In a world overflowing with reboots and remakes, it might feel like Hollywood has adapted every story imaginable. Yet, a surprising number of literary treasures are still waiting for their cinematic debut. These aren’t just any books; they are powerful narratives, rich in character and plot, that could truly shine on the silver screen.
Today, we’re diving into ten such classic works of fiction. Each one is brilliant in its own right and promises a fascinating movie or TV series, if only the stars align. Let’s explore these unfilmed gems and why they’re so special – and perhaps ponder why they’ve yet to make it to theaters.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s stunning work of magical realism is widely celebrated as one of the greatest achievements in Latin American literature. If you’ve read it, you’ll know why. The book weaves a vast, multi-generational tale, chronicling the Buendia family and their vibrant town of Macondo. One Hundred Years of Solitude seems to capture the entirety of human experience within its pages.
Adapting it for film has been challenging due to its sprawling cast, lack of a single main character, and dreamlike, fantastical elements. However, it’s not an impossible feat. Netflix recognized its potential and is currently developing a miniseries, a format that could give this epic story the breathing room it truly deserves.
Blood Meridian
Cormac McCarthy’s 1985 western, Blood Meridian, has steadily grown in reputation to become a contender for the title of ‘the great American novel’. Many attempts to bring it to the screen have stalled over the years. McCarthy’s famously stark prose is incredibly vivid, but the book’s extreme violence has made film studios hesitant, fearing the final product might be too graphic for audiences.
This violence is a core part of the story, which is loosely based on the real-life Glanton Gang, notorious scalp hunters. The book’s dark message about human evil further complicates matters. Still, if a filmmaker can strike the right balance and find the perfect actor for the terrifying villain, Judge Holden, a powerful adaptation might be possible. Just be warned, it wouldn’t be an easy watch.
Geek Love
Katherine Dunn’s 1989 novel, Geek Love, has cultivated a devoted following among those who feel like outsiders. The story follows the Binewski family, a traveling carnival troupe, and offers a unique, often hilarious, and always affectionate look at society’s fringes. We meet Oly, the hunchbacked narrator; Arturo the Aqua Boy; Elly and Iphy, the Siamese twins; and Chick, the telekinetic baby. Their parents intentionally used hard drugs during pregnancy to create these unique ‘attractions’ for their show.
While this premise sounds wild, Dunn masterfully explores the humanity behind these characters. She makes us see that, despite their physical differences, they are no more ‘freaks’ than anyone else. Tim Burton once considered adapting it in the 90s, but since that project fell through, film news has been scarce. This is a tale that truly deserves a wider audience, and we hope someone takes up the challenge soon.
Rendezvous with Rama
First contact stories are a staple of science fiction, but Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama offers a uniquely realistic take. Instead of dramatic alien invasions like War of the Worlds, Clarke presents a scenario much closer to how such an event might actually unfold. There are no epic battles or exploding monuments. Instead, a mysterious alien spaceship drifts through our solar system, prompting a team of scientists to investigate.
Aboard the cylindrical generation ship, they find no little green men, but a wealth of information about its creators, even without any organic life present. Could audiences embrace a film without high-octane action? The success of thoughtful sci-fi like Arrival suggests they might. Perhaps that’s why Denis Villeneuve, director of Arrival, is reportedly attached to direct an upcoming adaptation.
In the Miso Soup
Ryu Murakami’s novels have seen successful film adaptations, notably Audition, which became a standout horror film. However, his gripping philosophical thriller, In the Miso Soup, remains unfilmed. The story centers on Kenji, a young man who guides tourists through Tokyo’s nightlife, showing them the city’s authentic side.
Things take a dark turn when Kenji suspects his latest client, an American named Frank, might be a serial killer. This forces Kenji to grapple with his safety and the morality of continuing to take Frank’s money as he escorts him around the city. It’s a perfect setup for a tense psychological horror film, and it’s surprising it hasn’t been made yet. Given the popularity of horror and thrillers, it’s likely only a matter of time.
Invisible Man
This isn’t H.G. Wells’ classic tale of a man who literally cannot be seen. We’re talking about Ralph Ellison’s 1952 masterpiece, a cornerstone of African American literature. The novel follows an unnamed Black man and his experiences of social invisibility throughout his life. Ellison uses this narrative to explore critical issues faced by African Americans at the time, including racism, Black identity, and the complexities of racial politics.
By also delving into universal themes like personal identity and mental health, the story resonates deeply with a broader audience, offering an accessible VANTAGE point into experiences they might not otherwise understand. It’s puzzling that Invisible Man has never been adapted to film. While Hulu announced a TV series development in 2017, it has yet to materialize. An adaptation is long overdue.
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is perhaps the most famous unadapted classic. Its story of teenage angst and coming of age seems tailor-made for the screen, especially considering its enduring popularity with young readers across generations. While never officially adapted, countless films have drawn inspiration from Holden Caulfield’s disillusioned journey through New York City; Salinger probably could have claimed royalties from many of them.
However, Salinger himself was famously reluctant to allow any adaptation during his lifetime. His estate has continued to honor his wishes since his passing. So, it seems we’ll be waiting a long time, if ever, to see Holden’s iconic story in cinemas.
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
If Ryu Murakami is the edgy Rolling Stones of Japanese literature, then Haruki Murakami is undoubtedly The Beatles – wildly creative, prolific, and incredibly influential. While his beloved 1987 novel Norwegian Wood has been adapted in Japan, his psychedelic masterpiece, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, has not.
The book features a dual narrative, alternating between two distinct tales. One follows a film noir-style private eye on an increasingly bizarre case that leads him into Tokyo’s literal underworld. The other, initially separate, is set on a mysterious island where the narrator reads memories from unicorn skulls. It’s surreal, yet beautifully converges by the end. Filming its strange visuals would require a significant budget, but it has the potential to captivate screen audiences if given the chance.
A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces tragically remained unpublished during his lifetime. After multiple rejections, Toole took his own life in 1969 at age 31. His mother later found the manuscript, and it was finally published in 1980, quickly gaining acclaim as a modern classic.
The novel introduces us to Ignatius Reilly, an overweight, unemployed, and incredibly pretentious thirty-year-old man. Through his eyes, we tour New Orleans, laughing at his sharp observations one moment and despising his mistreatment of others the next. It seems like perfect material for-a-hit comedy, yet it has never reached the screen despite attempts by industry heavyweights like John Belushi, Stephen Soderbergh, and Will Ferrell. Perhaps this will be the decade it finally happens; it’s certainly long overdue.
Underworld
Don DeLillo’s epic novel, Underworld, much like Blood Meridian, is often cited as a strong contender for ‘the great American novel’. While it’s a fantastic read, its daunting length of over 800 pages has intimidated many potential readers. Those who have tackled it, however, discover a kaleidoscopic story that opens with one of literature’s most memorable opening sections: a retelling of baseball’s famous “shot heard ’round the world” from multiple perspectives, including J. Edgar Hoover and Frank Sinatra.
The narrative then follows a reverse chronological journey through the life of Nick Shay, who eventually owns that historic baseball, while also exploring numerous side stories. It’s a dense work, but by masterfully covering the entire history of the atomic age and its impact on America, Underworld proves it could be an outstanding miniseries if done right – perhaps like the one Netflix is reportedly developing.
These ten books represent just a fraction of the incredible literature still waiting for its moment on the big or small screen. Each offers a unique world, compelling characters, and stories that deserve to be told in a new medium. While some adaptations are in development, many remain elusive dreams for book lovers and cinephiles alike.
Which unadapted book do you think deserves a film or series? Leave your comment below and let us know!
