25 modern book-to-screen adaptations that didn’t let us down

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter films have received plenty of flack for making changes to the story told in J.K. Rowling’s novels, and to be fair, much of the criticism is valid. That said, these films are still classics in their own right — and they did an impressive job of bringing the wizarding world to life, especially for the time during which they were made. Even if certain elements of the series were cut or altered for the sake of time, the films kept what was most important to Harry’s story.

Similar to Game of Thrones, many of the actors and actresses associated with the Harry Potter adaptations have become the faces of their characters in fans’ minds. Could anyone portray Severus Snape like Alan Rickman did? Does anyone think of the Golden Trio and not automatically conjure up images of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson? The answer to these questions is typically no.

The films also brought Hogwarts to life before our eyes, something most Harry Potter fans will be forever grateful for. Magic can be difficult to envision when reading words on a page, especially when it comes in the form of a school or a castle. Seeing the wizarding world in a tangible form made it that much easier to picture. (And, of course, now we have illustrated versions of the books themselves as well.)

The movies have also welcomed plenty of newcomers to the wizarding world, attracting muggles who otherwise wouldn’t have experienced Harry’s story altogether. And the popularity that followed these adaptations had its own benefits — including a few theme parks that cropped up over time, along with a second series of films (Fantastic Beasts) set in the same universe.