Plot Twist: These 10 Iconic Movies Started as Books
These iconic movies that started as books might just give you brain whiplash. Lights, camera… betrayal.
There are movie adaptations you expect - you watch them and think, “Okay, yeah. This was definitely a book first.” But then there are some sneaky ones. The ones that slide in like, “Hi, I was actually a novel in 1963”… say whaaa?? Suddenly you’re questioning whether you’re really the nostalgic movie connoisseur you thought you were (me either lol).
Alright. If you already knew these? Cool. You win today. If not - welcome to the club 😎
🎬Mean Girls (2004)
Loosely based on Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, 2002
Plot twist: the movie wasn’t adapted from a novel 🤯 It actually came from a nonfiction guide for parents. Like, a self-help book about teen girl behavior, turned into one of the most iconic movies of our time. The original Mean Girls (2004) was a completely fictional screenplay written by Tina Fey, inspired by that book.
Years later, it was turned into a Broadway musical. And in 2024, that musical was adapted into a new movie - also written by Tina Fey (but it’s just a remake of the 2004 film, not the original book). I know. It’s a lot to take in 😮💨
🎬Holes (2003)
Based on the novel by Louis Sachar, 1998
This one’s a little more well-known, but people forget: the movie is almost word-for-word accurate to the book - because Louis Sachar wrote the screenplay too! An icon. A genius. And a flawless adaptation.
🎬 The Ring (2002)
Based on: Ring by Koji Suzuki, 1991
This one actually really surprised me. This cursed videotape mess started as a Japanese techno-horror novel...and it’s weirder, more philosophical, and features a VHS ghost child tied to psychic powers, viruses, and reproduction?? (I mean, there's a lot to unpack here) Oh, and it’s part of the Ring Series, which includes Spiral, Loop, Birthday, and more. So , now we’re not just cursed…we’re in a franchise. And of course I'm not mean enough to let you go searching all over Gods-green-internet for the whole series of titles available 😎👇🏼
📚 The Ring Series by Koji Suzuki:
• Ring (1991)
• Spiral (1995)
• Loop (1998)
• Birthday (1999: this is a collection of prequel stories)
• S (Sadako) (2012)
• Tide (2013)
🎬 Shrek (2001)
Based on: Shrek! by William Steig (1990)
Yes. Shrek was a children’s picture book (okay this is awesome, really). Shrek breathes fire.
He gets roasted by a talking mirror. There’s no noble quest it's just pure green goblin energy. DreamWorks took that and turned it into a full-blown anti-Disney movement. This glow-up was disrespectful in the best way! Anyhoo, I can't show the original cover here (copyright, ya know), but should you need some visual proof this actually happened, or you'd love to snag one for your ever-growing childhood memories bookshelf - there are several copies available on eBay
🎬 I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Based on the novel by Lois Duncan, 1973.
Not just a scream queen classic, this teen slasher was originally a YA suspense novel (and way less gory). Think more “moral panic” than murder weapon. They wildly changed the tone, but the twisty drama roots were there all along. You may also be surprised to learn that Lois Duncan was not a fan of the movie - at. all. In fact, she was horrified by the film’s violence, especially following her daughter’s traumatic murder. The adaptation turned her iconic psychological thriller into a full-on slasher flick, packed with “sensationalized violence”. Lois claimed she was kept completely away from the project. 😬
📚 Interested in reading more of Duncan's original work before Hollywood butchers glamorizes "reimagines" them? Find some titles direct with us here at omgihadthat.com or over on our Etsy shop!
🎬 Jackie Brown (1997)
Based on: Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard (1992)
Quentin Tarantino’s breezy, character-focused crime film (you know the one where Pam Grier absolutely owns the screen). Yep. Well, it started as a straightforward thriller novel called Rum Punch. That slick, simmering storytelling is pure Leonard, not Tarantino-style pulp. It’s a switch-up in tone, and that’s what makes it so fascinating!
🎬 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Based on: Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine (1987)
YUP. That emotional rollercoaster where Robin Williams dresses in drag to see his kids? Totally a book. However, the book is darker and way more realistic about divorce. Spoiler alert: it definitely doesn’t end in a whimsical TV gig.
Alright so it's still heartfelt - but British, so, you know… devastating.
A life lesson and a casual emotional wound🤣
🎬 Die Hard (1988)
Based on Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp, 1979
Yippee-ki-yay! The ultimate action movie, am I right?? Rooftop explosions, Bruce Willis in a tank top (whoo, hello hottie) - was actually a sequel to a 1970s crime novel. In the book, the hero is older, the story is darker, and it’s his daughter (not his wife) in the building.
OH! Get this... he also released a cassette in the 80s. Like, singing. It’s real. And yes, we’ve got one - shop the Bruce Willis cassette here. You’re welcome for the mental spirals😁
Sending love over to Bruce Willis, who is currently battling frontotemporal dementia (a brain disorder that changes personality, behavior, and speech. This usually affects people younger than you'd expect with dementia). The man who gave us iconic moments for decades is now showing a whole new kind of strength 💛
🎬The NeverEnding Story (1984)
Based on the novel by Michael Ende, 1979
If you thought the movie was weird, you’re not ready for the book. It’s double the length, triple the existentialism and Bastion becomes kind of a narcissist god-king?? Plus, there’s a whole second half that the movie completely ignores. Plot twist within the plot twist (yeah, here we go lol): there are three NeverEnding Story movies. And look... I swear I didn’t mean for this post to become an ad for all my (very cool, very nostalgic) stuff, but yes-I do have some copies. Go on...relive the trauma 💅
🎬The Wicker Man (1973)
Based on: Ritual by David Pinner (1967)
This isn’t just a horror movie...it’s a folk nightmare made manifest (and I'm here for it.. kinda. But also like 🫣). Sergeant Howie who is played by Christopher Lee, travels to a remote Scottish isle to investigate a missing girl. What he finds? A sun-soaked pagan cult where virgin sacrifice is an annual reality. Thanks to the twisted adaptation of Ritual, The Wicker Man invents the entire folk-horror subgenre and leaves you simultaneously horrified and spellbound. It’s legitimately considered “the Citizen Kane of horror movies” by fanatic critics. There are a few copies available on AbeBooks and eBay. For me, this one is mentally being added to cart - check out those price points...yowza!!
Feeling nostalgic? Betrayed? Weirdly compelled to hoard vintage books [I got you right here and also here]. Stick around for more “did you know?” chaos soon. Catch you in the next spiral ✌️📖