Top Ten Tuesday: Movies/TV Shows That Would Have Made Amazing Books

Author: Luke M.

Anybody interested in literature or film knows that no idea is truly original. It’s easy to conclude that some of the most popular movies and tv shows, such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Game of Thrones, are based on books. In fact, between 1968 and 2002, about 35% of movies were based on books. This is why it’s so rare to find an amazing movie and/or tv show, and then discover it’s not based on any printed source material. That being said, such media does exist and today I am going to list 10 movies/tv shows that would make amazing YA books, in no particular order.

1. Bottoms

From the producers of Pitch Perfect and Cocaine Bear (so basically Elizabeth Banks), the satirical teen comedy film Bottoms is the epitome of absurd comedic humor that results in an insane, yet really enjoyable film. The film follows two unpopular high school girls (Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edibri) that start a feminist “self-defense” club in their school so they could flirt with cheerleaders. While no easy task, a concept as absurd as this would make into a really interesting read. They would not even have to change the story too much since all the necessary characters and events are in place to fit the Hero’s Journey.

2. The Afterparty

I present to you, one of the most underrated shows on Apple TV+ (in all 5 years of the service’s existence). Created by Christopher Miller, best known for his work on the Lego Movie and Spider-verse films, the Afterparty centers on Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) as she interviews suspects about the murder of a famous pop star, with each suspect presenting their story in a different genre of film. The show mixes drama with comedy, making it an enjoyable watch to anybody interested in a good binge. Since each episode is centered on a specific character, it's easy to translate this into literature by making a chapter dedicated to each suspect. Perhaps this hypothetical book could have each chapter written by different authors, similar to Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View.

3. The Owl House

For a cartoon that hasn’t even been out for five years (and already ended last year), this show has left quite the tremendous impact on television. Created by Dana Terrace, the show follows the quirky teen protagonist Luz (Sarah-Nicole Robles) who finds herself stranded in a magical world full of witches and other creatures, otherwise known as the demon realm. With the help of a few friends she makes along the way, Luz is on a quest to return home, while also uncovering a few secrets about the magical world she is situated in. Praised for its amazing storytelling and LGBTQ+ representation, all the ingredients for an amazing graphic novel series are clearly brewing. If not that, perhaps a fictional guide to the complex lore of the show, akin to Journal 3 from Gravity Falls.

4. Totally Killer

Get ready for a convoluted premise with this next film, released on Amazon Prime in 2023. Totally Killer follows Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) as she ends up time traveling back to 1987, the year where a murderer named the Sweet 16 Killer killed three of her mom’s friends. While stuck in 1987, Jamie tries to prevent her mom’s friends from being murdered by the Sweet 16 Killer so that he won’t murder her mom in the present day. If that premise sounded extremely confusing, don’t worry, I thought that too when I was watching it. Out of all the titles mentioned in this blog, this would be the one that would benefit the most by becoming a book. Since there is no page limit to books, to my knowledge, there would be more of a chance to elaborate on the premise without it being insanely convoluted.

5. Outer Banks

Is there really anything that I can say about this show that isn’t already common knowledge? With its unique setting, intricate characters, and a story that can easily grab the attention of anyone, it’s amazing that no one has thought about turning this into a book series years ago. 

6. No Hard Feelings

Out of all the titles mentioned in this list, this is probably the movie that would be the easiest to translate into a book (Totally Killer would benefit more though). Jennifer Lawrence plays Maddie Barker, a down on her luck woman that, in order to keep her childhood home, agrees to date Percy (Andrew Feldman), the awkward son of a wealthy couple. This is probably one of the more straightforward movies to book adaptations, still making an amazing read though. 

7. Only Murders in the Building

  

This is one of the shows that I have the misfortune of admitting I have never given a proper watch to, though after reading the premise, I think there would be a lot of potential for expansion. Created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, the show chronicles three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez) that make their own true crime podcast to solve a murder that was executed in their apartment building. Similar to the Afterparty, a murder mystery with hints of comedy would provide an amazing read sure to captivate teens.

8. Arcane: League of Legends  

Another show I unfortunately have not actually watched yet (there are only 2 on this list, I am a mostly reliable source). Supposedly set in the League of Legends Universe, the show centers on the origin stories of two famous fighters, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell). Containing rich worldbuilding and mind-blowing animation, the show could reach out to more people if adapted into graphic novels, perhaps an expansion of the universe already jump started by League of Legends.

9. Ted Lasso

Let’s be honest, Ted Lasso would make a great movie, a great video game, probably a card game (oh wait, that actually exists); basically a great anything. Jason Sudeikis struck gold when he both created and starred in Ted Lasso, a sports-comedy that focuses on the optimistic titular character that is hired to coach an English soccer team, hoping that it would lead to the team’s downfall; but surprisingly, the exact opposite happens. A show as incredibly endearing and charming as this would make an incredibly enjoyable read for any day you feel down. 

10. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

To end off this list is, weirdly enough, one of the most wholesome movies in this list, despite it being about a talking shell. Based on the shorts directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, this live-action/stop-motion mockumentary focuses on the titular Marcel (Jenny Slate) and her journey to find her family after a viral short garners her a mass following (definitely not inspired by real life events, trust me). While no simple task, this concept could possibly be adapted into a comedic take on autobiographies. I can imagine Marcel’s story being presented like it was based on real life events.

Librarian's note: While this delightful film has not been adapted to a YA book (and it totally should be!), it has been captured in a charming picture book for the littles. Check it out at the Winter Park Library!