Sophie and Howl in Howl's Moving Castle
The fantasy genre has consistently been one of the most successful across various mediums. In film, fantasy movies have often transformed sweeping, breathtaking novels into high-stakes adventure stories meant to be seen on the big screen.
When done right, these fantasy films have shown why the book to movie path can be so successful, balancing huge world building and spectacle with grounded characters that resonate with audiences, and these films do just that. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Based on the final book in J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King adapts the source material almost perfectly. It embraces its position as an ending of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and excels in almost every area. What makes The Return of the King such an excellent adaptation of the book is the way in which it brings the huge, massive scale from the text without sacrificing the emotional cure of the story. The journeys of Frodo, Aragon, and the rest of the heroes make this not only one of the best fantasy movies based off of a book, but one of the best films ever made. Howl’s Moving Castle Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle film takes the source material from author Diana Wynne Jones and elevates it to new heights. The Studio Ghibli fantasy epic captures the heart of the book, with Howl and Calcifer serving as the emotional core of the story. This adaption also excels visually, as expected with a Studio Ghibli film. The animation is some of the best this century, and still holds up 20 years later. The visual of the castle moving slowly but surely is one that sticks in the minds of viewers, and the story more broadly is one that continues to resonate to this day. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is often considered the best of the Harry Potter series, and for good reason. It’s arguably the most faithful adaption of the book, with the film expertly capturing the novel’s darker and more serious story that makes it stands out from its predecessors. The Prisoner of Azkaban film, much like the book, matures the characters from the first two stories and captures that Harry, Ron, and Hermoine are all growing up and fast. The characters don’t stand still, they truly move forward, making this an unforgettable movie. The Hunger Games The first foray into cinema for Suzanne Collins’ series of novels, The Hunger Games stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth. Like the book, this movie follows the story of Katniss Everdeen, a young woman competing in a deadly game of survival that's televised around the world. This is one of the best book to film adaptations because of one simple fact: it captures the gripping intensity of the story perfectly, all while putting the characters front and center. This makes the first Hunger Games film simply a must-watch, especially for fans of the fantasy genre. Pan’s Labyrinth Pan’s Labyrinth differs from the rest of the films on this list in that it isn’t adapted from a single novel. Rather, Pan's Labyrinth is derived from a number of famous fairy tales . This film’s excellence comes from its combination of ideas. It takes core ideas from a number of fairy tales and combines them into a story that is compelling, entertaining, and most importantly, emotionally resonant. Director Guillermo del Toro has made a number of classics in his career, and Pan’s Labyrinth may be one of his greatest cinematic achievements. Stardust 2007’s Stardust, from director Michael Vaughn, adapts Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same name. The story follows Tristian, a young man who enters a world of fantasy and magic in order to rescue a fallen star. It’s a romance story, yet one that also embraces its fantasy world, making it the best of both worlds. Claire Danes and Charlie Cox star in the leading roles, and do well to adapt the characters from the book. Above all, this film’s strength lies in its adaptation of the book’s world, as it captures the magical, fantasy realm expertly. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe C.S. Lewis’ iconic novel became a feature film in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This adaptation embraces its source material, which is what makes it so successful. The world that Lewis created is brought to life faithfully, thus respecting the quality of writing from the book. In this adaptation, the mythology is adapted in a way that captures the grandness of the fantasy world while still making it digestible for newcomers. It’s this approachableness that makes The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe one of the best fantasy adaptations ever made. The NeverEnding Story The first half of the novel from Michael Ende is adapted in The NeverEnding Story, which stars Noah Hathaway and Barret Oliver. The film tells the story of Bastian, a young, isolated boy who discovers a book that tells of a world called Fantasia. Bastian discovers that Fantasia is real and needs him to save it from evil forces. The film is successful because it captures what makes the novel so compelling — the concept of a young boy’s dreams becoming a reality. This makes it a relatable and grounded story, even amidst all the fantastical elements that come into play. The Princess Bride The late Rob Reiner joined forces with William Goldman to adapt the latter’s novel of the same name, The Princess Bride. Like the book, The Princess Bride captures the sincerity of fairy tales, all while telling a thrilling yet feel-good story that stands out in the fantasy genre. The greatness of The Princess Bride lies in its atmosphere. It feels like a fairy tale come to life, with a grand and beautiful world that is both sincere and absurd at the same time. The genius of Goldman’s novel is brought onto the big screen in The Princess Bride, a film that is deserving of a rewatch, and one of the most memorable adaptions in recent memory. Eragon The place of Eragon on this list may be divisive. It’s a film that holds a lowly 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, and poor critical and box office performance meant that planned sequels were abruptly canceled. Fans of the film upset about the lack of sequels can at least take solance in the Eragon series currently in development for Disney+. Still, there’s a lot that this adaption does right, and deserves more credit than it’s gotten in the years since its release. The movie follows the story of Eragon, a young man who discovers a dragon egg and sets out on a quest to overthrow the evil Galbatorix. This film struggles at times with inconsistent acting and visuals, but its atmosphere is gripping from start to finish, making it a truly underrated fantasy adaptation.
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