# Why haven't these books been made into movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [July 22, 2020, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036 "2020-07-22T17:23:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/21 "2020-07-23T05:02:19Z")
nevermind ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/22 "2020-07-23T05:05:37Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > How about “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress?” > > … Oh geez no. Hardly any of RAH adult books are suitable. First, there is endless talking, little action. And during that endless talking there is political pontificating by the Prof- not only boring but wrong. And the cool part, the neat part- is a man talking to a computer in his head. Really? No, if you want a RAH film, you want one of his Juveniles. They would come over nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/23 "2020-07-23T06:05:16Z")
I’ve always wanted to see a movie (or TV series) based on Keith Laumer’s _Retief_ stories. Back in the day, I would have suggested Tom Selleck and John Hillerman to play Retief and Magnan. Nowadays I wouldn’t know who to cast. But it would still make for great cinema. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/24 "2020-07-23T06:54:37Z")
Heinlein fans always want _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_. I think _The Rolling Stones_ is more cinematic. I want Maggie Smith to play Grandma Hazel. _Tarzan at the Earth’s Core_. Dinosaurs, Lizard Men, a zeppelin, and Tarzan! Who cares whether or not the plot makes any sense? 😃 Many of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars and Venus series have potential. They attempted Caspak and Pellucidar back in the 1970s. With modern CGI, they could do better now. Michael Moorcock’s Elric series. 40 years ago, David Bowie would have been perfect for the role. Today . . . Benedict Cumberbatch, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/25 "2020-07-23T12:45:28Z")
Rendezvous with Rama – I know Morgan Freeman has been trying to get it made forever, and it’;s been stuck in “development hell”, but it’d make one gorgeous film. Despite DrDeth’s naysaying, I think you really could make a good film out of the Moon is a Harsh Mistress. It has great potential for action scenes - the invasion of the Moon, the electr-launchers, and so on. If you think there’s just a lot of talking, you haven’t seen how they make movies out of stage plays and keep them interesting. Besides, I want to see someone make a movie set on the moon in which they depict lunar gravity as it actually is. I’ve said before that I’d like to see Alfred Bester’s The Stars my Destination filmed. It has a killer cinematic opening opening. I just finished re-reading H. P. Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, which I think would make a helluva movie. I’ve seen Corman’s the Haunted Palace, which is supposed to be based on it, but it’s an awful film (It’s got Lon Chaney Jr. in it, which is interesting, but not enough of him). There have been one ior two later versions, but I haven’t seen them. Past experience with Lovecraft adaptations doesn’t make me hopeful, although some very recent Lovecraft films have been excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/26 "2020-07-23T13:51:43Z")
Yes! Retief is the spy series we need - both straight and parody at the same time. Who to play him? Why, Idris Elba of course! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/27 "2020-07-23T14:05:08Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I’ve said before that I’d like to see Alfred Bester’s The Stars my Destination filmed. It has a killer cinematic opening opening. They’re just going to have to make the protaganist not a serial rapist… ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/28 "2020-07-23T14:12:52Z")
Sorry, not “serial”. Just the one rape. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/29 "2020-07-23T17:33:10Z")
> Rendezvous with Rama – I know Morgan Freeman has been trying to get it made forever, and it’;s been stuck in “development hell”, but it’d make one gorgeous film. I have thought that the Rama stories would make for an interesting movie or mini series. Unfortunately, since the first book is more of a man vs. nature story where the antagonist is the ship, they would probably incorporate some of the plots from the later sequels. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/30 "2020-07-23T17:50:25Z")
The _Laundry Files_ books by Charles Stross would work well as a movie or series. _The Jennifer Morgue_ in particular could be a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/31 "2020-07-23T18:45:18Z")
Yes, the juveniles would make better films. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/32 "2020-07-23T19:03:27Z")
It’s my fear that an adaptation of _Rendezvous_ would include elements from the sequels that has kept my yearning for one to a weak ember. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/33 "2020-07-23T19:04:45Z")
I’d really like to see one of the big boys splash the cash and gives us an extended series of feature-length adaptations of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin novels. “Master and Commander” was great as a one-off but the series demands to be given a bigger canvas and a lot more time to tell the full tale. It would cost a sodding fortune and each book could be a six-part mini-series in its own rights but that sounds good to me. Question is, Who could be youngish-maturish Jack? Who could be geeky Stephen? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/34 "2020-07-23T19:05:45Z")
I’ve long thought that Glen Cook’s “Black Company” series could be adapted to the screen surprisingly well, especially as CGI improves. It’s got good characterization, interesting plots, plenty of suspense, an epic time scale, and a set of characters who would translate well. (I mean, who wouldn’t want to see One Eye and Goblin have one of their wizardly duels?) Or see why Raven is such a bad-ass? Apparently there is some talk of adapting it… I saw that there was also some talk of casting Eliza Dushku as the Lady, which is interesting, as they say that she was perpetually twenty in the books, not forty-something. Another one that I’ve read that they are developing is the “Old Man’s War” series from John Scalzi. Another series with an epic scope, lots of adventure, good characters, etc… The only real concession they’d probably have to make is to ditch the whole green skin bit for the synthetic soldier bodies. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/35 "2020-07-23T19:08:25Z")
I read Phillip José Farmer’s _Riverworld_ series long ago and always wondered why it wasn’t made into a blockbuster multi-episode extravaganza. Maybe I’ll read them again. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/36 "2020-07-23T19:08:55Z")
The did make it into a mini series iirc. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/37 "2020-07-23T19:12:43Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The did make it into a mini series iirc Hah! You are correct. Television, and from what I’m reading poorly done. I’m thinking more like _Star Wars_, only better. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/38 "2020-07-23T20:02:16Z")
A number of the Dungeons & Dragons lines, most notably the _Dragonlance Chronicles_ and the _Icewind Dale_ series. Every now and then they tease “pre-production talks” for something but all that’s ever materialized is a laughably terrible cartoon adaptation of the first Dragonlance book. Meanwhile, the D&D live action film they did make was some random garbage plot rather than tapping the pile of popular books. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/39 "2020-07-23T20:31:53Z")
**The Talisman** by Stephen King and Peter Straub. I know Spielberg has had the rights since the book was published in 1984, but it’s never come to pass. It should definitely get the epic miniseries treatment. Too much for a 2-3 hour movie. On the other hand, _Black House_, the sequel, would be better if it were trimmed down to a single film. Interesting story, but a lot of bloat in that book. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036/40 "2020-07-23T20:40:55Z")
_The Perfect Machine,_ by Ronald Florence. It’s about building the Mt Palomar Telescope. The story has suspense, rivalry, lies, cost overruns, deadlines, even a little romance thrown into the mix. Today, when everything is computerized and automated, it’s an incredible story to see all the hard labor it took to create a mirror as precise and as large as the one on Mt Palomar, a 200-inch mirror. The surface was hand polished with jeweler’s rouge, and calculations were repeated daily to insure the precision. When the mirror was finished, it was hauled in a wagon pulled by donkeys up a treacherous dirt mountain road with switchbacks and curves. It’s a really good book! ~VOW [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-these-books-been-made-into-movies/916036.md?page=3)