# Novelization of a movie that was based on a book

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelization-of-a-movie-that-was-based-on-a-book/596434>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 15, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelization-of-a-movie-that-was-based-on-a-book/596434 "2011-09-15T20:27:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelization-of-a-movie-that-was-based-on-a-book/596434/41 "2011-09-16T17:09:36Z")

</div>

For re-novelizations of Mary Shelley, HG Wells, Jules Verne et al., would the movie people make more money insofar as the new story is under copyright while the old one is in the public domain?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelization-of-a-movie-that-was-based-on-a-book/596434/42 "2011-09-16T21:35:21Z")

</div>

> [@psychonaut](#):
>
> [This is the book I received.](http://rarelibrary.com/book/TOL-B/129/FILM+BOOK+OF+J.R.R.+TOLKIEN%27S+THE+LORD+OF+THE+RINGS,+THE.html) I see that bookseller is flogging his copy for nearly $230; if that’s anywhere near market value then perhaps I should see if I still have my copy and sell it. 🙂

Mine was entirely film stills, with no additional text.The format was more like a comic book. So, I guess not worth $230.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelization-of-a-movie-that-was-based-on-a-book/596434/43 "2011-09-17T20:47:52Z")

</div>

> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> The editions of **I, Robot** with the movie cover that I saw were simply Asimov’s book. If there was a different novelization based on the screenplay, I never saw it.

Me, neither. Likewise the movie tie-in book for “The Last Mimzy” was simply a retitled edition of “The Best of Henry Kuttner” (containing “All Mimsy were the Borogoves”)

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/novelization-of-a-movie-that-was-based-on-a-book/596434.md?page=2)