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The movie industry takes a LOT of inspiration from books. Probably more than you know.
Here’s a list of 14 famous movies you might not know were based on books . . .
1. “Mrs. Doubtfire”. The book by Anne Fine came out in 1987, and the movie was released in 1993.
2. “101 Dalmations”. The book by Dodie Smith came out in 1956. The Disney movie came out in 1961.
3. “Father of the Bride”. The book by Edward Streeter was published in 1949. A movie version starring Liz Taylor and Spencer Tracy came out the next year, and the Steve Martin / Diane Keaton version came out in 1991.
4. “Terms of Endearment”. The Larry McMurtry novel came out in 1975. The movie was released in 1983
5. “Shrek”. The book by William Steig came out in 1990. The movie came out in 2001.
6. “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”. Before he became a director, Cameron Crowe wrote the book in 1981, after spending a year undercover as a student. The movie came out the following year.
7. “The Graduate”. The book by Charles Webb came out in 1963. The movie came out in ’67.
8. “Drive”. The James Sallis book came out in 2005. The Ryan Gosling movie came out in 2011.
9. “First Blood”. The book by David Morrell came out in 1972. Sylvester Stallone’s movie came out in 1982.
10. “Die Hard”. Yes, “Die Hard” was a book. It was called “Nothing Lasts Forever”. It was by Roderick Thorp, and it came out in 1979. The movie came out in 1988.
11. “Planet of the Apes”. Written by Pierre Boulle in 1963. The movie came out in 1968.
12. “Blade Runner” was based on a book called “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” by Philip K. Dick in 1968. The movie came out in 1982.
13. “Babe” was called “The Sheep-Pig” when Dick King-Smith wrote and published it in 1983. The book came out in 1985.
14. “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” started life as a 1981 book called “Who Censored Roger Rabbit”, written by Gary Wolf. The movie came out in 1988.
