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SALT LAKE CITY — The fifth installment of the "Die Hard" franchise is headed to theaters this week and it's too early to say much about "A Good Day to Die Hard."
As we started looking into the Die Hard canon we remembered the original film was actually an adaptation of the novel "Nothing Lasts Forever."
As I brought this little fact up I was surprised when a number of people had no idea "Die Hard" was based off of a book. So, I thought I might share with you a few more movies that maybe you didn't realize were book adaptations.
The 2005 film "Sahara" starring Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz is actually an adaptation of the 1992 novel "Sahara" by Clive Cussler.
The book is actually No. 11 in a series revolving around the character Dirk Pitt, played by McConaughey. The film cost $130 million and only pulled in $68 million domestically. Meaning, if you were a fan of Dirk Pitt, that's likely the last you're going to see him on the big screen for quite some time.
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The 1989 sports classic "Field of Dreams" has charmed audiences now for more than two decades, and kids and adults alike still love its simple and pure message.
What many people don't know is that "Field of Dreams" came from the W.P. Kinsella novel "Shoeless Joe" published in 1982. If the author's name sounds familiar that's because the main character in his book that was later portrayed by Kevin Costner is Ray Kinsella.
The film follows the book quite closely, but in the novel the character Terrance Mann, played by James Earl Jones, is actually portrayed as the real-life writer J.D. Salinger.
In 1960 Alfred Hitchcock shocked the world with his horror film "Psycho."
The film is considered tame by today's standards, but in 1960 it set the country on fire. It outraged some, delighted others and frightened nearly everyone.
While "Psycho" is considered a classic, many people don't realize it's an adaptation of the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch.
Studio executives thought the book was inadaptable and that the subject matter was too harsh for the screen. Hitchcock fought through the red tape and even bought up copies of the book to keep the public oblivious to the twist ending.
To see the story behind the making of "Psycho," check out the 2012 film "Hitchcock" starring a nearly unrecognizable Anthony Hopkins as the famed director.
The 2007 film "Stardust" is truly an underrated gem, and for those who saw it many don't realize the film is based off the illustrated novel "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman.
The book was published in 1999 and received a myriad of awards and accolades. The story is fun, adventurous, romantic, funny and all around entertaining.
The book is an epic and the adaptation was a tall order, but under the direction of Matthew Vaughn and led by stellar performances by Claire Daines, Charlie Cox, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert DeNiro and Mark Strong, the film did its source material justice.
If you're a reader pick up "Stardust," and if you're a movie fan make sure you take the time to watch "Stardust."
The 1988 film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" caught audiences off guard, and they loved it. The film made almost $330 million worldwide and even inspired an entire section of Disneyland.
What many people don't know is that the hit film was actually based off the 1981 novel "Who Censored Roger Rabbit?" by Gary K. Wolf.
The film, however, is quite different from the novel. In the book Roger Rabbit is actually killed and a doppelganger Roger helps Eddie Valiant find his killer. Just like the movie, the book is strange, inventive and polarizing.
Did you know all of these films were based off of books? What other films were you surprised to find out were book adaptations? Let us know on the comment boards, Facebook or send an email.
