From books to screen: hits and misses in fantasy adaptations

Fantasy sagas have a unique ability to transport us to entirely new worlds, where dragons, sorcerers, legendary swords, and epic destinies intertwine with human emotions. It's no wonder that many of these stories have been brought to the big (and small) screen in attempts to capture their enormous visual and narrative potential. However, not all fantasy book adaptations manage to meet readers' expectations.

While some productions become cultural phenomena, others disappoint due to questionable narrative decisions, drastic changes, or execution issues. What makes an adaptation work? Where do they usually fall short? Here we analyze the successes and failures of some of the most iconic sagas.

Peter Jackson's trilogy , based on the work of JRR Tolkien, is one of the greatest achievements in the history of fantasy cinema. He managed to condense the complexity of the world of Middle-earth without losing the essence of the story, balancing action, emotion, and narrative fidelity.

Key successes :

• Memorable casting (Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, etc.).
• Balanced use of practical effects and CGI.
• Respect for the epic and lyrical tone of the books.

Although cuts were made (such as to Tom Bombadil or the plot of the Children of Elrond), the decisions were functional for the language of cinema, without betraying the heart of the work.

Game of Thrones , an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga, broke records and redefined the television genre. The first seasons respected the source material, capturing the political intrigue, the moral complexity of the characters, and the magical realism of the world.

Fatal errors :

• The forced acceleration of recent seasons.
• The lack of source material at the end (the books are not finished yet).
• Script decisions that betrayed the prior development of key characters.

What began as a shining example of a successful adaptation ended up becoming a lesson in the risks of straying too far from the author.

The films based on C.S. Lewis's books began with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," generating great expectations. However, as the installments progressed, the saga lost momentum.

Main problems :

• Inconsistent tonality (oscillating between childish and dramatic).
• Changes in timing and focus that confused fans.
• Lack of continuity in the cast and production.

Despite having a rich universe and profound messages, Narnia failed to cement its place in cinema like other contemporary sagas.

Rick Riordan created a youthful mythological universe with humor and heart. However, the Percy Jackson films were criticized by both readers and the author himself.

Notable errors :

• Incorrect age of the protagonists.
• Alteration of tone, moving away from the original humor and freshness.
• Significant changes in the plot and characters.

Fortunately, Disney+ has launched a new series that promises to correct course , with greater authorial involvement and fidelity to the text.

Not all success is on the big screen. Series like "The Witcher" (based on the books by Andrzej Sapkowski) have found their niche on streaming platforms. Although with ups and downs, it has managed to capture some of the spirit of the books, especially thanks to the charisma of Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia.

Key ingredients for a good fantasy adaptation often include:

• Respect for the original material without being a literal slave to the text.
• Appropriate casting and acting direction consistent with the characters.
• A visually believable world , supported by good special effects.
• A solid narrative , capable of holding the attention of both fans and new viewers.

Bringing a fantasy saga from page to screen is a huge challenge. Fan expectations, the complexity of the worlds, and the limits of audiovisual language weigh heavily on every decision. While some adaptations become masterpieces that elevate the source material even further, others remind us that it's not enough to have a good story: you have to know how to tell it in a new format .

Whether in Middle-earth, Westeros, or Camp Half-Blood, each attempt at adaptation offers lessons in the delicate art of translating literary magic into visuals .