7 Books That Are Way Better than Their Movie ...

By Avantika • Jun 26, 2015 MD

Confession: I’m a purist when it comes to books and am very picky when it comes to on-screen adaptations of popular and well-loved works of fiction. I watch these films with the critical eye of a book lover and am constantly comparing details from the book to those on the big screen. And these are 7 books that I feel have not been done justice with. They’re so much better than their movies!

1. Pride & Prejudice

One of my favorite books of all time, the 2005 movie of the same name does NO justice to it at all. None. Sure, it may be a watchable movie and if you’ve not read the book you would even enjoy it. However, if you get a chance, read the original novel by Jane Austen and you’ll find so much more depth to the characters and story.

[Note: I’m not including the 1994 TV mini-series here because that wouldn’t technically qualify as a movie. But that is one awesome adaptation of the book.]

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2. Harry Potter (1-7)

Don’t bite my head off here please but I really think the Harry Potter books are way better than their movies. And I’m sure a lot of HP loyalists will think like me. There is just so much more detail, so many more characters and so many little plots in the books that you just don’t see on the big screen. And so whenever I need my magic fix, I’ll head to my bookshelf and not my TV.

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3. Charlie & the Chocolate Factory

Nobody who has read this Roald Dahl classic will question this. As good an actor as Johnny Depp is, he was woefully disappointing as Willy Wonka. And don’t even get me started on deviations from the original, much loved across the world, story. Stick to the book for this one, I say.

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4. Bridget Jones’s Diary

Oh dear, where do I even start here? I love the book. But casting Colin Firth as a main character ruined it for me completely. Why? Because in the book, the character of Bridget Jones is a fan of (wait for it) Colin Firth, the actor! Now you see the ridiculousness of the whole thing? Add to this several plot changes and I’d rather stick with reading the book here.

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5. The Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)

As good as the movies are, the books are just so much better. SO MUCH BETTER. And that’s all I have to say about this.

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6. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

I don’t think any movie can ever capture the brilliance that this book is. And honestly, to get a lot of the jokes in the movie, you have to have read the book. Otherwise you’re just going to be left wondering what happened there?!

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7. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson’s book is so, so good. And the movies (both the US and the Swedish versions) are nowhere close. There is just so much more to the book than what the movies show. The book leaves you totally gripped and I for one couldn’t put it down. I wish I could say the same about the movies though!

There is something about the written word that is difficult to translate into a movie that is as close to the original story as possible. A lot of filmmakers do get it right and some miss the spot when adapting books into movies. These are 7 books that I think are way better than their movies. What books make your list?

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

  • J

    2015-06-27T06:07:10.683Z

    There would be no way to incorporate every detail of Harry Potter into 7 movies but they really gave you a feel for what life would be like at hogwarts thru out different holidays
  • Firewithin_me

    2015-06-27T04:38:28.259Z

    You totally forgot the Hunger Games and Divergent! Who could forget those?? Lol
  • Seriously

    2015-06-27T04:58:34.187Z

    Charlie and the Chocolate factory is amazing, I think Johnny portrayed Willy Wonka perfectly!
  • totalblondie128

    2015-06-28T05:13:08.989Z

    Totally agree with @Ashleypaige311! The book was so amazing that the movie didn't stand a chance. The film was good but not as good as the book
  • Nerd_Girl_2091

    2015-07-02T08:50:14.240Z

    Let's see, Percy Jackson, The Maze Runner, The Saddle Club (okay that was a series adapted into a series, but I loved the books and couldn't stand to watch the show), Tuck Everlasting (although the movie is really good, the book in depth character conflict rather than just showing the love story), The Hunger Games trilogy (Although Frances Lawrence has done a better job than most), etc. Honestly I feel books are always better! The only Movie EVER that was better than the book it was based on would be Aquamarine. The movie was adventurous and fun and left you with the lingering promise of future adventures left untold, while the book was short and dull and left the girls with nothing but their memories of the past.
  • Shweta

    2015-06-27T15:18:49.964Z

    How can u frgt fifty shades of grey by E. L. James
  • Cheshire

    2015-06-27T03:07:42.722Z

    I like the Lizzy and Darcy in the movie better than the series, in my opinion the actress that plays Elizabeth in the series is too mild tempered and not feisty enough to be Lizzy
  • Beryl

    2015-06-27T08:02:01.612Z

    @Kitty Eva. I agree ! I cringed when I saw that film! When she hobbled his ankles ? Yell! I also thought Cujo out of this world. Nearly fell off my chair when Cujo jumped up at the car window! In fact I think all Stephen King's books make better films. Christine ? When the car just waits menacingly ?
  • lizmarkovich

    2015-06-27T04:47:00.447Z

    All books are better than the movie! Excluding the Hunger Games trilogy...I truly think that the movies are better than the books.
  • Kelly

    2015-06-27T08:48:23.223Z

    The Harry Potter movies were awful in comparison they took an amazing story and ruined it. Pride and Prejudice mini series was amazing. I cannot believe anyone would cast Keira Knightly as Lizzy it was an awful casting choice for the movie x
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