The best sci-fi book-to-screen adaptations NEVER made (Yet!)

[@spideregg]

The Forever War would have to be a television series, allowing time to grasp the increasing disconnect between the protagonists and the culture that has moved on. Want to add The Quiet Pools by Michael P. Kube-McDowell. It's not nearly as famous as the ones you named. It doesn't even have a wiki page despite being a Hugo finalist. It's set against the backdrop of the impending launch of a massive colony ship from Earth, and deals with all sorts of themes, one of them being whether people who are amongst the best and brightest should be able to follow their own dreams or if they have a responsibility to solve the problems of humanity on Earth.

[@melbaker9495]

Great choices. I'm sad to see that Larry Niven's "Ringworld" and Known space universe never made it to the screen. Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosigan" series is a wonderful character driven work that would be great on the screen.

[@waverlyking6045]

I would include I,Robot. I’m sure you’re saying, “they already made that with Will Smith”. Yes, but they didn’t make the TRUE I, Robot that was scripted by Isaac Asimov and Harlan Ellison. That was the one I wanted to see, not the one with Will “Aww Hell No” Smith.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Interesting! 🤔

[@hdervish2497]

That's how I feel about I Am Legend. It's like here's the point of the story, and Will Smith is like, "but I wanna be waaaaay over here"

[@LLorax0]

@@waverlyking6045 Does the alternate ending help I Am Legend be more accurate?

[@snovid3306]

Your videos are always great to watch. If done right. 😉

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

😂💀

[@terryloh8583]

Great video, thank you! Now I have some more books to add to my 'to read' list. I'd like to add the Honor Harrington series to your list. Has all the elements that would make for a great (high budget) TV series.

[@BjarturMortensen]

Great seeing some Alastair Reynolds in there. I've only read Chasm City once, but I consider it my favorite book of all time. I really really liked how the two narratives eventually weave very nicely together. And all the mind blowing concepts (by virtue of it being an Alastair Reynolds book lol) would be nice see on screen.

[@bookspin]

Great video, some very good choices. I think Ken Grimwood's Replay would also make an interesting adaptation. I love time loop thrillers both on screen and in literature, and I think Replay has a certain cinematic feel to it that could make for an exciting film or mini-series.

[@dansiegel333]

Loved this- your presentation really got me thirsting for more adaptations. When a great story has already been laid out from start to finish and you have a team faithfully dedicated to the source material, great things are possible. My nominations are : Arthur C. Clark’s The City and the Stars- a billion years in the future, a new man is born into an eternal city- perfect for a film. Alastair Reynolds’ “Pushing Ice”- a stand-alone about an asteroid mining ship that gets caught in the wake of an alien ship’s space warp (perfect for a limited series). And the entirety of Reynolds’ Revelation Space series as a multi-season epic.

[@jamesoliver6700]

Great choices

[@jasperdoornbos8989]

You will probably curse me, but I would like to see the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson…

[@8020Alive]

+1. HBO long series to do it justice.

[@HiroNguy]

As a miniseries, totally would love it!

[@Seven-Planets-Sci-Fi-Tuber]

Nice selection. Thanks. So many great fims awaiting to be made. Here, my heart goes to Hyperion. Fingers crossed 🤞! 🚀

[@PeBoVision]

A captivating compilation as always. I always feel like I'm watching and "insider's club" collection as you so often cover gems that I have come to regard as my own secret tales that no one else has ever read. One thing on recommending Terry Gilliam's masterpiece "Brazil" to the uninitiated. They should avoid the countless custom cuts (especially the "Love Conquers All" edition, on which a happy ending has been tacked for 1980's "unsophisticated" television audiences and where key sequences have been removed. Brazil is not Brazil with a happy ending or without the protagonist being consumed (literally) by paperwork - an affectionate nod to Powelll/Pressburger.) The director's or theatrical cuts are the only ones worth watching (I think my Criterion box set includes 4 or 5 variations (3 or 4 of which should have been omitted). ) But if you haven't seen it, it IS unquestionably must-see viewing. Just be aware that not every version is actually Terry Gilliam's) 🎶Central Services. We do the Work, You do the Pleasure. 🎶

[@HiroNguy]

Totes agree! The European Release 144 minute long one is what I was fortunate enough to have 1st seen. It is the #1 best movie ever made period!

[@thoughtengine]

Which is the version where the renegade heating engineer is the one consumed by paperwork and the hero has a happy ending but it's actually all in his head as he sits in custody and mentally leaves reality?

[@PeBoVision]

@@thoughtengine Yup....can you believe they changed that to him escaping with the girl for real? It literally ruined the movie. (removing the consumed-by-paperwork scene was another prime example of studio executives interfering with art simply because they did not understand it. )

[@DuckRon626]

It seems to me that Old Man’s War by John Scalzi would make a good movie. I think it has a good balance between an action movie and the science part with how they made a fighting soldier from a bunch of old farts like myself. Characters are believable and diverse enough to make it both interesting and compelling.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

O.M.W would be a hoot to watch.

[@stuckp1stuckp122]

I love your channel!

[@IRosamelia]

I read Cixin Liu's trilogy and it was AMAZING! Easily one of my favorite sci-fi books ever. I will search for Hyperion, I remember hearing about it ages ago but it sort of skipped my mind. Thanks for the recommendation, cheers! 🍻

[@tonyhunt768]

Great work! Some good choices. I especially like the Le Guin, and had thought of it myself, as I was watching your video! Some of the books I am not familiar with. I've thought of a few others that may be interesting:- Macroscope by Piers Anthony; Fury by Henry Kuttner (although there might be some time-line problems with it); Babel-17 or Triton by Samuel R Delany; and Gateway by Frederik Pohl. I'm sure there are plenty more, but can't think of any at this moment!!

[@ThreeRunHomer]

A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. The character Jane is brilliant, and the plot has plenty of suspense and emotion. And the scope of the story is small enough that it wouldn’t cost a fortune to create.

[@epiphoney]

A tv series adaption of Peter Hamilton's Pandora's Star with Kelly Hu (Xmen 2) as Paula Myo, future supercop. There's lot of other characters in this complex alien invasion Saga over 2 books.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

This book was very close to making this list of ten. In the end I swapped for Project Hail Mary. Perhaps for a 2.0 video…

[@davidpalmer4184]

This book plus Judas unchained would have to be the biggest series and biggest budget show in history to faithfully re-create the books (I would love to see it!) too many characters and story lines to be practical on the "Small screen" But, what a story.

[@MarcusKatzAuthor]

Thanks!

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Thanks so much! 🙏

[@multi-voiceentertainment7013]

Is for mentioning Hyperion cuz I hear so much about that story and it deserves an adaptation. Heck Apple TV made Foundation. I think it's time that Hyperion deserves an adaptation.

[@quiquaequod322]

Three come to mind: 1) The Honor Harrington books. After seeing SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, I used to think Angelina Jolie would be great as Honor. That was several years ago, though. But the series still would make great movies. 2) The Known Space books by Larry Niven. I'm surprised these haven't made it to the screen yet. You got RINGWORLD, the Man-Kzin wars, the Pak and the Slavers, and a host of other books and ideas. Some, such as "organlegging," have made there way into other SF works. The only full adaptation of any of these stories (that I know of) was an episode of STAR TREK: THE ANIMATED SERIES called "The Slaver Weapon," which moves an incident from Known Space into the Star Trek universe. 3) COURTSHIP RITE (1982) by Donald Kingsbury. My favorite SF book. It's the story of Geta, a world colonized centuries ago by humanity, but whose history has been forgotten. The Getans have come up with startling customs and politics as they have adapted to their hostile new world, and are now on the brink of a revolution triggered by one family. This book has many charismatic characters, an intriguing plot of conflict and politics, a mystery as one scientist tries to decipher the contents of ancient artifacts, and more intriguing ideas than a book five times its size. It would be a difficult adaptation to the silver screen, but if they can do DUNE, they can do this.

[@cgautz]

I would add Left Hand of Darkness and Old Man's War.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Yes. LHOD would be so compelling... if done right 🤣

[@tulliusexmisc2191]

Hyperion is excellent, but I never thought of it as science fiction. Use of Weapons is one of the best works by one of the best writers ever, but it does raise some casting difficulties. And I'm glad you mentioned Ancillary Justice. I would like to see the whole series: I really want to see those gorgeous tea sets on the screen. And some other suggestions: Neil Stephenson's REAMDE already reads like a screenplay for an action movie. But that would just be the bait to prepare the cinema-going public for Snow Crash, the Diamond Age and Cryptonomicon. Larry Niven's Ringworld has already been mentioned, and I'm periodically surprised to find it's still not a film yet. David Brin's Uplift War (among others) could make good cinema, or his Glory Season on the small screen. Oh, and the animated Girl Genius, because not all good art is serious.

[@thewayofthegunn]

Stanislaw Lem "The Invincible" is another one.

[@Khultan]

Alan Dean Foster's series are my favorites and is something very different and has a mystique all of it's own.

[@asmaloney]

For some reason Philip José Farmer's Riverworld series popped into my head. I read it about 30 years ago, so I don't know how adaptable it would be.

[@charlestaylor9424]

It would be a great TV series.

[@dapawaz8310]

Sci fi channel did one. It was terrible, to no surprise 🤣

[@craxanshards3139]

The Night's Dawn Trilogy would be pretty great!

[@DavidGreen_au]

On the back of your proclamation that Hyperion "is the best thing since sliced bread" (probably not an accurate quote), I have just started to listen to this, so I will reserve judgement on your opinion on its adaptation potential for now. I was surprised to note so many narrators on this title.

[@bazoo513]

0:15 - Yesss! Can't agree more. Although, a mini-series (or a series of movies) would probably be a better format. See how Gavin Millar made an excellent four-part mini-series after Banks' _The Cow Road,_ but flunked with _Complicity,_ because the latter was shoehorned into a regular movie format. Either that or the source material would have to be cut out, which would be a shame.

[@mcburnski]

I'd love to see any of the Banks novels turned into films or tv shows

[@mickgorog1233]

I'd like to say that "The word for world is forest" by Ursula le Guinn would make a wonderful adaptation but I think that has already been done with no nod to the author. If you've read the book and seen the movie "Avatar" you'll know what I mean. The story lines are just way to close to each other. The other set of books that I think would make for great movies ( the story is just way to long to be made into a single movie) would be "The chronicles of Thomas Covenant" by Steven Donaldson, an awsome tale that I have re-read many times.

[@ElGato1947]

Fully developed, complex, intricate novels getting smashed down into 2 hr movies just doesn't do the stories justice. The mini-series is the way to go. Each of these selections deserve to have the stories told in their entirety. With all the twists & nuances available to the viewer.

[@bazoo513]

6:05 - Well, there is also a sociological aspect of "Corporation Rim" ruled by ruthless megacorporations vs. anarchist "Preservation Alliance" and subversive, altruistic "Pansystem University of Mihira and New Tideland" from which _Perihelion_ (a.k.a. _ART_ ) comes. The "good guys" feel almost like a kind of ancient progenitors to Culture.

[@StElna]

I'd like to see an adaptation of Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss, The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester and the Robot novels by Issac Asimov, to name a few.

[@MarcusKatzAuthor]

Excellent choices! Consider Phlebas has an amazing cinematic opening, but Use of Weapons would definitely make the best series. I really struggled with "Three Body Problem", but it would be fascinating to see an adaptation. And Forever War! The graphic novel version of that is virtually a storyboard for a movie. Hyperion for sure. And I started reading and enjoying Alistair Reynolds from one of your prior videos, so thank you!

[@ilsagutrune2372]

Rendezvous with Rama

[@jdsantibanez]

There is already a Chinese 30-TV episode adaptation of the Three-body Problem. You can watch it on KZbin.

[@davidpalmer4184]

Absolutely love the Forever war, wasn't too difficult to see the influence of the Vietnam war on Harry Harrison's story. Would make a very long movie or a one season series. I can't see anyone funding either. Such a shame, such a good book...

[@hdervish2497]

Armor by John Steakly would be an amazing military scifi film. I wouldn't mind a proper adaptation of Vampire$ (unfortunately adapted as John Carpenter's Vampires) either

[@HiroNguy]

Here's 3 that I'll contribute to this discussion plus some extras as honorable mentions if you will. 1. Robert Heinlein's Starhip Troopers. The movie from some Dutch hack bears minimal resemblance to this intellectually engaging novel full of very spectacular visual imagery. Other screen candidates from Heinlein's oeuvre include The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, Job: A Comedy of Justice, and Friday. 2. David Brin's Kiln People. I keep picturing a younger Colin Farrel as the protagonist. Of course Brin's Uplift series would be great as visual media, but I'm sure everyone on here already knows that. 3. Larry Niven's Ringworld! Come on man! Where TF is the big screen adaptation of this story already! It's been 52 years since publication.

[@Glittersword]

Here's two more for Heinlein. "Methuselah's Children" and "The Rolling Stones". Oh and one more for the kids. "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel".

[@5050clown]

Anne Sillary Justice. almost a drag name.

[@nineonine9082]

So glad I got into these sort of books, a world of incredible stories that I have yet to experience, the potential to be the new LoTR or Star Wars.

[@laizerwoolf]

There is actually an adaptation of the 3 body problem by Chinese animator in youtube, (but they are made using Minecraft mods). It's actually pretty decent if you can ignore funny blocky Minecraft characters.

[@tonymccann1978]

This is a good list, think you nailed it…Pity nobody is doing Culture stuff for screen anymore

[@bazoo513]

Agreed with everything!

[@shomerfuckingshabbos]

Solid choices. Schismatrix Plus, Books of the New Sun, The Iron Dragon's Daughter(it might be too science-fantasy for this list) would also be works I'd love to see on screen. I'd also put up The Player of Games as a good introduction to the Culture on film - with the added benefit of it being easily adaptable. Or for more action... Banks' non-Culture novel Against a Dark Background. Finally, to rival the scale of the Culture I would be intrigued to see Cordwainer Smith's Instrumentality stories get adapted.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Great choices!

[@holydissolution85]

Book of the New Sun movie adaptation ? Good luck with that... Impossible to do it justice...

[@KeithBrown51]

Dont forget..... The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein!

[@josephjennings1657]

Great video. Could I ask what books are on your shelf next to the sci fi masterworks?

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

On the left is my Dune collection and my own novels, Black Milk and Delphine Descends and on the right is the Gollancz "future classic" series with alt covers.

[@IRosamelia]

I was fully expecting Rings of Power to make this list... NOT 😅 Does anyone else thinks it's funny this guy would have made a better elf casting choice than the actors chosen to play Celebrimbor, Elrond, Gil-Galad etc.?

[@nhennessy6434]

Haven't read all of them, but I have read the two Banks, and the Haldeman. I think Forever War would make the strongest screenplay because it deals with the psychological effect of fighting and risking your life for one society, only to find it's a completely different and largely unrecognizable society when you go home. Would undoubtedly mirror the experience of many Vietnam veterans in the '60s and '70 who went there imagining they were fighting for something like democracy and American ideals only to return to a society that repudiated the effort. And since those changes center around gender fluidity, that would add real relevancy to its appeal in the current American cultural battlefield.

[@olliverklozov2789]

We are Bob! and you are food

[@Glittersword]

Yes, the Bobiverse. Just thinking of that series today.

[@Glittersword]

How about "The Stainless Steel Rat".

[@andreasxanthros5853]

Great choices Darrel! I have to admit feeling some trepidation over the GoT dudes being involved with The Three Body Problem. I would like to see adaptations of Greg Bear's duology of Eon and Eternity as well as Vernor Vinge's A Fire Upon the Deep. Plus anything from Brian Aldiss like Barefoot in the Head or the Helliconia trilogy.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

I could see Greg Bear's Blood Music as a sci-fi/horror.

[@martinbarr9402]

I was thinking of Vernor Vinge as well.

[@cdrain68]

The whole 'if done right' is the issue, all too often it is the whole hollywood dumbing down and well it is a very low bar and just remember what they did with Dune in 1984. When done wrong good science fiction ends up so bad, they either end up on the cutting room floor or as a tax write off,

[@ElGato1947]

You got that right! The major studies take brilliant sci-fi writing and give it a morality play, or a rom-com, or just miss the point entirely. Darrell may have felt he used "if done right" too much; but the major studios use it too infrequently.

[@HiroNguy]

@@ElGato1947 Studios.

[@havocmaverick]

I thought the forever war was already a Netflix show. I could have sworn people were talking about it and I told them not to spoil it because I was reading the book.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Not to my knowledge. There was The Tomorrow War (unrelated) which recently came out on Amazon Prime Video???

[@cartmann227]

Whats about Ringworld?

[@HiroNguy]

Yes! 👍👍👍👍👍🐯

[@SarmonOflynn]

I audibly groaned when you mentioned D&D were tipped to be working on Three-Body Problem... please, never again.

[@8020Alive]

Hyperion! - watching the video now to see your picks...was Hyperion on it?.... checking ✅

[@8020Alive]

Yup your list was 100% solid. David Fincher is the only director I know of who could do justice to "Use of Weapons". Dark character drama. Fantastic video once again. Be proud.

[@8020Alive]

Light - M. John Harrison....nice surprise! Own it and all his novels (never read them but NOW I will this October) Wow great video 💕

[@thelifeandtimesofjames4273]

Great video! Only disagree with two.

[@danjager6200]

Allan Dean Foster's Commonwealth universe would be my first choice. Glenn Cook's The Dragon Never Sleeps would be absolutely amazing. Allegedly there is a Roadmarks by Zelazny adaptation in the works, but given the fact that no Chronicles of Amber adaptation was ever made gives me pause.

[@Avzigoyhbasilsikos]

Quality

[@willstack6188]

Loved this conceptual question…for my money, the Culture is a viable or at least- believable future philosophy and is ripe for a film adaptation. This could be epic if done well. 😊

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Agreed.

[@theconqueror2521]

1st like

[@fatjay9402]

Old mans war.. would be also perfect

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Yes! 💯Perfect addition!

[@jimmmmy41]

So, how do you feel about Marmite?

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Love Marmite.

[@Ilhemworld]

Science fiction is the best!

[@pipe2devnull]

The Dispossessed:A movie where capitalism is insulted financed by capitalists. I don’t see that happening.

[@aspiringloser]

My vote is for Neuromancer. I think it's been attempted several times but still no movie.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Great suggestion. Oooo I can already see it in my head 👍👍👍

[@unpaintedleadsyndrome]

I hope they never make it to the screen. The way they massacre any franchise nowadays... Let them come up with their original screenplays and leave books alone.

[@aishalotter9995]

My sentiments exactly m8, I don’t really watch films of books,because , well because, If they could do it right all of Alistair Reynolds books !!!not coz he’s Welsh (just a bonus) but coz his work is something I can read over and over again, unlike most books, there are very few that I can re read many times one is “the faded sun” trilogy by C. J. Cherryh ,and “the more in god’s eye” by Larry Niven. ( I think he’s the author) . Peace out from the police state of north Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@FlyingHeadbutt100]

After "Snow In The Desert" on Netflix's Love Death And Robots, I'd like to see some Neal Asher adapted. Ideally a short series from "Prador Moon" to start