I'll tell you a secret. 

I actually don't think the book is always better than the movie. 

Most of the time, yes. But not always. If you've ever both read and seen Big Fish, you know what I mean. If you haven't, just take my word for it and watch the movie. Trust me. The book's brevity is its only virtue. 

Anyway! I do love a good page to screen adaptation. 

Since the epic success of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, the page to screen phenomenon means that bestselling books barely have time to collect dust on the shelves before they're made into a movie.

But for books less conducive to fandoms, getting the book onto the big screen (or TV screen) can be a lengthy process. Studios can buy the film rights to books, then choose not to film or wait as long as they like to start the process. It can be difficult to tell when a book might actually make it onscreen since a studio buying the film rights to a book doesn't guarantee an adaptation will be made. 

Regardless, here are four page to screen adaptations I seriously want to see. 

American Gods

Ever wonder why countries and cultures across the world have gods and goddesses, yet you don't hear as much about that from the peoples of North America? I can't say I'd ever given it much thought before, though Gaiman makes a great case for how gods and goddesses could have come to the US in his novel, American Gods. 

I just finished reading American Gods since it's my book club's pick for this month and I so enjoyed it. But the whole time I was reading, I kept thinking the story would better lend itself to the screen. Luckily for me and other American Gods enthusiasts, a TV version is being created for release in 2017! You can already see the trailer here. 

The fate of the next three adaptations is still uncertain... 

Sex Criminals

Don't let the title fool you---this isn't some Law and Order-esque takedown of sex offenders. Sex Criminals is a comic about Jon and Suzy, a couple with the unique ability of being able to stop time when they orgasm. So of course they use this power to rob the bank Jon works for because the bankers are trying to foreclose on the library Suzy works at. It's a classic Robin Hood story with some hilarious, modern twists and turns. 

Fortunately for me and other enthusiasts of this beloved comic, the rights to a TV adaptation have been sold! Sex Criminals creator, Matt Fraction, confirmed he was indeed writing a TV adaptation for Universal. So hopefully we'll see the fruits of his labor soon. 

I'm such a huge fan of Sex Criminals---I've mentioned the comic several times on the blog (here, here, and here), including last year when I was able to find a first edition of the first floppy release of the comic. 

Looking For Alaska

Why John Green's most famous and highest-selling novel, Looking For Alaska, hasn't already been made into a movie is beyond me. And the rights were sold years ago, so I honestly can't think of one good reason why they wouldn't want to make it a movie. Unless they (mistakenly) think that ship has sailed since the book came out nearly 10 years ago. 

Either way, shame on Paramount Pictures for keeping everything in limbo for so long at the expense of the fans. I was so disappointed to see this update where Paramount really dropped the ball. Let's hope they get it together soon... In the meantime I'll cry into my signed copy of Looking For Alaska. 

One Hundred Years of Solitude

My love of Gabriel Garcia Márquez is no secret. (I've mentioned him on this blog here, here, here, and here, and many more.) Although I don't think filmed adaptations could ever touch the perfection of his novels, I would definitely still be interested in seeing them. Unfortunately for me, Marquez was fond of saying his most famous novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, is "unfilmable." 

I'm no film expert, but I beg to differ. Apparently a director wanted to release the film in two-minute segments for a hundred years. If someone presented me with such an idea I'd tell them my novel was unfilmable too! I certainly think One Hundred Years of Solitude is a novel that will endure for another hundred years, but I'd argue some of the book's biggest fans are currently living and we'd like to see the full film. I'm currently 25, so I seriously doubt I'll live another century. 

What books and/or comics do you want to see made into a film or TV adaptation? Tell me in the comments below!