Fans are diehard.
Fans fill convention centers, stadiums, and Internet forums to participate in what they love. Throwing certain statements into a crowded room of fans or posting just the right meme can earn you an opinion war.
For instance: “I liked the ending of “Lost.” “The Star Wars sequel trilogy made perfect sense.” “Hey, did anyone watch the Stranger Things finale?”
Transforming a story into a new medium is a labor of love. It’s exciting for the original creator and can ignite their career. It can introduce new generations to the characters their parents loved.
There is a dark side for every tale of success, though.
Adaptations that never make it past scriptwriting. Movie rights purchased but never acted upon. Or the worst fate of all: the adaptation comes out, and it is so disliked by fans they pretend it doesn’t exist.
Still, we continue to seek to see our favorite books, movies, and video games transformed anew. It gives us another taste of that magic we felt when we first fell in love with the story. Seeing your favorite characters leap off the page and triumph in the realm of live action or animation is a thrill like no other when done right.
Most exciting for us librarians: new fans of the adaptation flock to the original book. They want to know everything. They want to know what changes were made, what was preserved, what was updated for the modern era. Look no further than the surge in sales of Bridgerton books and Heated Rivalry, or the unceasing, self-fulfilling popularity of manga and anime.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, adaptations of popular books are here to stay. Read before you watch with this book list of 2026 movie and television releases. Personally, this year I am most excited for Project Hail Mary and Supergirl.
Grace Downey
Readers’ Services Librarian
