Top 10 YA Adaptations That FLOPPED
#10: “Inkheart” (2009)
Based on the first book in a trilogy by Cornelia Funke, "Inkheart" was a family-friendly fantasy film that just kind of came and went. While by no means awful, the film is too rushed and messy to allow most of its characters or core ideas to develop, causing most of the novel's magic to be squandered in the process. Along with getting little more than a shrug from critics, "Inkheart" performed poorly at the box office, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom, putting to an end any hope that the full trilogy might be adapted.
#9: “The Indian in the Cupboard” (1995)
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Just because a film bombs at the box office does not mean it is terrible, and 1995's "The Indian in the Cupboard" is a prime example. Directed by Frank Oz of Yoda and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" fame, "The Indian in the Cupboard" did a reasonably decent job of adapting Lynne Reid Banks’ 1980 fantasy novel about a cupboard that brings toys to life. While the critical response was generally passable, "The Indian in the Cupboard" failed to even crack the top 5 at the U.S. box office and only lasted five weeks before dropping out of the top 20.
#8: “The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising” (2007)
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Based on the second book in Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising" series, which concluded in 1973, "The Seeker" was not worth the long wait for a film adaptation. Inspired by legends of old, "The Seeker" is fundamentally a classic tale about the eternal conflict between the warriors of Light and Dark. Devoid of much of the book's mythical undertones, epicness, or ambiguity though, the movie came across as just another uninspired fantasy film in a post-"Harry Potter" world. "The Seeker" bombed so badly at the box office, it was pretty much dead on arrival.
#7: “Vampire Academy” (2014)
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While divisive, "Twilight" proved that vampires and YA novels can produce box office gold. On the other hand, "Vampire Academy" suggested that maybe "Twilight" was just an exception. Despite occasionally poking fun at YA tropes, this adaptation of Richelle Mead’s bestseller also firmly sticks to the genre's conventions, resulting in a film that often feels confused. After more than a decade of "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "Percy Jackson" films, the YA craze had begun to slow down by 2014, and "Vampire Academy" felt tired before it even hit cinemas. Even on a relatively modest budget for the genre, "Vampire Academy" did not even come close to breaking even.
#6: “The Darkest Minds” (2018)
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Superpowered teens, a dystopian future, and a resistance group taking on a controlling government; these plot elements are synonymous with the YA genre, so "The Darkest Minds" combining all three hardly felt fresh. By 2018, it had already been a couple of years since the YA hype train had lost steam, which might explain why the film adaptation of Alexandra Bracken’s 2012 novel only debuted at number eight at the U.S. box office. It ranked just below "Ant-Man and the Wasp," which had been out for more than a month and was showing in fewer theatres than "The Darkest Minds" by that point.
#5: “The Divergent Series: Allegiant” (2016)
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Usually, YA adaptations that bomb at the box office are new cinematic properties; even if based on a popular series of novels, there’s always an element of uncertainty. While never reaching "Hunger Games" levels of success, the first two "Divergent" movies performed well enough to justify splitting Veronica Roth’s last novel into two films and allocating the franchise's biggest budget to the first part. "Allegiant" not only struck out badly with critics, but it also earned nearly $100 million less than its predecessor. "Allegiant" flopped so badly that any plans for a final entry were squashed and the film franchise was left incomplete.
#4: “Ella Enchanted” (2004)
As charming as Anne Hathaway can be, the actress's presence did not do much to help "Ella Enchanted" - very loosely based on Gail Carson Levine’s retelling of Cinderella. A twist on classic fairy tales that centers around a princess who’s given the so-called “gift” of obedience, Miramax's "Ella Enchanted" is a serviceable family-friendly flick that could have used a bit of Disney-esque marketing magic to fill the theatres. Peaking at number 8 at the U.S. box office and performing abysmally in most foreign markets, "Ella Enchanted" was wildly ignored upon release and the passage of time has done the film little in the way of favors.
#3: “Alex Rider: Stormbreaker” (2006)
A teenage James Bond sounds like a great idea on paper, which is exactly where "Stormbreaker" should have remained. "Stormbreaker" was meant to launch a new blockbuster franchise that could potentially last decades, especially since Anthony Horowitz’s novels had already reached book six by the time the film was released. After Alex Rider failed to impress critics or bring in the crowds in the UK, the primary market for the novels, "Stormbreaker" was quietly released in the US before being swept under the rug. While the number of novels reached double figures, Alex Rider's film career remained a one-off flop.
#2: “City of Ember” (2008)
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With a cast featuring the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Tim Robbins, and Bill Murray in a rare villainous turn, "City of Ember" should have been at least a moderate hit. Any hope the film might have had were dashed by a limited theatrical run, poor marketing, and lukewarm reviews. Based on Jeanne DuPrau’s novel of the same name, "City of Ember" didn't even crack the top 10 in the U.S., and did not perform much better at the International Box Office. The film's stunning visual style, likable protagonist, and the source material's healthy reputation were not enough to save "City of Ember" from box office hell.
#1: “A Wrinkle in Time” (2018)
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When the combined might of the Disney promotion machine and Oprah cannot get a movie out of the red, then nothing could have saved it. Based on Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel, "A Wrinkle in Time" boasts gorgeous visuals, some fine performances, and even one especially touching moment; despite some positives, the film drew a mixed critical reception and fell short of expectations in most areas. Commercially, "A Wrinkle in Time" underperformed in the U.S. and struggled even worse internationally, and ultimately failed to recoup more than $100 million of its budget.
