Top 10 Successful Movies From Books And Recent Adaptations

A lot of the best films ever made were based on books. And if you are simultaneously a bookworm and a film lover, our list of the best movies from books will do you justice.

Taking into account how well they have been adapted into a screen work as well as their success as a standalone project, these are the films you must not miss at all costs.

Top 10 most successful movies from books

These books became movies and garnered their own specific success.

10. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Box-office: $1.01 billion

The 2012-released epic high fantasy adventure movie is the first part of the three-installment adaptation based on The Hobbit novel of J. R. R. Tolkien (1937). The parts that followed are The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies.

The movie garnered $1.01 billion, receiving mixed comments from the critics. Still, it is considered one fo the best 10 movies from books, getting nominated for three Oscars.

9. Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Box-office: $1.02 billion

You may be familiar with the story of a 19-year-old girl stirring up an entirely different world in the 1865 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland novel by English author Lewis Carroll. However, its adaptation on-screen also garnered a lot of attention.

Directed by Tim Burton, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, the dark fantasy-adventure movie was a fresh breeze to the original.

8. Jurassic Park (1993)

Box-office: $1.04 billion

Michael Crichton’s book, Jurassic Park, was a bestseller in its time and also the signature novel of the author. It also became a huge success when gracing the cinema.

One of the most well-doing movies from books focuses on a series of unexpected events that happen after a malfunction takes place in a wildlife park full of de-extinct dinosaurs

7. Skyfall (2012)

Box-office: $1.11 billion

Skyfall is the twenty-third part in the cult James Bond series and it is adapted from the 1968 Bond novel Colonel Sun.

The spy movie received compliments from critics who lauded the acting, screenplay, direction, musical score, cinematography, and action sequences. It was the 14th movie to gross more than $1 billion worldwide and the sole James Bond flick to do so.

Skyfall won multiple accolades including two Oscars, two Grammy Awards, and two BAFTA Awards.

6. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Box-office: $1.12 billion

Meanwhile, The Lord of The Rings once again sees itself being listed in the assessing of best movies from books.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was created based on the J. R. R Tolkien's novel’s third volume. It is widely touted as one of the most influential movies ever made. For the unknown, it received numerous awards at the 76th Oscars and bagged all 11 awards which it was nominated for.

5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

Box-office: $1.3 billion

Set on the fiction Isla Nublar’s island, the movie follows the journey of Claire Dearing and Owen Grady as they help rescue the dinosaurs before a volcanic eruption wipes out the island.

The movie which is the sequel to the 2015 movie Jurassic World, grossed more than $1.3 billion internationally. It became the 3rd Jurassic movie to cross the billion-dollar mark as well as the third biggest-grosser of 2018 and the 12th highest-grossing movies of all time.

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (2011)

Box-office: $1.34 billion

Based on the famous novel of J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is the final part in the Harry Potter movie series.

The 2011 film was a commercial success and was among the best-reviewed movies of 2011 with high appreciation for the direction, acting, visual effects, cinematography… and most importantly, the satisfying saga conclusion.

3. Jurassic World (2015)

Box-office: $1.67 billion

The 2015 Jurassic World starring Chris Pratt, Irrfan Khan, Bryce Dallas Howard generated over $1.6 billion at revenues, taking the spot of the sixth highest-grossing movie of all time.

2. The Exorcist (1973)

Inflation-adjusted gross worldwide: $2.25 billion

Actual gross: $441.1 million

The box-office of the horror film may not be able to compare to modern movies, but its inflated worldwide value is undeniable. Based on The Exorcist novel in 1971 of William Peter Blatty, the film is named as the second-biggest grosser of all time with an adjustment in inflation. The movie tells the demonic possession of a girl and the exorcism by two priests.

It was touted as one of the scariest films of all time as well as one of the best movies from books. Its success spawned multiple sequels released in 1977, 1990, 2004 and 2005.

1. Gone With the Wind (1939)

Inflation-adjusted gross worldwide: $6.52 billion

Actual gross: $400.2 million

One of the highest-grossing movies based on books Is Gone With The Wind, after adjusting for inflation. First went on floors in 1939, the top successful film was based on the novel of the same name by Margaret Mitchell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning book.

It bagged 10 awards consisting of eight Academy Awards and is to date the longest American sound movie ever made with a length of about four hours.

Recent movies based on books (2020)

While a lot of influential movies from books have been introduced and proven their impact on people like Little Women (2019), Forrest Gump (1994), The Da Vinci Code (2006), The Jungle Book (2016), new movies based on books are too going to hit the screens.

Check out the released and upcoming movies from books 2020 you may want to watch:

Keep updated with our latest films on Movies, Starbiz.com!

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