Have you ever sat down to watch a movie or television show and thought to yourself “haven’t I seen this before?” Or opened up a book only to close it a couple of chapters in because, for some strange reason, the plot and characters seemed extremely familiar? That’s because you probably have read or seen it before, just in a different way. Adaptations are a huge trend right now, with books, movies and television series all being reworked and changed for a different medium. Adaptations have been happening for what seems like ever, but have reached a whole new level in recent years. Notable examples include John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars” on the big screen and the increase in superheroes leaving their comic book pages for some air time on network television, like “Arrow,” “Gotham,” and “The Flash.” Simply, adaptations are a great way to target audiences as you’re recreating something that they already love just in a different medium. But why have adaptations become so popular? Are they more successful if they mirror their original, or is creativity expected? And what’s the deal with all of those television shows about superheroes?!
Television executive producer Jason Katims knows adaptations well, having worked on “Friday Night Lights,” “Parenthood” and “About a Boy,” all of which were adapted from movies and/or books of the same names. In an October 2014 interview with TheWrap, Katims explained that he believed the trend was simply a matter of ease. “It’s very difficult to get shows on the air. So I think that sometimes, having this source material, not only for yourself as a creative and a writer, but also for the sake of how it’s perceived in the marketplace, by both the networks and ultimately by the audience, it’s significant,” (Maglio and O’Connell), he told the site in an article titled “Movies-to-TV Overload! Why Hollywood Has 27 Projects in the Works (And Counting).”
While convenience is obviously a factor, it’s not the only one. Adaptations basically come with a built-in audience which is crucial, especially in today’s competitive marketplace. Executive producer Noah Hawley told TheWrap that “Everyone is looking for a pre-existing brand,” (Maglio and O’Connell). This idea of a “pre-existing brand” may also explain another adaptation trend in Hollywood today: the comic book revivals. These adaptations, from books to television, are doing extremely well in today’s market, like Fox’s “Gotham,” a series based on Batman. In the Los Angeles Times article “Fall TV’s Winners and Losers – So Far,” Scott Collins writes, “Fox needed help in the TV ratings this fall, and it got some from a nice kid named Bruce Wayne,” (1). A huge contributing factor to the freshman series’ high ratings, according to a Fox executive, is the fact that it is an adaptation. Dan Harrison, executive vice president of scheduling said of “Gotham:” “That’s a franchise that has a multigenerational fan base,” (Collins 1). In this case, the fact that the show already has a strong following and fan base that crosses generations allows the show to excel, even though the show is not exactly the same as the comic books or movies. This is also why other comic book adaptations, like The CW’s “Arrow” and “The Flash,” have also done so well, and why this specific genre of adaptation to television has become such a trend. Shows that offer a unique story and characters don’t have that opportunity to have a pre-existing audience.
The question, then, becomes what makes a better adaptation: one that stays very true and faithful to the original or one that takes creative liberty? Based on current audience research, there’s no right answer because both types have been extremely successful. As “Constantine” executive producer, David Goyer knows comic book to television adaptations well. He offers his opinion in a Variety article titled “Meet the Comicbook Heroes Battling for Control of Fall TV,” saying, “if you try to change it too much, that’s when you get the audience rejecting it,” (Prudom and Friedlander). When it comes down to it, money is at the center of every decision made in film, television, books and other types of media. Ratings and audience research are especially important for advertising purposes, so keeping an existing audience happy, like Goyer explains, is key to a successful adaptation.
Perhaps one of the biggest problems with adaptations comes with finding an audience, thus knowing exactly how much to change when adapting a title becomes tricky. Some adaptations, like the film version of “The Fault in Our Stars,” stay very faithful to their originators, allowing the fans of the original to enjoy the adaptation for the same reasons. On the opposite end of the spectrum come adaptations that offer a new and different approach. Katims’ cites his television series “Parenthood,” which he adapted from the film of the same name, as an example of this. He tells TheWrap that “having the title ‘Parenthood’ and having the memory of it being a movie that people warmly remembered… helped push it along,” (Maglio and O’Connell). He uses the same title as a way to attract the fans even though the two are different in many ways, building an audience as a result. The success of the show is just one example of how adaptations that stray from their originals can thrive, even among those that are carbon copies.
Perhaps one of the biggest problems with adaptations comes with finding an audience, thus knowing exactly how much to change when adapting a title becomes tricky. Some adaptations, like the film version of “The Fault in Our Stars,” stay very faithful to their originators, allowing the fans of the original to enjoy the adaptation for the same reasons. On the opposite end of the spectrum come adaptations that offer a new and different approach. Katims’ cites his television series “Parenthood,” which he adapted from the film of the same name, as an example of this. He tells TheWrap that “having the title ‘Parenthood’ and having the memory of it being a movie that people warmly remembered… helped push it along,” (Maglio and O’Connell). He uses the same title as a way to attract the fans even though the two are different in many ways, building an audience as a result. The success of the show is just one example of how adaptations that stray from their originals can thrive, even among those that are carbon copies.
Works Cited:
Collins, Scott. "Fall TV’s Winners and Losers — So Far." Los Angeles Times., 17 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
Maglio, Tony, and Ryan O'Connell. "Movies-to-TV Overload! Why Hollywood Has 27 Projects in the Works (And Counting)." TheWap. TheWrap News Inc., 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
Prudom, Laura, and Whitney Friedlander. "Meet the Comicbook Heroes Battling for Control of Fall TV." Variety. Penske Business Media LLC, 17 Sept. 2014. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
Lindsay, I really enjoyed reading your blog post about adaptions in the media industry. Many people do not realize, that a large majority of the plots in our television shows and our movies, are constantly being taken from the past. We see this, not only in the story plots, but in the characters personalities, as well. I think you made a really good point, when you mentioned why adaptions are important to specific audiences. I believe when you find something you like to watch, many times you look for something else to watch that is generally similar. If we look back to the television shows from the past, and the present. Many of the story lines are pretty similar. For example, shows such as, Boy Meets World, Full House, The Cosby Show, all portray an American family, whose characters have came up with an issue, and by the end of the show, the issue is resolved. According to the article, “Tops of 2014 Entertainment, it states, “When it comes to movies adapted from young adult fiction, fans say they're 1.31x more likely to be interested in films where characters beat challenges.” (Nielsen) We see this trend, in many of our television sitcoms, because this specific audience wants to see the typical happy, ending story. I defiantly fall into this category, because I enjoy those types of movies and shows that are often considered to be predictable. I also agree with you when you stated that, “Shows that offer a unique story and characters don’t have that opportunity to have a pre-existing audience.” (Lindsay) This reminded me of the saying, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.” If the industry is receiving high ratings towards a certain film, they are going to keep doing what they are doing, to make the audience happy. I believe adaptations, is crucial part for these industries being successful. People want to watch something that they know they will enjoy and that’s why sequels to movies, do so well. According to the article, “2013 Will Likely Be Down, Because Not All Sequels Are Equals,” by Todd Cunningham, it states, “Sequels drove this year’s box office — the top five films were all second go-rounds — and they’ll drive next year’s, too. (Todd) It makes sense that sequels are so popular, because when the audience watches something that they enjoyed watching, they are most likely excited to see what happens next. However, in many cases, the sequel does not always compare to the original, but the film industry, still manages to get the audience excited about it, and encourage them to go see it. I believe adaptations, is something we will be accustomed to for a very long time. Many people don’t like change, and they like to stick to what they like.
ReplyDelete"Tops of 2014: Entertainment." Tops of 2014: Entertainment. Nielson, 19 Dec. 2014. Web.
Cunningham, Todd. 2014 Will Likely Be Down, Because Not All Sequels Are Equals. N.p., n.d. Web.
I have to admit, that I am definitely a part of the audience that producers can count on to buy into franchise. I love movies, television, and books. I love when popular trends can point me in the direction of something I would like and I highly appreciate being able to consume something I like in many different ways for an extended period of time. With franchise comes a lot of opportunity, but there is also a lot of pressure to get it right. A built-in audience is great, but they can be the hardest to please and will be vocal if you get it wrong.
ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of adaptations of series, but I am also weary of them. I re-watch and re-read Harry Potter like nobody’s business, but that is not the norm. I think Twilight jaded me. I read Twilight when I was younger and was over the moon when they decided to make the movies but I never watched them after the first installment because I was so disappointed with the outcome. Then the Hunger Games came out and I saw the movie before devouring the books and now I can’t get enough of the franchise.
While I was in my Hunger Games hangover phase all I wanted was more of the same so I went into Barnes & Noble and went to the table that had a sign reading “If you liked The Hunger Games try…” and I bought Divergent on the spot. I proceeded to devour the first two books in that trilogy and shortly after they announced the movie. I remember dreading it because I knew it had very real potential to be another Hunger Games or another Twilight and I feared the latter.
I think this same excitement/hesitation comes with sequels as well. Hollywood tries to create franchise wherever there is success with the hopes of more success. Sometimes this model works. For instance, Ford writes in The Hollywood Reporter, “Marvel also launched the next installment in the Captain America series, with The Winter Soldier earning a hefty $714 million worldwide, making nearly twice as much as the first Captain America film ($370.5 million)” (Ford), but in a different article where the industry is trying to blame pirating for embarrassing box office numbers Lang writes, “Some box office observers are hesitant to ascribe blame wholly to the illegal downloads, citing franchise-fatigue after three films in relatively short order” (Lang). Super heroes and franchises are not a sure-fire formula for success and just like with book adaptations there is a fine line that could just as well lead to disaster.
I think that when it comes to adaptations from books, it is more acceptable to stray from the storyline with television rather than film. In film you need to condense and highlight, so what’s the point of adding erroneous information? In television, on the other hand, you can really dig into things since the point is to prolong the story through multiple seasons. The trouble comes when the industry tries to milk too much out of a franchise. Knowing when to end on a high note is one of the more valuable lessons I think the industry could learn.
Works Cited
Ford, Rebecca. "Box Office Winners and Losers of 2014." The Hollywood Reporter. 2
Jan. 2015. Web.
Lang, Brent. "‘Expendables 3′ Flops: Is Piracy to Blame?" Variety 17 Aug. 2014. Web.
Margaret Thompson
ReplyDeleteLindsay, I agree with a lot of what you said about adaptations in the media. I think adaptations are arguably one of the most used tactics in film/television production. From my experience this method proves to be successful. Take Nicolas Sparks for example. A lot of romance movies are adapted from his novels. The characters, the plots, and the settings are all different, but they all follow the same storyline. A man and woman fall in love, there is a set back, someone gets sick or dies, but at the end love always prevails. When a new Nicolas Sparks movie is out, I know exactly what to expect, but I still pay to see it. Why? Because I’ve bought into the “pre-existing brand” that you mentioned. It doesn’t matter is “The Best of Me” is strikingly similar to “The Lucky One.” Because I like drama and romance I will pay to see them both and most likely buy them to have on hand when I want a sappy love story. I mentioned that love always prevails in these films and that idea is similar to what a Neilsen report found in regards to why young adults like the movies they do. “When it comes to movies adapted from young adult fiction, fans say they're 1.31x more likely to be interested in films where characters beat challenges” (Neilsen). In all of the Nicolas Sparks adaptations you see the protagonist over coming a hardship and finding their happy ending. The Notebook is the classic Nicolas Sparks’s romance film. The plot follows Allie and Noah through the ups and downs of their love life to their death where they die simultaneously in each other’s arms. Although it is unrealistic, viewers look away from that and see it as beating a challenge and finding happiness. In my opinion, the idea of overcoming trials is also what gave birth to the age of superhero adaptations that we are recently and frequently seeing. What I like most about superhero adaptions from comics is that they stray from their original forms content, especially with the new TV series like “Arrow” and “Gotham” that you mentioned. The characters are all the same and their purpose of fighting evil with good holds true for the shows, but they were able to keep that main idea just using more creativity for different story lines. I personally believe that this may be the most successful form of adaptations because it captures a much larger audience than other adaptions. Some people like screenwriter/director, Dan Gilroy, feel that Superhero films in Hollywood are overdone, but certain award show nominees are proof that that is not true. “What’s ironic about all anti-superhero movement is that nine of this year’s 20 acting nominees have appeared in superhero movies in one shape or another” (Sneider). I think that speaks for itself. Whether it is because of the actors/actresses themselves or the shows/films overall the public love superhero adaptions.
I personally do not mind if the adaptations are identical to the originals or if they stray slightly. I think some of my favorite adaptations come from series like the Hunger Games or Harry Potter, because there is more time to build the story when there are multiple movies. Things may be a slightly different than the original plot but much less is lost or left out. I think adaptions are here to stay because so far they have worked and made money. At the end of the day that’s what matters to TV and film personnel.
"Tops of 2014: Entertainment." Tops of 2014: Entertainment. Nielson, 19 Dec. 2014. Web.
Sneider, J. (2015, February 22). Superhero Movies Dissed at Oscars Despite 9 Acting Nominees With Comic Book Roles. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
I don’t watch enough movies or films to say this with complete authority, but I think one of the industry’s biggest problems is that there is a serious lack of creativity. I personally feel that Hollywood relies way too heavily on existing forms of media for ideas. I can’t remember the last book I read that hadn’t been turned into or was going to be made into a movie. And I have a hard time figuring out why every few years there are new Spiderman or Batman movies because, for the record, Tobey McGuire will forever be my Spiderman, and Ben Affleck can never upstage Christian Bale. To be fair, superhero adaptations are not the only “enemy plaguing the industry” (Sneider). The Twilight Saga is one of the poorest excuses for a novel, and even worse for a movie series; still, its fan base was large enough for television producers to give birth to Vampire Diaries and Teen Wolf, which admittedly I haven’t seen but come on. It’s becoming too much of a trend that movies are borrowing from books and that television is borrowing from movies. I understand that this strategy helps to guarantee box office success or high ratings to some degree, but what we’re seeing now is too much of the same. Hollywood is too caught up in trying to replicate what “works” – I say this in quotes because the plot and quality of a lot of adaptations and sequels is beyond subpar – than in coming up with something new and original for audiences to become interested in.
ReplyDeleteIf you ask me, a built-in audience is just one explanation for the release of an overwhelming number of adaptations and sequels. The TV and film industry alike consist of shows and movies that are the same and are created by people who look the same. How novel.
It isn’t a secret that women and racial minorities play a smaller role in Hollywood than their white, male counterparts. Eighteen percent of the directors, producers, writers, cinematographers and editors for 2012’s top 250 domestic grossing films were women, much like how it was over a decade earlier (Jannese). My guess is that the percentage of African-American men and women in those positions was even fewer. Truthfully, I think that if there were a more equal balance of people working behind-the-scenes to create the movies and shows that audiences watch and consume, there would be a greater variety in genre and storylines. And I’m not simply talking about creating shows for niche audiences or shows that only appeal to a certain demographic. Women and minorities are just as capable of creating media that appeal to a wide, diverse audience as white men are. The only difference is that they are not as often given the opportunity to do so (Rock). In his essay on Hollywood’s race problem, Chris Rock alludes to the fact that white people have most, if not all, the creative control in the industry while minorities are not “qualified to go and give his opinion” (Rock). This has to change. Not just because, duh, equality, but also because different people have different ideas and perspective, and it’d be amazing to see what a group of diverse individuals can create together.
Works Cited
Sneider, Jeff. "Superhero Movies Dissed at Oscars Despite 9 Acting Nominees With Comic Book Roles." TheWrap. N.p., 22 Feb. 2015. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Jannese, Suzanne. "New Study Reveals Shocking Statistics About Women in Hollywood." Babble. N.p., 14 Mar. 2014. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
Rock, Chris. "Chris Rock Pens Blistering Essay on Hollywood's Race Problem: "It's a White Industry"" The Hollywood Reporter. N.p., 3 Dec. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
Brittany Berg
ReplyDeleteLindsay, I found your blog post quite interesting. “Adaptations are a great way to target audiences as you’re recreating something that they already love just in a different medium.” I believe that you are completely right in this aspect. Using a different medium to recreate something that one already loves should be nothing short of success. For example, many people read “The Fault in Our Stars,” which motivated them to go out and see the movie version. Personally, I did not read the book but I did see the movie. I found that the movie was great and that it motivated me to want to read the book. Therefore, the medium can make a huge difference on which one you like better. For example, many people who read a book and than see a movie, typically like the book better.
Adaptations have become so popular because it allows an audience to further pursue an interest. To answer your question, I believe that some adaptations are successful, but creativity is expected. According to Nielson Tops of 2014: Entertainment, “The Fault in Our Stars,” Trade Paperback, was the number one of all print books and overall best sellers. “The fault in Our Stars (Movie Tie-In),” Trade Paperback, was listed number six and “The Fault in Our Stars,” hardcover, was listed as number eight. Therefore, this book took three of the top ten spots for overall best selling books. On the downside, the movie version did not even make the top ten. This tells me that the target audience fell in love with the book version, and the movie version failed to meet the viewer’s expectations. The difference between the book and the movie may be due to lack of creativity.
I feel that adaptations are interesting, in the fact that they draw in a specific fan base and are providing more to that direct fan base. I am drawn to adaptations that are somewhat the same but having surprises throughout the story’s journey. I feel that the ending should stay the same but it may take a different approach to get there. My favorite adaptation would have to be the Batman series featuring Christian Bale. Like Coral said, Ben Affleck could never upstage Christian Bale. I feel that nothing will be able to compete with the original, but I do believe that Ben Affleck is a great actor and he will bring something different to Batman.
Adaptations are here to stay. In comparison to fashion, it is a cycle. Trends always come back in style. Just like these adaptations of stories through different mediums, it is a cycle. If a book is doing well, it will become a movie. Although adaptations may just be another way for businesses to make money, it allows an audience to stay engaged. An audience will continue to pursue something that keeps them entertained. They are always going to be looking for what’s next. They will pick something, such as a sequel, because they feel comfortable and excited to be a part of something continuous and growing.
Works Cited:
Sneider, Jeff. "Superhero Movies Dissed at Oscars Despite 9 Acting Nominees With Comic Book Roles." TheWrap. N.p., 22 Feb. 2015. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
"Tops of 2014: Entertainment." Tops of 2014: Entertainment. Nielson, 19 Dec. 2014. Web.
Erika Almanzar
ReplyDeleteLindsay, I absolutely agree with many of the points you made about adaptations in television shows and movies. It seems as though many things we see in the entertainment industry today involve some type of adaptation from a previous book, especially from comic series. Marvel Comics especially seems to inspire many of today’s most well-known superhero films, such as the Spiderman series, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, Thor, The Avengers, Captain America, and many more. From comic fans to film lovers, superhero films relate to a large variety of audiences which contributes to their increasing popularity and growth. According to 2014 Domestic Grosses, some of the top films of last year included superhero films from Marvel Comics. For example, Captain America: the Winter Solider, ranked at the top third spot with a total gross of $259,766,572, while X-Men: Days of Future Past took the eighth spot grossing at $233,921,534 (Box Office Mojo). Even outside of Marvel films, other modern-day book to film adaptations include the Divergent and the Hunger Games series.
While book adaptations have become box office hits in recent years, actors and actresses are finding difficulty in receiving credibility for their work in the case of superhero-based films. According to the Wrap, superhero movies became the target of criticism at this year’s Oscars, despite nine out of twenty acting nominations coming from comic book films. Some of Hollywood’s largest names such as Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, James Franco, and Christopher Walken have all acted in superhero movies, yet receive negativity due to the amount of book-to-film adaptations today.
While some book-based films are very successful, others struggle to live up to the expectations of films such as the Batman and Dark Knight series. According to Variety, films such as The Expendables 3 flopped at the box office due to piracy issues and the film’s leaking prior to the release date. As a result, the film only received about $10 million during its opening weekend, while the first film estimated at $34.8 million back in 2010 (Lang). With the growth of streaming websites, films have generally been less successful than in the past due to the accessibility of leaked versions online. Additionally, with many book and film adaptations coming out each year, it has become a very competitive market for superhero films to find success when multiple similar movies are releasing on the same weekends.
Lastly, I believe that while some comic and book-based films have become extremely successful while others aren’t as popular, I do not see adaptations slowing down anytime soon. In fact, I believe that they will continue their success since these films appeal to such a wide range of demographics. As famous actors and actresses continue to play the roles of our favorite superheroes, audiences will continue to attend their opening weekends. Furthermore, it seems as though superhero films are not the only type of adaptation growing a fan base- we are now seeing it in other genres such as romance, drama, and many more.
Works Cited
"2014 Domestic Grosses." Box Office Mojo. Accessed 31 Jan. 2015. Web.
Sneider, Jeff. "Superhero Movies Dissed at Oscars Despite 9 Acting Nominees With Comic Book Roles." The Wrap 22 Feb. 2015. Web.
Lang, Brent. "‘Expendables 3′ Flops: Is Piracy to Blame?" Variety 17 Aug. 2014. Web.
Caroline Gaudet
ReplyDeleteLindsay, you made some fantastic points in your discussion of film adaptations in today’s media world and the importance of the comic book industry to these adaptations’ success. For me, I think that it comes down to two simple ideas, “why reinvent the wheel?” and “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” This has been proven time and time again in the successes of different adaptations for both television and film, especially in movies related to comic book superheroes.
Adaptations have become a staple in the film industry, and this is shown year after year in the box office numbers. In an article published in TheWrap.com, writer Jeff Sneider explains, “comic book movies are the tentpoles that prop up the movie business” (Sneider). In 2014, seven out of the eight top grossing movies domestically were adapted from a previous work (2014 DOMESTIC GROSSES). From The Hunger Games to The Hobbit, each had been reworked and reproduced in order to generate success in the movie industry. This is exactly what they did with the highest grossing film bringing in almost 335 million dollars domestically (2014 DOMESTIC GROSSES).
The comic book super hero films definitely have more than a few things going for them. Audiences like action and action is what these films provide. From Spiderman swinging through the streets of the city to Batman drifting corners and fighting villains, viewers don’t just pull up a chair to view the plot, they do so to see the explosions, the car chases, and the 2.5 hour long action scenes. This is one of the aspects of the films that keeps people coming back.
Another aspect that maintains audiences in film adaptations is that there is such a niche audience for comic books that films will always have a guaranteed group of consumers. Just as readers arrived to Harry Potter films dressed as their favorite character, individuals do the same for super hero films. With events like Comicon drawing in larger crowds each and every year, viewing audiences continue to grow and comic book franchises get more and more advertisements worldwide.
Film adaptations also have the advertising power already produced by advertisements of the previous work upon which the adaptation is based to rely on. Their advertising team need only do half the work, for much of the work has already been done by the advertising team of the original form of the story. This provides a crutch in knowing that consumers already have a general idea of what the story will entail and whether or not this suits their consumption needs. Producers of adaptations already know who their target audience is and how to target them. Quite frequently, most of the work is already done, which saves money and time in the bottom line of the production.
Overall, I think that the rate of production of super hero adaptations will not slow at any time soon. With the continued success of these types of film adaptations, producers will continue to give viewers what they want. They want action. They want a product that they already know they will like. They want super hero film adaptations, and that’s what they will continue to get.
Works Cited
"2014 DOMESTIC GROSSES." Box Office Mojo. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. .
Sneider, Jeff. "Superhero Movies Dissed at Oscars Despite 9 Acting Nominees With Comic Book Roles." TheWrap. N.p., 22 Feb. 2015. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. .