Shrek
This ogre stole our hearts in 2001. Shrek was a box office success which is still enjoyed to this day. Unbeknown to many, the movie was actually inspired by William Steig’s book titled Shrek!, which was published in 1990.
Rambo
Responsible for jump-starting Sylvester Stallone’s career, Rambo was and still is one of those movies that is said to define a generation. The movie is based on the 1972 book First Blood by David Morrell.
Forrest Gump
“Run, Forrest, run!” is one of the unforgettable lines in the movie Forrest Gump. Many people across generations see the movie as a defining highlight of their childhoods. Forrest Gump is based on the novel of the same title by Winston Groom, which was published in 1986.
Million Dollar Baby
The movie regarded by many as one of the best sport dramas of all time was arguably one of the best movies of the 2000s – boasting stellar performances from Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. What almost no one knows is that Million Dollar Baby is based on a series of short stories titled Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, which were written by boxing coach Jerry Boyd and published in 2000.
Mrs. Doubtfire
A chilhood favourite starring the late Robin Williams, this movie was based on Anne Fine’s book Alias Madame Doubtfire, published in 1987. Fine is the winner of multiple writing awards including the Carnegie Medal and two Smarties Book Prizes, and has written over 50 children’ s books. The movie is a close representation of the book.
Die Hard
Before Die Hard became a massive movie franchise starring Bruce Willis, the first installment was actually derived from the book Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp. The thriller, published in 1979, is in fact a sequel to Thorp’s novel The Detective that was also made into a movie starring Frank Sinatra. Nothing Lasts Forever revolves around a retired detective by the name of Joe Leland who, similarly to Die Hard, takes on a group of German terrorists.
Jaws
Steven Spielberg’s highly successful thriller Jaws was based on a novel of the same name, penned by Peter Benchley in 1974. Inspired by the 1916 Jersey Shore shark attacks, the novel’s film rights had already been sold before the novel was published. Benchley later became an advocate for shark conservation as he felt guilty for perpetuating a negative image about sharks through Jaws.
Image: pop-break.com
