons
Footfall (Mark you got that one right!) and the Mote in God’s Eye. Heck, even Beowulf’s children by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Long Walk by Stephen King
Silmarillion by Tolkien
The MD by Thomas Disch
Weaveworld by Clive Barker there are more titles in my shelf, but these are the ones I have read a lot of times. A better version of The Stand won’t hurt either.
Also, some Eva Ibotson books.
Nice post D. Made me remember the books that took me places.
BTW: I would really like to see a Captain Planet Movie, but only darker. Better powers for the Planeteers, and yeah, without Captain Planet. He would be better of as a formless entity. Come to think of it I wouldn’t call it The Captain planet movie at all….
I agree whole haertedly about the Robert Jorden Wheel of Time series, they would make perfect movies . It’s so nice to see The Chronicles of Amber listed above as well. And Weaveworld would be awsome ! I would like to see Anne McCaffry’s Dragon Riders of Pern, or Sydney J. Van Scyoc’s Daughters of The Sunstone. Also Tannith Lee’s Electric Forest would be a strange and sureal movie. A remake of Clan of the Cave Bear, as well as the continuation of the Earth’s Children series by Jean M. Auel would be great . P.S. I’ll be looking for the titles suggested here. New stuff to read! Yes!!
Yes they all would be Great!
‘Gonna Roll the Bones’, by Fritz Lieber. But only as a short.
Any of you read The Lords of War by Gerard Klein? It’s a translation from French, Klein wrote it when his was twentysomething, yet that book has remain actual and fascinating. It’s probably THE book on time travel and war.
Apparently Frank Darabont who wrote the screenplays for The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile has secured the rights for the Long Walk. Doesn’t look like it’s in production though. His next films are The Mist (another Stephen King adaptation) and then Fahrenheit 451.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001104/
On number 8, Heinlein ‘Sixth Column’, I agree that it would make a good movie, but your synopsis is off. I’d say it as “China invades the US. The remains of a secret military lab have a super weapon. To fight back without Americans being murdered in reprisal, they organize as a religion.” This book was also published as ‘The Day After Tomorrow’.
Anyone who can state with a straight face that a Stephen King novel is one of the best books they’ve ever read is a pathetic excuse for a human being.
You’re right George (and Blair), I got Sixth Column mixed up with the novella “If This Goes On” from Heinlein’s excellent “The Past Through Tomorrow”, the separate novel on this theme is indeed “Revolt In 2100″, which I’ve also read. When you get as old as this dog things blur together sometimes.
Quite frankly, I’m hard pressed to name a Heinlein novel I’ve read that wasn’t worthy of filming. I mean, as long as Hollywood is going to be churning out summer blockbusters every year they might as well base them on solid material.
All six of Frank Herbert’s Dune Chronicles would be great. LetoII as a giant hybrid sand worm that is an absolute ruler could be awe inspiring if the CG were done right. Each movie would probably have to be eight hours long to truly capture the intricacies of all of the players in this great game of universal dominance and personal gain.
oooh! The Long Walk would be a freaky, freaky movie! Fun post!
I’d redo From Hell, because the film of one of the greatest graphic novels written is absolute bullshit. Turns it into another period whodunnit instead of the masonic consipricy dark gods of the underworld epic it could of been. I’ve never been so dissapointed by a film in my life, I was hoping for something Apocalypse Now esque.
Wow, couldn’t disagree with your choices more.
Yes, it would take a skijillion dollars to make them (or someone like Robert Rodriguez, George Lucus with their own arthouse to make them)
1. The Long Walk
Maybe, but I’d rather see “The Stand” re-made as a proper movie/mini-series. The one they made stunk.
2. Foundation
Ok, nice choice. Alot of his work is movie worthy, but wait. “Bicentennial Man”, “I, Robot” and “Total Recall”(not asimov, but screenplay ripped off one of his books) all translated poorly to movies. Better to read the books. Too complex for 2 hours.
4. Watchmen
As you say, too “dense” to translate into a movie.
Unless you plan on making a 6-hour movie.
5. Swag
Again already made and with much better “twist”
See “The Usual Suspects”
7. Along the Scenic Route
Already made. It was called MadMax.
That movie could use a re-shoot however.
8. Sixth Column
Of all Heinlein stuff, “Stranger in a Strange Land” is the most topical. It’s a universal message that transcends every time.
But I’m sure they would screw that up. Too controversial even in this day and age.
All said and done, I like your list for must read books for fun and deep-thinking.
Movie worthy? Probably not.
I don’t know many of the books on this list, but I do know sitting around and daydreaming of this very thing. My compliment to this list would be Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series, a completely different take on vampires through a vast and other worldly realm. It would take too long to describe it fully, but the entire series is just such a novel take on vampires and werewolves. I loved it.
Thank you so very much for this (esp. to those of you who voted on this post enough for it to show up on Netscape!)
I don’t get alot of spare time to read (2 kids, husband, home, job, and the related activities), and I have NEVER heard of any of the ones mentioned in the original post. My husband & I are fans of sci-fi (even though Heinlein, Clarke & Asimov almost KILLED IT for me when I was in jr. high back in ‘66! “Podkayne of Mars” and “Barbarella” were NOT exactly what I wanted to think a woman’s place in space was!), and HE gets to read alot, and he LOVED “The Stainless Steel Rat!” I’m printing this list out for him.
There are a few books that I would like to see made into movies other then the above.
1)Starship Troopers. I know Hollywood did this, but it really sucked. I woolly like to see a movie more in line with the themes in the book.
2)The Forever War. This would go great with Starship Troops, as they present two different sides to the same argument.
3)The Nights Dawn Trilogy by Peter Hamilton. I know it is very dense and would be about 6, 4 hour movies but we are assuming unlimited funds.
4)War Against the Chotorr series by David Gerrold. A great look at an ecological invasion and human components of war. Further, because it is not finished yet and may never be finished I could create my own ending.
5)Peter Hamilton’s Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained would also make great but long movies. They would have to made together as they are a set.
6)Grunts by Mary Gentle would be a fun movie, doesn’t make much of a statement or argument but it would be fun to see orcs on screen with AK-47s.
7)The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.
8)Eon by Greg Bear.
Towing Jehovah is a better idea than the story managed to be. It has a good premise and set-up but looses it’s way and ends unsatisfactorily.
Modern movies seldom have good endings as it is without there not being one in the source materila to begin with.
I have a theory why modern movies suck at endings: because producers know drama is conflict stories have more and more conflict piled into them to create drama - beyond the point of there ever being a hope of a happy ending. Yet one is bolted on all the same no matter what damage is done.
Ipodwheels,
You’d do Beowulf’s Children before Legacy of Heorot?
Algis Budrys, “Rogue Moon”
Barker: “We’ll make a great team!”
Hawks: “Of course we will. You’re a suicide. I’m a murderer.”
Alfred Bester, “The Stars My Destination”
“He was one hundred and seventy days dying and not yet dead. He fought for survival with the passion of a beast in a trap. He was delirious and rotting, but occasionally his primitive mind emerged from the burning nightmare of survival into something resembling sanity.”
Arthur C. Clarke, “Childhood’s End”
Like 2001 except it makes more sense.
And for the full LotR treatment:
Gene Wolfe, “The Book of the New Sun”
Set so far in the future, the entirety of the Andes Mountains have been carved, Mount Rushmore-style, into the faces of defunct rulers of the earth, and then eroded beyond recognition. Featuring Severian, apprentice to the Guild of Seekers after Truth and Penitence (a.k.a. the Torturers), and his trusty beheading sword “Terminus Est.” The people who have part of their brains surgically removed, so they can live as animals. The people whose language consists entirely of Party slogans, but who are able to express non-PC thoughts by juxtaposing contradictory slogans. And on and on….
for Leslie R,
And here I thought I was the only one who liked the Stainless Steel Rat. If you like “good” women in space you should like the “Hellspark” book by Janet Kagan.
“Neuromancer” by William Gibson. Many have tried, all have failed.
How about the Valis trilogy, by Philip K Dick, or Ubik by the same author.
Dudes, i seriously need to read more. My first stop would be Isaac Asimov’s Foundation, I’ve been meaning to read that in ages. I guess i should get up to it :). Thanks for the great list D!
The original, (50’s) Outer Limits did Ubik.
Stephen King’s best for me was his first collaboration with Peter Straub: Talisman. That movie would be cool. watch out Harry Potter
Here are some I would add:
1. The Day After Tomorrow - Alan Folsom (totally different that the asteroid movie)
2. Day of Confession - Again Alan Folsom
3. The Ninja - Eric Von Lustabder
4. Wild Seed - Octavia Butler
BTW…I’m tickled pink that Frank Miller is shooting Ronin! Been waiting for that for years!
Can’t believe I haven’t read any of these! Definitely gonna read The long walk, though.
Great piece!
I agree with most of the posts here…I would add, as an addition to the necroscope series by Brian Lumley, to include “The House of Doors” as well.
Also, Terry Brooks “Running with Demons Trilogy”, and “Swan Song” by Robert McCammon.
Slob was a brilliant thriller! Thanks for reminding me of it!
Another that I’ve read recently that would be an awesome movie is The Assassin’s Gallery by David L. Robbins.
Rendezvous with Rama
Arthur C Clarke
Just read the excellent news that David Fincher’s next movie will be Rendezvous With Rama.
[...] read more | digg story [...]
I was thinking about how good a movie “The Long Walk would be a few months back. Amazing book!
I agree with the Book of the New Sun. Wolfe’s language is so vivid I think it would translate amazingly to the big screen. Also, Valis, by Philip K Dick.I could see maybe Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman pulling it off.
Delighted to see someone finally mention “The Stars My Destination”, one of my all time favorites. (Up there with “I Am Legend”, which has already been butchered three times.) Oddly enough, I could see Arnold, Van Damme or even Stallone as the main character. The work of Gene Wolfe (”Book of the New Sun”, “,,,the Long Sun”, “,,,the Short Sun”} all interlock and are absolutely astonishing. And far too complex for the average reader, let alone movie-goer. “Dreamsnake” has a breathtaking ending. Any “Culture” novel by Iain M. Banks would be impressive. Heinlein, Asimov and Dick have all been atrociously abused and deserve better. Hal Clement (”Mission of Gravity”, “Nitrogen Fix”, etc.)is worth consideration. Pohl’s “Gateway” series would be interesting. Something by Chris Moore (”Fluke”, “Coyote Blue” or “Bloodsucking Fiends”) would be hilarious. And van Vogt deserves recognition; “Slan” perhaps (although my favorite is “The World of Null-A”). A lifetime of reading and dreaming of the future has left me desolately disappointed in my species, but still enthralled by our potential.
there making a watchmen movie