Books have long been a goldmine for movie ideas for years, from classics like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Lord of the Rings to more recent works like Annihilation and Gone Girl.
In recent years, however, there’s been a deluge of movie adaptations of young adult novels that attempt to tap into the teen market as well as appeal to older audiences. Thanks to the successes of The Hunger Games and Twilight, the trend for YA book-to-movie adaptations seems to only have grown stronger. Since the popularity of YA novels has yet to cool down, there’s still a whole treasure trove of material for studio execs to draw from.
However, not everyone can stay in the spotlight like Katniss and Harry, even with a star-studded cast and big-name directors. The stigma around YA movies— particularly paranormal romances— hasn’t helped either. Still, that hasn’t stopped studios from trying to launch the next big franchise.
This list takes into consideration both critics’ consensus, audience reactions, and box office performance, but it leans more heavily on the latter two. After all, it’s the popularity of a movie that makes it a hit, even if the reviews are unfavorable, and stellar reviews don’t always save movies from flopping at the box office.
There aren’t spoilers for any of the movies or books listed, so you can definitely check out the works mentioned and decide whether you agree with the critics or not.
Here are 11 YA Movie Adaptations That Flopped (And 9 Massive Hits).
Flop: Eragon
Eragon captured the hearts and minds of many a teen when it was re-published by Alfred A. Knopf in 2003, two years after author Christopher Paolini’s parents first self-published the book.
While some have criticized it for its similarities to Star Warsand Earthsea, its popularity prompted 20th Century Fox to release a film adaptation. It even had pretty impressive cast comprising of acclaimed actors like Rachel Weisz and Jeremy Irons, while then-rising stars like Ed Speleers and Garret Hedlund rounded out the line-up. However, even these amazing actors couldn’t quite make the wooden dialogue work.
The movie did so poorly that initial plans to make it a multi-part franchise were scrapped.
It was even the 10th worst reviewed film of the year on Rotten Tomatoes.
Hit: The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins won countless awards for The Hunger Games and its sequels, so it was only a matter of time before it was picked up for a movie adaptation. Lionsgate and Color Force co-produced the movie, which became a blockbuster and solidified Jennifer Lawrence’s position in the mainstream spotlight. It also helped launch the career of Amandla Stenberg, who has gone on to star in Everything, Everything and this year’s The Hate U Give, both of which are also YA book-to-movie adaptations. Although the movies and books have been criticized for its strong similarities with Battle Royale, that hasn’t stopped millions of fans from cheering for the introverted girl from District 12 who becomes a symbol of rebellion.
Flop: Inkheart
In Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart trilogy, Meggie and her father Mo are able to bring fiction into the real world by reading books out loud. The creativity of the premise and the way the books celebrate the joy of reading have won Funke numerous prizes in Germany and in the U.S.
The movie adaptation from New Line Cinema seemed promising with a cast that included Helen Mirren, Brenden Fraser, and Andy Serkis. But unlike Mo and Meggie, the movie failed the characters of the book to life.
It has a critic rating of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the audience score is only marginally better at 45%.
Inkheart may be the first book in a trilogy, but the movie adaptation doesn’t have any sequels on the horizon.
Hit: Love, Simon
This heart-warming coming-of-age story about a closeted gay teen first burst onto the scene in 2015 as the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. It accrued many accolades and positive reviews, eventually prompting 20th Century Fox to adapt the book into a movie.
The movie has helped make strides for inclusion in Hollywood as the first teen romance from a major studio to focus on a gay teen. Plus, aside from the significance of focusing on a gay teen, it’s a solid movie, with a whopping 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and a slew of positive reviews.
There’s a book sequel called Leah on the Offbeat that focuses on Leah, so while there aren’t any concrete plans to adapt it, it’s certainly not an impossible prospect.
Flop: I Am Number Four
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (aka James Frey and Jobie Hughes) spent seven weeks in the top spot of the New York Times bestseller list, but the sci-fi novel didn’t do well as a movie.
DreamWorks won the rights and Michael Bay produced the film version, while teen heartthrobs Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron starred.
Despite the big names attached to the production, the movie received mostly mixed reviews.
The book is the first in a series of seven books, so the film could have been a multi-film franchise a la the Twilight series. However, I Am Number Four’s appalling performance meant that any plans for sequels were put to a halt, at least for now.
Hit: The Princess Diaries
Before Anne Hathaway became an award-winning household name, she played Mia Thermopolis in the movie adaptation of Meg Cabot’s novel The Princess Diaries.
Its rating on Rotten Tomatoes sits at 47%, but the movie has produced so many iconic moments that it’s lodged solidly in pop culture. Plus, with Whitney Houston on board as a producer and Julie Andrews playing the Queen of Genovia, the movie propelled Hathaway into the spotlight. Not bad for a film debut.
The Princess Diaries is a series of over ten books, but there’s only two movies to date. That said, there’s a script forThe Princess Diaries 3. So who knows, maybe Princess Mia will have a triumphant return in the future.
Flop: Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
The Saga of Darren Shan by Darren Shan is a series of twelve YA horror books that have been translated into 30 languages. The movie adaptation of the first three volumes didn’t enjoy the same popularity as the source material, though, and it couldn’t ride the rising tide of vampire movies introduced by Twilight.
The movie boasts an impressive cast that includes John C. Reilly, Salma Hayek, Willem Dafoe, Ken Watanabe and a teenaged Josh Hutcherson, all under the direction of Paul Weitz.
The movie was a massive flop thanks to its weak characterization and poor pacing.
Despite there being nine more books in the series, it’s safe to say that a movie sequel isn’t happening any time soon.
Flop: Stormbreaker
The movie adaptation of Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz (released in the U.S. as Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker) was originally intended to be the start of a film franchise. The original series comprises of over a dozen books, including the supplementary volumes, but the movie didn’t enjoy the same level of success.
The story follows a 14-year-old boy who is recruited by the Special Operations Division of MI6 following the passing of his uncle who had been a spy, played by Ewan McGregor. The movie even features big names like Andy Serkis, Stephen Fry and Bill Nighy, but ultimately flopped.
However, it did introduce audiences to young Alex Pettyfer though, who was slated to become the next major teen idol.
Hit: Twilight
Love it or hate it, no list about YA movie adaptations would ever be complete without the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. The first book of the series had mixed reviews and has been criticized for romanticizing toxic relationships, but the criticism didn’t stymie its rise to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.
The first movie also received lukewarm reviews from critics, resulting in a rating of 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. Its sequels fared even worse, with ratings ranging from 25% to 48%. Still, that didn’t stop fans from flocking to the theatres to witness the romance between Edward and Bella, even when the final book was split into two movies.
In fact, Twilight had the highest ever opening weekend gross for a film directed by a woman when it was released.
Flop: The Host
The Twilight series might have been a major hit among both movie-goers and readers, but Meyer’s other notable work The Host couldn’t quite live up to those high standards. The Host is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which parasitic aliens have taken over humanity.
The plot focuses a parasitic alien who inhabits the body of a human named Melanie, although the movie focuses on Melanie (played by Saoirse Ronan) instead of the alien.
The book became a #1 New York Times bestseller, but the movie wasn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser.
While audiences were lukewarm about it, critics generally panned the film for its weak script, lack of dramatic tension, and unimaginative use of young adult romance tropes.
Hit: The Fault In Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green was a universal hit, receiving praise particularly for its sense of humor, themes, and fleshed-out characters. It debuted at the top of the New York Times bestseller list and generated a lot of conversation about appropriate topics for YA books, propelling it even further into the spotlight.
The movie adaptation was released two years later, starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, who were praised for their performances as Hazel and Gus. The cast also included industry legends Laura Dern and Willem Dafoe.
Overall, the movie was a massive hit among critics and general movie-goers alike. In addition to stellar ratings and reviews, it also proved to be a blockbuster.
Flop: Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Creatures had a cast that included cinematic icons like Viola Davis, Emma Thompson. and Jeremy Irons, in addition to rising stars Alden Ehrenreich and Alice Englert. To top it all off, the production was helmed by Richard LaGravenese, who was nominated for the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for The Fisher King.
The movie couldn’t escape comparisons to Twilight as it hopped on the YA supernatural romance train.
The book by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl was written from the perspective of Ethan, who has a distinct narrative voice that engaged readers. The film, however, was bogged down by heavy exposition as it attempted to deposit a wealth of information from the page onto the screen.
Hit: The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride has become such a staple of pop culture that it was added to the National Film Registry in 2016. However, it wasn’t exactly a blockbuster when it was first released, and only became a cult classic as the years passed.
The screenplay was actually written by William Goldman, who also penned the original novel.
The movie keeps the book’s narrative voice by framing the immortal romance between Buttercup and Westley as a story shared by a grandfather with his grandson. On the other hand, the book is presented as an abridged version of a story by S. Morgenstern edited by Goldman, and the framing device has become something of a running joke as Goldman references legal complications with “Morgenstern’s estate.”
Flop: Beastly
Alex Pettyfer also starred in Beastly, yet another book-to-movie adaptation that shot for the stars yet missed wildly. Loosely based on the novel of the same name by Alex Flinn, Beastly is a modern reimagining of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale set in New York City.
The original book received praise for its twist on the classic fairy tale and won numerous accolades. Unfortunately, not even the popularity of stars like Vanessa Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen and Neil Patrick Harris could make up for the stilted dialogue and corny special effects. The movie ultimately earned a 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes in addition to a string of negative reviews, a stark contrast with the high praise received by the book.
Hit: Harry Potter
In addition to being a major book-to-movie adaptation, Harry Potter is without a doubt one of the biggest cultural phenomena of our time.
Many hardcore Potterheads grew up alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they grappled with adolescence and fought the Dark Lord.
The franchise now includes video games, the Pottermore website, multiple tie-in books, spin-off movies, a stage production, and even theme park attractions like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Hogwarts Houses have also entered our cultural vocabulary and become an identifier added into countless twitter bios.
It’s hard to imagine a world without the Boy Who Lived, who remained a fundamentally good person despite the abuse he went through as a young orphan and the horrific ordeals he endured as a teen.
Flop: Vampire Academy
Paranormal romances are nothing new in the world of young adult fiction, but following the commercial success of the Twilight films, studios began to really lean into the subgenre. Richelle Mead’s dark fantasy series Vampire Academy may be a best-selling hit, but it didn’t translate well onto the screen.
At first glance, this movie adaptation of the first book seemed like a blockbuster hopeful— it was directed by Mark Waters, and the screenplay was by Daniel Waters. With major high school movies like Mean Girls and Heathers to their names, they seemed to be the perfect duo to lead a story about a half-vampire, half-human teenager at a supernatural high school.
Alas, it bombed hard at the box office, and it’s highly unlikely that a sequel will ever see the light of day.
Hit: The Maze Runner
The Maze Runner could have joined the list of generic dystopian YA book-to-movie adaptations, but stood out thanks to its mysteries and its darker take on YA dystopias. James Dashner’s series of novels already had a large following, nut the movie also enticed casual audiences because of how expertly it provided answers while simultaneously revealing new questions, leaving viewers hooked.
Solid performances from the cast have also bolstered positives review.
Though some of the cast were already pretty well-known, the movies helped to really launch the career of Ki Hong Lee. Plus, Blake Cooper got the role of Chuck through Twitter, tweeting at director Wes Ball until Ball caved in and directed Cooper to Denise Chamian, the casting director.
Flop: The 5th Wave
Although The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner have enjoyed mainstream success as both books and movies, The 5th Wave failed to achieve the same popularity as a movie adaptation. Rick Yancey’s YA sci-fi novel of the same name is the first in a trilogy, and centers on a teenaged girl as she attempts to survive wave after wave of alien invasions on post-apocalyptic Earth.
The movie version stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Nick Robinson, whose performances couldn’t compensate for the predictable script and mediocre special effects.
Yancey completed the third and final book in 2016, but considering how poorly the first movie performed, it’s hard to imagine any of the sequels getting adapted into movies.
Hit: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, based on Stephen Chbosky’s novel of the same name, was a commercial success and received many positive reviews, culminating in a rating of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. To top it all off, the ensemble cast were also praised for their performances - particularly Emma Watson, who had just wrapped up her iconic role as Hermione Granger for good. This heartfelt coming-of-age story follows Charlie has he navigates his teenage years during the 1990s.
The book’s mentions of substance use, LGBTQ issues, and mental health problems have gotten it banned in some schools. In fact, the MPAA initially gave the movie version an R rating due to the references to more mature content, but later changed it to PG-13.
Flop: The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones
Cassandra Clare’s series of six YA fantasy books may have been wildly popular, but the movie adaptation of the first book failed to live up to the hype. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones follows teenage New Yorker Clary Fray—played by Lily Collins—as she discovers that she’s a Shadowhunter, a half-angel, half-human warrior.
Though YA has gotten a bad rap, the movie certainly didn’t do anything to help improve perceptions of the genre, and it isn’t getting a sequel even though there’s a wealth of material in the books.
That said, the book has been adapted into a TV show called Shadowhunters.
The series has been canceled after three seasons, but has received a better reception compared to the disastrous movie.
Do you have any favorite YA movie adaptations? Tell us in the comments below!
