The Truth of How Books Become Movies

In which John Green, veteran of several movie & TV adaptations, describes how books like Turtles All the Way Down and The Fault in Our Stars become movies...or don't.
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[@vlogbrothers]

Your questions: Do I have a cameo that finally makes it in? MAYBE. Will we all watch it together on discord/reddit/somewhere when it comes out: YES. -John

[@abdullahenani9670]

You answered just for me. 😌

[@CApt-NinJA]

Yes!

[@palomatorres6080]

YESSSS CANT WAIT

[@user-cv1oh4yp2y]

looking forward to a watch party. You could do a live stream in KZbin (without the film in frame of course) and save if for those who can't watch it live. So anyone can watch along regardless of when.

[@lanagomisc.6005]

There's a Discord?

[@restpostenbasti]

Idea for the lovely people at Marvel Studios: Let John write an Avengers sequel with all the heroes experiencing a collective existential crisis. No fighting, no CGI-extravaganza, just people staring out of windows.

[@lankyjuggler]

An Abundance of Chris's

[@Gablork]

@@lankyjuggler More people need to see that pun, it's just so good on so many levels

[@restpostenbasti]

@@lankyjuggler hahaha I was thinking Looking for Ant-Man, but that goes even harder :D

[@bproch319]

John is technically in the Marvel universe…

[@melissawalsh8760]

Doc Samson movie! He's a superhero and also a psychiatrist.

[@juicesnap]

My dad is a literary agent (has been for more than 20+ years) and some of his clients' books were optioned but none have ever been made into a movie.... Congratulations 🎉👏🎉

[@htfr1240]

Yeah same! Although weirdly he had two books whose rights he sold like 15 years ago get turned into series really recently, so you never know!

[@TheAireaidLord]

As a writer I've dealt with several agents in the early phases who are trying to tie the book deal to a movie option.

[@catherinecase1142]

I know the release on Max instead of in theaters is a mixed bag, but as a mom who’s realistically never going to get a babysitter just to go to a movie, I’m pumped that I’ll be able to watch it as soon as it comes out!

[@1IGG]

No kidding, as a parent, who has time to go to a movie?

[@ERYN__]

I like your use of the word "pumped" because I'm literally pumping right now. I've taken to calling pump sessions, 30 minutes of me time. Usually, it's KZbin and mobile games.

[@alexanderjohnson8333]

as a disabled person who often cant go to theatres its also a big win for me haha

[@catherinecase1142]

@@ERYN__ YES! Take that pumping time for yourself. We gotta embrace me time wherever we can get it :)

[@HolaMindy]

A big + to everything here

[@aidanbekendam4151]

"You get a little bit of money and you don't have to do any extra work for it, which is kind-of the American dream" is added to my list of underrated John Green quotes

[@ernestt916]

the glazing is crazy

[@freeble_]

*furiously orders TATWD book to read before the movie comes out*

[@vlogbrothers]

We love to see it :) -John

[@danielgysi5729]

It's a wonderful book. The best depiction of OCD I've ever seen

[@NinaDmytraczenko]

@@danielgysi5729 It's the best depiction of mental illness in general I've encountered yet. I've often felt so lonely amidst my experiences, it was lovely feeling so seen and the release it gave me

[@dylenah8196]

same i just finished it last week 😭

[@allisonroth]

I've been meaning to read TATWD for ages! So excited to read it and watch the movie!

[@jillianromick]

"Love in the Time of Cholera" is a classic, maybe "John in the Time of Tuberculosis" will be a hit as well.

[@chrisrelhard]

as a game developer for 8 years now, i feel the pain and joy. i've worked on ~14 projects, with several games that were completed or near completed, but a significant number of games just aren't released. up until this year, i didn't have a single shipped project i could talk about because all of my work was on unreleased games under NDAs. but the pride of having something you worked so hard on and that turned out so well being put in front of the public is unbelievably rewarding.

[@AndreaCrisp]

My brother used to be programmer for video games. I think a lot of people don't realize how this aspect of the industry works since it is so hush hush. That sounds so frustrating. Especially after so much time and effort and crunch mode. NDAs ugh. May you get a fun and successful project soon! 🤗

[@Levacque]

Can you now talk about the one that was released?

[@theblinkingbrownie4654]

Can you talk about the nda itself?

[@trueblue2774]

I'd love to see Hank's books on a movie screen!

[@vlogbrothers]

Me too, but so many obstacles! -John

[@palomatorres6080]

SAME i need to see my literary gf april may on screen!!!

[@jonathanberger392]

@@vlogbrothers Hurdles all the way there, if you will.

[@tbella5186]

Would love that too! Carl irl!

[@-Teague-]

Definitely, I had a lot of trouble visualizing that one so having someone else cast the characters for me would be great, lol

[@Just_Loves_Music]

Fast forward 10 years and we're looking at a guy who thought he had sort of made it. That was, untill his Tuberculosis Movie became the hit of the century and we all loved him like we had never loved him before :)

[@resourceress7]

That's what I was thinking, too.

[@tashannajohnson1004]

Lmao “tuberculosis movie”

[@BethanyMyers-wy5md]

The Tuberculosening™ is my headcanon title so far

[@fossilfighters101]

john's 1989 era was the fault in our stars. his eras era will be tuberculosis book

[@waffles3629]

Yep, looking forward to it

[@lukask.6024]

Only John can make an ad for his own movie adaptation sound so wholesome :D

[@KYLETISZAI]

Why wouldn't ANYONE make that sound wholesome.......

[@spacey-sam]

Hey! It’s my favorite casting director John Green! :)

[@tothm129]

I thought that was Ringo silver?

[@GizmoAndKiwi]

I think it oddly fitting that the movie comes to a streaming service because lots of people with mental illnesses are not big on going out to a movie theatre. It feels like a good fit all around! (Also please please please make it also available in Europe 🥺)

[@waffles3629]

Yep, chronic illnesses as well. I'd like to be able to go to the movies, but noise sensitive migraine and theaters do not mix.

[@kyleliegel]

there is truth in this. However, a theatrical release and home viewership aren't really mutually exclusive either.

[@raineypaige3364]

I’m glad we can all watch this together. I feel really Part of the community getting to watch the premier.

[@Efflorescentey]

I will wake up at a stupid, wrong side of the globe time to be a part of this. I used to laugh at sports fans watching the game at 3am, I am now one of them.

[@Vultureen]

Omg I'm so excited, congrats John! I suffer from OCD and your book has been a huge comfort for me in my journey to learning to live with my condition. I cried reading it so I can't wait to cry when I see it on screen too. :)

[@heart.9889]

Excited for the first trailer to drop!

[@alinaigrad]

Thank you, John, for updating us. I am looking forward to crying more (as you confirmed in the chat). I shall watch it with my husband as he is my moral support.

[@gretchenlynn89]

I'm actually really excited it will be released on Max. My husband has OCD and really appreciates watching media that features characters with OCD - it helps him feel less alone. From a previous vlog of you describing the breakdown from a thought spiral the main character has. It will be good to be at home to be able take breaks as needed

[@cokezero365]

Hey John, I'm a college student who stopped reading toward the middle of high school, but your ability to phrase things so beautifully (and how much I liked your readings of first chapters) inspired me to get an Audible subscription to listen to The Anthropocene Reviewed. I loved everything about it, and I finished the whole thing in one night. As someone who can't hold my own attention for more than a few minutes, I have to give you insane props for being able to pull me into your world for the duration of your reading. I've read three more of your books in the month since, and I can't express how grateful I am to have found your writing at the most perfect time in my life to hear what you have to say. Never stop being awesome.

[@SkyBlue-cv8qb]

Turtles and the Anthropocene Reviewed re-ignited my love for reading, i'm super excited to see this movie

[@inganeer]

"The Turtles All the Way Down movie is coming out..." woohoo, I'm so psyched! "... later this year..." oh, hope I don't have to wait too long. "...on Max" damnit :(

[@Martcapt]

Ahoy my friend. Ahoy.

[@Jewel45615]

John says they'll host a screening on discord!

[@Kazzzack]

at least a month of Max is probably cheaper than a movie ticket though lol

[@MilesFromExtraordinary]

@@MartcaptAhoy indeed. A few of us mighty sailors out here still.

[@PigeonMilk_216]

Wait a week or so and check out your local illegal streaming services.

[@box3y]

I think it is so cool how John Green has always cast all of his movies and is solely in charge of all decision making.

[@particularlypythonic]

Since its being streamed, can we have a vlog brothers watch party?

[@ccpippin307]

Seeing the visible relief at the end of the video is a complete mood. It reminds of how I experience feeling "better" after a month or two or more of The Big Sad™️. Sure, it levels out but I love those days.

[@batman5224]

Honestly, as a novelist myself, I wouldn’t feel comfortable adapting one of my own books into a screenplay, but I also wouldn’t want a screenwriter to write a script without consulting me. Ideally, I would work with a more experienced screenwriter to make sure the script is faithful, sharing screen credit.

[@natescode]

I'm sure you could negotiate that in the movie option contract

[@thenovicenovelist]

The thing is, the term "consultant" means diddly squat to a production studio. If I remember correctly, Rick Riordan wrote a blog post saying he was "consulted" about the first Percy Jackson movie script and he wrote back saying that he highly disapproved what they were doing to his characters and plot. He gave them some advice on how to fix it and they basically ignored him. Years later, KA Applegate and her husband were made "consultants" for the upcoming Animorphs movie. Then, one day they wrote that they were no longer part of the movie. They didn't specifically state why, but her husband shared the link to the Riordan post.

[@MichiruEll]

I think unless you are mega-famous (like the author we will not name), your only option is to refuse to option the rights. Movie studios have too many alternatives to be bothered with an author who sets conditions.

[@batman5224]

@@MichiruEll No one would offer to make my books into films unless they really believed in the material. They don’t offer any major commercial value. I would have to be offered a substantial amount of money to sign over the rights without conditions.

[@zeiro012]

As someone who also struggled with OCD growing up and into adulthood (I'm thankfully doing much better now), I'm so excited for this movie to come out. It will not only be entertaining, but it will help educate people about OCD. One reason I started watching Vlogbrothers is because of how open you and Hank are about health and mental health. When you wrote Turtles All the Way Down I was so excited. I pre-ordered one of your signed copies.

[@user399878993]

Bit more trivia about the Die Hard book… it’s a sequel to the book The Detective, which was adapted into a movie in 1968. And when the studio started to make Die Hard in the mid-80s, they had to offer the part of John McClane to Frank Sinatra, since he was the star of The Detective, and had a clause in his contract twenty years earlier. Fortunately, 73-year old Sinatra didn’t want to be crawling through air ducts, and declined the part.

[@pizzaguy552]

Ive been to the theaters three times in the past 5 years, but have watch dozens of hours of movies/tv on streaming in that time. Im so happy to finally get to see TATWD.

[@dylanvickers7953]

I firmly believe the reason Looking for Alaska didn’t translate as well to screen is that regardless of how John describes Alaska Young in the book, everyone I know who loved that book read it picturing the girl they were in love with, their “Alaska” and as soon as you cast that role and make her a real person that fantasy is broken. I know for me when I reread Looking for Alaska, I picture my ex from high school, even all these years later I just imagine Alaska as the girl I put in her place all those years ago.

[@thatjillgirl]

Oh, I disagree! She looked a LOT like how I imagined her. (Perhaps crucially relevant information: I am a straight woman. None of my exes would make a great Alaska stand-in. XD) And I thought they actually did a fantastic job translating the book to screen for the miniseries. I think it just didn't get much advertising by Hulu.

[@CalvinSpurgeonLewis]

John Green is one of my most favorite people

[@ReconOne123456789]

I discovered the book Stargirl because of your book Paper Towns, and in 2020, it was given a movie adaptation, and that movie adaptation of Stargirl is my favorite movie and the only movie I will give a perfect score due to it depicting a teenage relationship I never had but always wanted since I was a teenager (I was raised in the Philippines and in an all boys school, I drew several works of art depicting myself in a same age teenage relationship while I was an actual teenager). Now I’m waiting for the adaptation of the Adoration of Jenna Fox.

[@zachvii6476]

It was about a month ago when the news broke that it was going to start playing at film festivals. I was giddy. Cant wait to see this movie! My brother and I hatched a plan to go see the movie in a theater on opening night and we were going to cheer when your cameo came up. That dream is no more, but I am just generally super grateful to be seeing this movie at all

[@Goldlucky13]

I'm very much looking forward to this. I read the book in 2021. I finally started reading again for fun in 2021 (undergrad sucked fun out of reading for me!!!!) and I had no idea what it was about, but I had preordered a signed copy back when it came out. sat on my shelf for years, and i brought it with me as reading material when i was working on a trail building crew in vermont. it absolutely rocked me. i had been struggling for years with obsessive thoughts (ALSO ABOUT BACTERIA & GERMS) and in some ways the book made it a little worse (i learned more about bacteria that i did not know at the time) and in some ways it was the most perfect thing for me to read. i'd never really acknowledged my issues or even thought that they were issues, and Turtles really pushed me to get some help. thank you again john. can't wait for the watch party :)

[@allih8021]

This is worth getting a MAX subscription for. So excited for the watch party!!!

[@LasseDamgaard]

Jeeeeeeeez, you’re THAT John Green?! I never knew! I looooved Looking For Alaska, man! This has blown my mind!

[@Khakasa]

I really need to read all of John's books. He's been such a calming presence in the storm my life has been past 10 years. I've been up/down the health ladder with rare neurological diagnoses. It's drained all my savings, a lot of life to force you name it. But watching crash course, vlog brothers and his own channel take me to a place where my muscle & nerve damages aren't an issue. He's awesome. DFTBA!!! from 🇰🇪

[@quinnyates5682]

Thanks so much for coming to talk at LMU today! I’ll never forget you saying that “hope is the only truth.” Thank you.

[@Assato]

Turtles all the way down the book is so important to me because all my life I couldn't really put into words the turmoil I felt inside. I could only say that I felt bad. I was 23 when I first read this book and it gave me those words and for the first time I felt like people immediately understood. This movie is going to be so important to me because my mom wasn't going to read a book for me, but I think I she can go through a movie with me and maybe finally, she'll understand a little better. I'm so happy I can't help crying! Thank you to everyone involved in this adaptation!

[@the-jedi-ninja]

John gushing about the themes in the film as if he didn't literally write those into the book is the sweetest thing ever.

[@adem6371]

Did you know that one of your books is a senior secondary school text in Australia? And that your commentary about other school texts is used for senior secondary literature and English classes in Australia? This won’t be the last time you get to experience all this movie excitement- you’re a brilliant author! ❤

[@Atushon]

a short anecdote toward movies not being developed even with a cast: when Star Trek Into Darkness was originally cast, I was supposed to play young Chris Pine but the studio delayed production by an entire year and ended up recasting the part

[@sarahenson9659]

There is a quote from this book that’s lived rent-free in my head since I read it! Glad the movie is coming out so I can share it with my family.

[@srtatropicalia]

I'm so happy you enjoyed how the movie turned out! This is my favorite book of yours and helped me a lot with dealing with my mental illness.

[@brookepauley8060]

Is nobody talking about the verrry casual way John just confirmed the Easter egg about his book that Hank left in his nerdfighteria census analysis and that we’re GETTING A NEW NONFICTION JOHN GREEN IN 2024?! Thank you, John. Your work and Hank’s consistently challenges me to look at the world more complexly and wondrously, and I know this has not been an easy time, (understatement of the century) thank you for this pivotal work. I will preorder the moment I possibly can.

[@junglecruise20]

I’m so relieved to hear it’s actually coming out!!! I have been fairly concerned about that as things have developed in Hollywood in the last year… I mean, you say your film doesn’t have superheroes and explosions, but even superheroes and explosions wasn’t enough to save Batgirl or stop Disney+ from delisting Runaways…

[@Adia711]

excited about the movie but i’m not excited to ask my friends if they have a max account

[@kyleliegel]

i would hope you just purchase a subscription yourself so you can more directly support all the hardworking people who put their lives into making a piece of art!

[@theelectricant98]

They already got paid ​@@kyleliegel

[@rajdeepnandy8006]

Ever since I started watching Vlogbrothers, John, sometimes I forget that you are a world famous writer and not just another youtuber with millions of subscribers. Thank you, you and Hank taught me how to think🙂

[@jedisalsohere]

I highly recommend David Mamet's play Speed-the-Plow, which is an excellent satire on this exact process

[@AndreaCrisp]

Thanks for the recommendation!

[@mediaempress5024]

Excited to see the film! Also, your camera and audio on this vid looks great! You look and sound smooth like melting butter, in the best possible way!

[@dansgame6506]

Watching Looking for Alaska after reading the book was a whole new experience. I loved every single scene of that. Now I'm just addicted to reading books that have a movie.

[@vasilestegariov24]

A weird thing, I’m not a native speaking English, but I still understand you. I learned English since I was kid by watching movies and tv series and this helped me to know a little better the English language and I think it is still happening. Glad to “Aza” I just started to like you, I mean I started to watch your videos. By the way I read let is snow… after I watched the movie, but in Romanian language, cause my first language is Romanian, but I’m not from Romania, I am from Moldova. I would like to tell something about this country that sounds little as a joke. Moldova is considered to be a “Green” country. Now to no repeat the same as let it snow, I have decided that I am going to read turtles all the way down before to watch the movie , but I don’t really like to read books, it’s a hard thing with me, Pinocchio was only book I read with pleasure when I was kid. I didn’t never know or understand how the name and the story of a book are connected because it’s really interesting, like there is a misterios thing that I drop every time I’m thinking about. Could you make a video about that, I would watch the video with a big pleasure if do that. I am also interested in the way you write a book. Thank you. I will see you on the next video.

[@SAmaryllis]

So interesting to take a peek behind the curtain. Thanks for sharing the book/movie process!

[@justyourlocalrat_]

I'm not much of a movie person anymore, I feel like most popular movies are too sensationalized for me. It was a very pleasant surprise to hear you talk about this movie and actually feel myself get excited about it

[@futurestoryteller]

I wouldn't go so far as to say it was my favorite show at the time, but "Looking for Alaska" was the most surprisingly entertaining and enjoyable show I had watched in a long time. One of few where the stakes are not super high, but the heart and the soul of it carry enough meaning that you would never question why it was worth making, or worth watching.

[@bethhollingshead8876]

How wonderful and exciting!!! For you and everyone involved! Congrats to you and to all who did the work of making it possible! Can't wait for more updates! ❤

[@loreleifae4730]

John, this may very well be the last time one of your books is made into a movie. But being part of nerdfighteria there is no way this will be the last time that you "see hundreds of people coming together, navigating obstacles, and coming together to make something wonderful"

[@biancafrancisco8377]

I hope it's available on Max in Portugal because I'm watching that the SECOND it comes out. I'm so excited John, congratulations!

[@sof42]

I'm so happy for you, John! Please keep us posted on the release details!!

[@sams1982]

I just listened to the pod but don’t have Twitter: YES PLEASE give us curated art I love it!

[@mateonino5068]

i just started my reread of turtles all the way down and I completely forgot how hard it hits. i haven't read this book since I was 14 in highschool when it first came out and now I'm going on 21 finally understanding what Aza is going through. I genuinely cant wait to watch this movie, especially with all the love John has put into it, I think its gonna be amazing:)

[@thedayb4tomorrow]

The thing about Die Hard reminds me of a video Jason Pargin published about how if a movie adaptation is made that is titled and promoted in a way that doesn't promote the book its based on, the author is basically screwed out of the vast majority of the benefit of the movie adaptation... Very excided about this film coming out! Next hope is a movie adaptation of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing! :-)

[@TheMonicaAlison]

I’m so happy to hear this! Turtles All The Way Down is my favorite of your books, it really helped me visualize my own journey in dealing with my mental health and later my neurodivergence. I’m so excited to see it come to life on screen, and my job gives me a Max subscription for free so I’m super hyped!

[@dispelll]

Looking for Alaska miniseries was beautiful. TFioS was good, but Alaska was a missed classic for the ages. I have no idea how it did not go absolutely viral. I don't know if I've ever loved a piece of art that much. Honestly. Looking forward to Turtles.

[@SentientSauce]

I was today years old when I learned that John Green who wrote TFiOS is the same John Green as one half of the Vlog Brothers.

[@ruadhbran]

John you really know how to keep us in suspense with the rollercoaster of not quite knowing how this news would play out! Great video writing! It'll be great to see it when it's out! We also all look forward to your casting choices for the Anthropocene Reviewed documentary. :D

[@rbaney-tu5uu]

I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED!!! Turtles All the Way Down changed my life. It was the first time I read someone thinking like me with an OCD brain and set me on the path of getting help. Thank you!!!!

[@katharinewaldmann5745]

just felt like mentioning, the add I got before this video is the good store add fearing john green. I'm sorry that was too hilarious, the algorithms knows how to make me happy (give me video content before the video I want to see) and lull me in to buying. very smart algorithm.

[@FangirlRandomscrew]

the way you described all the people who work on a movie is so sweet! i’m stoked to be able to see TATWD as a film! Turtles hit me so deeply when it came out, and it continues to be one of my favorite books. I still haven’t seen a good fictional depiction of OCD since, and it’s what I continue to turn to when I feel particularly alone and misunderstood due to my dx.

[@chryschaos]

Came to the comments as soon as Max was mentioned; but turns out the nerdfighteria audience is overall too wholesome to have much overlap in the ofmd fandom, haha. Really enjoyed this insight into book adaptations, hope I eventually get to see this movie :)

[@UncannyDoge]

I can't wait to be have my heart broken in a visual medium this time! (But seriously though, congrats! TATWD was one of the first books I ever read as a person with OCD to see so accurately into my brain)

[@matthewsawczyn6592]

"OCCASIONALLY, everything comes together." Too real 😅

[@AugustCampbell-tv7sb]

I’m a tad disapointed that we won’t be able to see Turtles in theatres. It is however my favorite of your books, and I will watch it SO MANY times.

[@brianmorton9419]

Now you’ve got me wondering what a film adaptation of The Anthroproscene Reviewed would look like, and I think it’s literally just the audiobook just with b-reel footage of whatever is being reviewed

[@rachelelizabethcampbell5901]

Although I am VERY excited that a book of yours is being turned into a movie, I think the most exciting part of this whole video for me was hearing "my forthcoming book about tuberculosis." I am a nerd and I am very excited

[@valmid5069]

Hope you guys are doing well! I wish you guys the best in future projects etc!

[@xzonia1]

Congrats on the impending release of the TATWD movie! 🥳 Not that you don't already have tons of YT channels, but if you ever want to do a series of videos about how to write a book from beginning to end in a way that would help others who start but never finish their books (like me), I'd be stoked to watch those videos. Love your writings, John! Just another video idea. Lol. 😊🥰

[@juliagusmao2659]

you'd think nobody's gonna care about a book/movie about tuberculosis, but remember: moulin rouge is a story about tuberculosis

[@mynamejefffffff]

i love TATWD! i read it when i was in middle school and years later it helped me understand my boyfriend's struggles with OCD. he's not much of a reader, so i just KNOW i will be having a movie night with him to watch it :D

[@michaelgrey1503]

I really wish I had watched this video earlier, but I'm glad I still watched it before the movie release. I had no idea I was supposed to be excited right now.

[@OmegaTurtle]

I have a distinct memory of you saying “It’s been hurdles all the way down trying to get these turtles made” on a vlogbrothers video a few years back when filming was happening but I really didn’t appreciate all those hurdles until you started talking about the whole process recently. I’ve never been much of a reader but when my eleventh grade English teacher set dedicated (and mandatory) reading time I ended up reading An Abundance of Katherines and Turtles All the Way Down, both of which I loved. Basically, I’m very excited that the movie’s coming out and I hope I’ll get to see it.

[@Numbnuts007]

I'm very excited for this movie to come out mainly because, now I have incentive to read the copy of the book that my girlfriend has and I'm very intrigued by the description that John had given. I'm going to start reading it tonight

[@lauren8135]

“It’s not like people read that book every Christmas” …YET. my fellow nerdfighters I think we know what we all need to do. 😎

[@Sp00kyN3rd]

This made me emotional! Congratulations! I hope I can watch it in the UK

[@Delaneybrown2003]

Turtles all the way down has been my favorite book for YEARS and I’ve read it many times. I’ve shared it with friends and awaited for it to become a movie. I am SO looking forward to this movie. Thank you for the book, John. ❤️

[@lorenabpv]

when the lfa adaptation came out, i was like "oh cool, seems like a good time" and ended up crying like crazy (still a good time though). i can't only hope for more good tears this time around.

[@daviday87]

Congratulations!! Splendid news!! That Die Hard factoid is ludicrously amazing 😂😂😂 If you want to watch a nice film based off a book coming from France, Lie With Me / Arrête Avec Tes Mensonges is coming to theatres in the US February 15th (and I play a supporting role that made the final cut). Again, huge congrats!!

[@OneTraveller]

@daviday87 - And congratulations to you! Pretty cool to be able to say you're in a French film.

[@daviday87]

@@OneTraveller thank you! (Swear I don't want to hijack John's news, was just trying to relate as I know how hard this industry is, and genuinely think it's a great movie with a lot of heart).

[@1laurelei1]

Congrats, mate!! John taught us that's a real struggle, too. Lol

[@allenbrokken4897]

Thanks for this. Totally creeps me out that youtube offered this video to me because I've only ever chatted with someone on FB Messenger about this topic online, but you were super insightful. Thanks!

[@alexandragrace8164]

I can’t wait to see the movie! You are a very special storyteller John!

[@BradColemanisHere]

Congrats! That must be really exciting and satisfying at the same time. Also, this was the best break-down of how books get turned into movies that I've heard and I thank you very much for that. I've heard the "optioned" term before but this explains it really well. Impressive way to cut off some criticism of your excitement before it lands, too. You're smart. I don't care what Hank says about ya. ;)

[@signeedssleep]

So excited!! This book means so much to me and I can’t wait to see how its amazing team translates it to the movie.

[@ThisCraftyLady]

John Green will never understand how weird (and awesome) Turtles All the Way Down was for me as an Indiana native who grew up in the areas mentioned in the book with people who share names with characters in the book. I loved it.

[@martywhalen3673]

We moved from the US to New Zealand last year (bringing several of your books with us in the very limited space we had), and are very keen to hear more about that international availability ❤

[@galaxychar]

I hope I get to watch it here in the UK, but it gives me time to pick the book up as I haven’t read much in years and have been meaning to get to it. Super happy for you!

[@palomatorres6080]

the love simon movie was so so good this is such great news and i could not be MORE EXCITED, my last reread of tatwd was last may and i was in a low low mental health wise, and it was such great company, it made me think big thoughts

[@callannowacki1356]

Saw the title and thought TAR was being made into a movie… can’t wait to see who John casts as the hotdog stand

[@lauradftba4653]

I have reread Turtles basically once per year since it came out and every time it hits me in new ways. It has been a great support to me and I cannot wait to convince all of my friends to watch the movie with me!!

[@awaredeshmukh3202]

I read Turtles for the first time in summer 2020 when I was having the worst mental health year of my life. Now I'm doing way better, so I guess it's time to read it again!

[@felix_abc]

Congrats!! I am so excited, this book means so much to me since it was the first time I saw a character with OCD I related to since I have it. I will be getting a Max subscription specifically to watch this movie

[@Beryllahawk]

This video hits a bit different for me, because one of my very favorite-ever stories is getting "the movie treatment" - or rather being made into a TV show. This is not the first time the attempt has been made, the creators have been burned several times by dishonest studios and other misfortunes. But to even contemplate Elfquest finally making it onto ANY screen is such a wildly joyous hope for me. And I didn't even write it or do any work to get it to this point. And hearing your explanation of how movies DON'T get made...it's a good sobering thought. Wendy and Richard Pini are wonderful people and they're smart and experienced and fiercely dedicated to their story. Tempering my giddy hopes with your practical "this is just how the industry is sometimes" talk is undoubtedly very good for me!

[@Slobrojoe]

Wow wasn’t expecting to catch this during the premiere!