20 books that should never have been made into feature films

2013's historical romantic drama The Great Gatsby featured powerhouse stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire and was based on the 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Although many were excited about the release, the production fell flat, mainly because of the unlikeable characters, underwhelming plot, and flashy elements. 

Critics didn't love 2006's fantasy film Eragon, and it's understandable why. The graphics were subpar, the script was dull, and the plot was ruined when they removed several important characters, like The Twins and Orik. 

It'll always be difficult to process how Disney ruined the 2018 adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's book A Wrinkle in Time. The characters that readers knew and loved were underwritten, causing many to place this production on the "chop" list. 

The 2016 adaptation of the 2012 novel Me Before You tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a disabled man after being assigned to help him after his accident. However, fans blasted the film for portraying that those with a disability don't have a life worth living without a partner.

Although The Hobbit, based on the novel penned by J. R. R. Tolkien, was a box-office success, readers hated the film. The trilogy's director, Peter Jackson, also came under fire for stretching the material, adding extra characters, and rushing key moments. 

20th Century Fox got it entirely wrong with the 2013 war drama The Book Thief. Instead of portraying the harsh and haunting reality of WWII, critics say the movie softened the story, stripping away the true meaning of the novel. 

Paula Hawkins' 2015 novel The Girl On The Train was made into a big-screen film the following year. It starred Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, and Justin Theroux. Although it garnered some praise from audiences, many believe several aspects of the film flopped, including the story's pacing and predictable twists. 

Everybody had a problem with the 2010 production of Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief. For starters, the movie's characters are full-fledged teenagers, whereas, in the book, Percy and his crew are 12. That alone, coupled with the major changes to the plot, left fans of this series severely disappointed. 

The 2017 film The Shack tackles deep themes of faith and forgiveness but just doesn't get it right. Although the script has powerful messages, the film lacks the special something that made the book so great to begin with. 

Although Disney tried with the Artemis Fowl adaptation, they weren't able to fully capture the magic of the book, which was written in the early 2000s by Eoin Colfer. It had the potential to be the next big fantasy franchise, but the scattered plot and annoying characters made it hard to watch. 

Dr. Suess is a legend, and The Cat In The Hat is a legendary children's book. The movie, however, which starred Mike Myers, could've stayed on the cutting room floor. 

The 2013 military film Ender's Game just didn't do it for movie critics or us. The production failed to convey the depth of the novel, leaving many unimpressed with the lack of emotion. 

The 2015 film Kill Your Friends is based on the 2008 novel of the same name; however, these two products are not the same. The movie doesn't move us — or anyone else, for that matter— mainly because of the over-the-top violence and shallow characters. 

Ryan Murphy, the name behind the hated dramatizations of Aaron Hernandez and the Menendez brothers stories, was also in charge of putting the critically acclaimed memoir Eat Pray Love on the big screen. You can probably take a wild guess at how that turned out. 

The 2009 film The Time Traveler's Wife is yet another novel whose movie adaptation was ruined by rushed storylines and a lack of emotional depth, making its love story feel hollow.

Paper Towns, released in 2015, was a moving novel; however, the same can't be said for the movie. It struggled to capture the emotional depth and self-discovery of the book. Nobody wants to watch underdeveloped characters!

The 2011 film I Am Number Four is based on the popular sci-fi novel, but it falls short of capturing the book’s excitement, mainly because the characters don't hit the way they do in the book, and the action feels more cliché than thrilling.

The 2006 film The Da Vinci Code is another novel-to-film adaptation that turned out awful. But hey, it starred Tom Hanks. 

Although we love Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, The Dark Tower is a prime example of what happens when you try to rush a near-perfect story rather than taking your time to create something equally as beautiful. What a tragedy. 

The producers of the 2009 film The Lovely Bones tried to bring the novel's haunting story to life but couldn't make it across the finish line. The combination of tragedy and fantasy confused viewers, making the story feel messy and empty.