Worst book-to-movie adaptations

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World War Z was a book I really liked and the movie was such a butchering that I couldn't watch it all the way thru u

I agree that movies can be better than the books. I’ve just finished King’s “Cycle of the werewolf” and I liked the movie “Silver bullet” way better, and so much that I wanted it on DVD after watching it online.
Cujo the movie was better than the book, but neither was good IMO.
I like The Shining movie and the miniseries that follows the book closely equally good. I think they’re both really great.
The Green Mile, Langoliers and Dream catcher were equally good as movies and books, Langoliers being really great, and one of my favorite stories. Maybe because it’s slightly reminiscent of my favorite Twilight Zone episode (Odyssey of flight 33). The Fire starter was also equal as book and movie.
Pet Sematary was great both as book and movie, but I prefer the book. Maybe King's very best.

It's a real shame that Eragon turned out to be such a flop (even the author admitted he didn't like it.) I really loved the books and thought that there was a lot of lost potential to make something brilliant of them. I hope someone does a remake of it.

I agree with Skilpadde, and others, who said a movie can be better than the book. IMO, both "The Devil Wears Prada", and "Bridget Jones' Diary" were incredibly sucky books, but GREAT flicks!!

I guess, probably, the worst book-to-movie adaptations were, for ME, Harry Potter. For instance, that first screenwriter (he did every movie but no. 5, I think), Steven Knowles (I think his name was) was in LOVE with the character Hermione (actually, it was possibly Emma Watson that he adored), and gave her too many lines----lines that belonged to other characters, that were IN the movie, and there was no reason why they couldn't have delivered their OWN lines!!

L.A. Confidential was a decent enough book, but made an even better movie.

The Cat in the Hat (2003)
The City of Ember (2008)
The Great Gatsby (2013)
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

It has been rumored for some time that WB might use a prequel script for a reboot of I Am Legend, which IMO, is just a waste given that the 2007 version is not even 10 years old.

If WB does - and it's actually good - then there is a God.

Just watch The Last Man on Earth if you want a good I Am Legend adaptation. They got it right the first time. It's in the public domain and available on YouTube, Archive.org, and just about everywhere else.

I'll add to this list The Talented Mr. Ripley, which isn't just a bad film (overlong, pretentious, poorly-acted, and self-indulgent) but a travesty of an adaptation written by someone who didn't understand the book at all. The first film version, Purple Noon, screwed up the ending, but the later film screws up just about everything.

I never read the book, but 'The Last Man on Earth' is fantastic. It's a shame that Vincent Price has a reputation as a cheesy horror movie actor, because he was extremely talented and dramatic.

I also think 'The Omega Man' is a lot of fun, but again, I don't know how it relates to the book.

The Omega Man has so little to do with the book that it hardly qualifies as an adaptation. Of all the films, The Last Man on Earth is by far the most faithful. If you've seen it, you pretty much know the book, though it's sort of a cut-down b-movie (but still very well-done) version of the book.

The Will Smith movie has its moments, but I can certainly live without ever seeing it again, even with the original ending. Plot and tone-wise, it's even less faithful than The Omega Man. The fact that it's the only film version to use the book's title is a joke.

It's also worth mentioning Night of the Living Dead, which George Romero openly acknowledged as sort of an unofficial adaptation of I Am Legend. Funny thing is, despite all the differences, it's closer to the book than the later two official adaptations.

I guess I'm just a hardcore book lover.
I do enjoy Stephen King movies, especially The Stand and The Shining, but I still prefer the book versions.

HBO's Game of Thrones is so popular, yet so AWFUL compared to the books. Anyone who's a fan of that show and hasn't read the books is seriously missing out.

The Bell Jar was awful.

Battlefield Earth hasn't been mentioned yet? Does the entire book have to be done?

The Bell Jar was awful.

Battlefield Earth hasn't been mentioned yet? Does the entire book have to be done?

Blood and Chocolate.
Ella Enchanted.
World War Z.

All terrible movies.

Battlefield Earth was awful to the point where the word "awful" wouldn't be an accurate adjective.