10 Live-Action Adaptations That Transcended Their Source Material

The success of a live-action adaptation can sometimes lead to another installment, but sometimes extending the story means the project falls outside the remaining source material - that is if there is any left at all. When this happens, the approach taken by the producers can vary. While one of the most common ways a story can be fleshed out after the source material has been exhausted is to write an original sequel, sometimes the new entry into the canon takes place before the already-established events.

Live-action adaptations can become TV shows or feature-length films. However, there are various examples that prove TV is a better medium for book adaptations. The process of translating the story from one medium to another can differ depending on factors such as the genre and how the tale was originally told. The original work can often take the form of a novel or comic book. However, other forms of source material are used - like video games, for instance. Regardless, it's always interesting to see how an original addition to an established adaptation can fit within its respective lore.

Blade Runner 2049

This Harrison Ford sequel continued the events of a book adaptation

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

While it takes some noticeable creative liberties, the 2016 film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's book, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, was a successful expansion of the Harry Potter universe. What's interesting about this movie is that it is based on a book that was originally presented as a textbook within the Harry Potter series. Rowling never wrote a narrative follow-up to the textbook, so the movie had to create a completely new story within the same magical world. The original book may have been a fictional textbook, but Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them brought it to life on the big screen with its own unique storyline.

This Harry Potter property expanded two stories at once

Eddie Redmayne As Newt Scamander looking surprised in Fantastic Beasts - This Harry Potter property expanded two stories at once - Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Beginning in 2016, the Fantastic Beasts trilogy serves as a prequel to the original Harry Potter movies. While the Harry Potter books are the main inspiration behind both movie franchises, the Fantastic Beasts films were brought into existence by adapting a 2001 book. The book in question, also titled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is a little unconventional. Instead of a traditional narrative, the literary work serves as an in-universe account of the fictitious Newt Scamander.

Although elements from the book were used for the movie adaptations, the nature of 2001's Fantastic Beasts meant the narrative was rather thin. So, JK Rowling penned a script based on her own meta book to add to the canon of a movie franchise based on the main seven books - also written by Rowling. The following two Fantastic Beasts sequels were also written the same way and continued the events of the first movie, despite there only being one book.

Newt Scamander is brought to life by Eddie Redmayne in the Fantastic Beasts trilogy.

You

The Netflix show quickly became its own entity

Penn Badgley as Joe looking stunned in in You - The Netflix show quickly became its own entity

You season 5's milestone signifies that there are now more seasons of the show than there are books by Caroline Kepnes. In the early stages of the show's production, Kepnes' You book series served as the primary source material. However, only You season 1 remained faithful to Kepnes' works. Subsequently, the show began to incorporate occasional characters and loose storylines from the books, eventually establishing its unique narrative.

Consequently, the events depicted in the You TV show can be viewed as an alternate timeline for Joe, even though this concept is never explicitly mentioned. Despite the availability of additional books for adaptation in You season 2 and beyond, Netflix opted to diverge from the original story. Nonetheless, the faithful adaptation of the first book technically enables the show to extend the narrative beyond its source material.

Game Of Thrones

The TV show overtook George RR Martin's work

The success of the show contributed to the downfall of Game of Thrones season 8. Despite being originally based on George RR Martin's book series, the overwhelming demand for more content led the TV adaptation to surpass the source material before the final season. Consequently, season 8 was produced without a book to guide its storyline, resulting in a poorly received ending that diverged from Martin's original vision.

As Game of Thrones evolved, Martin's involvement in the adaptation changed significantly. In the earlier seasons, he was actively engaged in the process, writing scripts, advising on casting decisions, and visiting sets. However, as the show progressed towards its conclusion, Martin gradually distanced himself to focus on completing the final book in his series. By the time seasons 7 and 8 rolled around, Martin admitted to being largely disconnected from the show's development.

The Umbrella Academy

Season 4 will take the titular academy beyond the comic book timeline

The Watchmen series on HBO has been a groundbreaking adaptation that has captivated audiences. Despite its success, fans of the original graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons were initially skeptical about the TV series. However, Watchmen managed to exceed expectations by expanding upon the source material and introducing new characters and storylines. The show's innovative approach to storytelling and social commentary has earned critical acclaim and multiple awards, solidifying its place as a modern classic.

The Watchmen TV show stays true to the original comic storyline

It may be easy to assume that the 2019 Watchmen spinoff show serves as a sequel to Zack Snyder's 2009 movie adaptation. However, this is not the case. While Snyder's film closely followed the 1986-1987 Alan Moore comic series, the TV show actually acts as a continuation of the original comic storyline rather than the movie. Snyder's movie diverged from the comic's ending significantly, but the Watchmen show remains faithful to the source material, maintaining the original conclusion while further developing the narrative.

Son Of The Mask

Jim Carrey was absent from the second movie

Jamie Kennedy as the new Mask in Son of the Mask - Jim Carrey was absent from the second movie - Son Of The Mask

The Mask, released in 1994, is considered one of Jim Carrey's standout films. However, he did not reprise his role for the 2005 sequel, Son of the Mask. While both movies draw inspiration from a comic book series, only The Mask is a direct adaptation of one of the comic's stories. On the other hand, Son of the Mask introduces Jamie Kennedy as Tim Avery, a new character created for the film. Unfortunately, the sequel fails to capture the magic of the original and misses the mark by not staying true to the source material. Consequently, Son of the Mask explores new ideas that were never part of the original comic book series.

Altered Carbon

This Netflix adaptation tried to create a more coherent timeline

Netflix's Altered Carbon TV show was based on a book trilogy by Richard K Morgan, and the author's stories originally had an anthological feel - despite also being linear. Altered Carbon season 1 was essentially a verbatim adaptation of the first book in the series, also titled Altered Carbon. However, in an attempt to make season 2 feel more like a traditional second season, Netflix wrote an original story for Anthony Mackie's Takeshi Kovacs. There were no more than a handful of references to the final two books in Altered Carbon season 2, meaning the story completely diverted from Morgan's work.

Uncharted

Tom Holland's Uncharted movie may serve as a prequel to the games

2022's Uncharted movie brought about significant changes to the game series, raising eyebrows among fans. Despite the criticisms surrounding Tom Holland's portrayal of Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg's Victor "Sully" Sullivan, some argue that the film offers a reimagined take on the game's events. This notion is supported by the post-credit scene in Uncharted, where Holland and Wahlberg resemble their game counterparts more closely. Despite its flaws, the movie introduces new characters and an adventure not explored in the game universe.

Joker

Joaquin Phoenix's version of the iconic DC villain may not be all that he seems

Joker still featuring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular supervillain. - Joaquin Phoenix's version of the iconic DC villain may not be all that he seems

DC Comics has delved into different origin stories for the Joker throughout the years. Despite some versions gaining more popularity, the true beginning of the villain remains ambiguous within comic book lore. The 2019 film Joker presented a live-action interpretation of one of these origin theories. However, it also introduced intriguing alterations that suggest the narrative unfolds far earlier than the well-known Joker we are familiar with.

There is a popular theory that Arthur Fleck wasn't the real Joker. This is reinforced by the fact that Phoenix's Joker was known as Arthur Fleck before his transformation, and this name is never used in the comics. In addition, the age gap between Bruce Wayne and Arthur in the movie is much too big for the pair to ever believably square off.

Therefore, it's more likely that Arthur's Joker is the in-universe inspiration for the more familiar version of the villain seen in other properties. In other words, the comic book Joker is a copycat who imitates Arthur Fleck.

Editor's P/S:

The article delves into the fascinating world of live-action adaptations, exploring how they can extend and build upon their source material. It examines various approaches taken by filmmakers and showrunners, from writing original sequels to creating prequels that delve into the events before the established narratives. The article also highlights the challenges and opportunities that arise when the source material runs out, prompting creators to either diverge from the original story or find innovative ways to continue the narrative.

The article also explores the impact of live-action adaptations on the original source material, showcasing examples where the adaptations have either remained faithful to the original work or taken creative liberties. It highlights the importance of balancing the desire to expand the story with the need to maintain the integrity and essence of the original creation. Overall, the article offers a thought-provoking look at the dynamic relationship between live-action adaptations and their source material, demonstrating the endless possibilities and creative challenges that emerge when one medium translates into another.