We Imagined it Better.

There’s no high quite like finishing a book you loved. You close it, clutch it to your chest, stare at the ceiling, and immediately start fan-casting in your head like you're the showrunner of your dreams. You can already picture the aesthetic: the outfits, the pining glances, the iconic quotes. And then… Hollywood swoops in, grabs the rights, and within months, the characters look unrecognizable, the tone feels off, and you’re left sitting there like: Did we read the same book??

Let’s talk about it. Because this keeps happening. And I’m tired, disappointed, and just want one modern adaptation that makes me feel as satisfied and validated as I was when All Too Well: The Short Film dropped. That 10-minute video managed to encapsulate everything I feel when I listen to the song, and it still blows my mind.

Nonetheless…here we are.

“It Ends With Us”: Aged Like Milk (Not Wine)

When It Ends With Us got picked up for a movie, fans were excited and then cautiously optimistic. This novel has moved millions with its raw, deeply personal portrayal of trauma, love, and resilience. I remember not being able to put it down as soon as I started it, and then feeling the gut punch when I realized what this story was truly about. But when the casting was revealed—Blake Lively as Lily Bloom—the internet had a collective meltdown. Not because Lively isn’t talented, but because this casting choice felt like a direct contradiction to the youthful, emotionally fragile Lily we met in the book. Sorry, but Blake’s pushing 40 playing a 23-year-old redhead flower shop owner who’s still figuring life out? 

And don’t even get me started on the aesthetic and the vibe that was destroyed. THE WARDROBE. The hair. Literally where did her style go? Where was the soft color palette? The moody undertones? The unspoken tension you could feel in the book? Instead, early photos looked like they were taken in a TJ Maxx parking lot on a Tuesday. It was too much for anyone to handle at the time and I knew from then on the project was f*cked.

We were mad and confused and grieving what could’ve been.

“The Deal”: The Rom-Com We Deserve (But Probably Won’t Get)

Elle Kennedy’s The Deal is a fan-favorite in the romance genre, known for its witty banter and chemistry between characters. Naturally, readers immediately started imagining the ultimate college rom-com. We were ready. We were casting. We were dreaming of the next To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before moment. However, the upcoming adaptation has already faced backlash. Once again, the official casting dropped and fans were like: What… are we doing here? Fans took to Reddit to voice their concerns, with one stating, “Honestly shocked…and not in a good way”. The sentiment is clear: the casting choices don't align with the characters readers fell in love with. 

Part of the magic of The Deal is the tone—playful, sharp, a little cheeky. That tone doesn’t translate when the visuals feel like they’re imitating Riverdale season 19. You can’t just slap a couple of attractive actors on-screen and call it Garrett and Hannah. Readers want heart, humor, and the specific tension that Kennedy so carefully crafted—not a watered-down CW knockoff. We just want a college hockey romance that doesn’t look like it was styled by someone who’s never stepped foot on a campus (or read the book).

“Twilight”: The Blueprint for Book-to-Screen Weirdness

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga was a cultural phenomenon, but its film adaptations have always been polarizing. Over time, it’s gained meme-worthy status and a certain nostalgic affection—but initially? The backlash was intense. Robert Pattinson, who played Edward Cullen, once famously said he thought the fans hated him. Kristen Stewart, meanwhile, was accused of being too wooden. But was it really the actors—or was it the direction? The iconic but washed-out blue-grey filter? The unintentionally hilarious script? (“You better hold on tight, spider monkey.” Enough said.)

Looking back, it’s kind of beautiful in all its chaos. But let’s be real: at the time, it still wasn’t what we pictured when we read it. Despite Twilight's financial success, it set the tone for future adaptations: take a beloved book, strip it of its inner monologue and layered dynamics, and replace it with glitter and empty angst. Audiences noticed. And they still haven’t forgotten.

Why Hollywood Keeps Getting It Wrong

There’s a unique kind of heartbreak that hits when your favorite book is adapted into a film or TV show—and it’s completely unrecognizable. Despite the wealth of source material and passionate fanbases, Hollywood continues to miss the mark, leaving readers wondering: Why don’t they just listen to us?

Here’s the problem: studios treat adaptations like business decisions, not emotional investments. And yet for fans, books are emotional. We imagine faces, voices, settings. We hear the cadence of a favorite character’s sarcasm. We feel the heartbreak, the tension, the joy.

So when Hollywood throws out fan casting in favor of a recognizable name or tweaks the tone to fit a broader demographic, it doesn’t just “miss the mark”—it betrays the source material. Fans want to be involved. They’ve been building Pinterest boards and Tumblr edits for years. They know what works. And they're usually dead right.

A Plea for “A Court of Thorns and Roses”

If there’s one adaptation that needs to learn from these missteps, it’s A Court of Thorns and Roses. ACOTAR fans are already on edge after the Hulu version was scrapped—and rightfully so. This series isn’t just a fantasy—it’s an entire universe with deeply complex characters, sensuality, politics, magic, trauma, and love. It’s not something that can be reduced to a generic YA fantasy drama. Apparently, the fandom has been debating casting for Rhysand since 2017. If this adaptation doesn’t deliver on aesthetic, chemistry, and fidelity to the tone? The internet may never recover.

Final Thought: Listen to the Readers. They Are the Market.

At the end of the day, I get it. Books and screens are different mediums. Not everything can translate exactly. But at this point, it’s simple. If you’re adapting a popular book, treat the fans like collaborators—not just consumers. Don’t make arbitrary decisions to “broaden appeal.” Don’t neuter the characters. Don’t dilute the aesthetic. Listen to the readers who’ve been imagining these worlds for years. Read the fan theories. Watch the fancasts. Follow the moodboards.

Book adaptations have the highest potential to be cinematic masterpieces, but only if they honor the source material and the fans who cherish it. Involving readers in the adaptation process can bridge the gap between the page and the screen. As the industry moves forward, it's imperative to recognize the value of fan insight.