All the naff films adapted from books that deserve a Netflix One Day style redemption

We all love a redemption story – and I think a huge part of One Day on Netflix getting its renewed success is because the original flop film adaptation is so hated. You need the bad to appreciate the good. When it comes to popular books being adapted into films, we are dealing with a LOT of bad films. We’re talking hated messes here guys. When your beloved book gets squandered into a mess that feels made to capitalise on the popularity and fans of a story rather than to make the best adaptation, it’s no wonder redemption arcs like One Day on Netflix feels so euphoric. Here are some bad films based on books that deserve a Netflix One Day style TV adaptation.

The Book Thief

The 2013 adaptation was widely criticised as one of those films that really shows up what makes a bad book to film adaptation. It also got criticised for its Hollywoodisation of the atrocities – it’s set during Nazi Germany and it was panned for its “safe” approach to the awful context of what was happening in that time. Perhaps a TV adaptation could right the wrongs?

The Da Vinci Code

Every mum on earth was obsessed with this book in the 00s – and the film and all its sequels were absolutely roasted. I’ve never read the Dan Brown novels but I’m sure something with a plot as convoluted would benefit from having a Netflix mini series to better do justice to its twists and turns.

Running with Scissors

Most Read

There’s a really good reason why Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers aren’t red in Wicked

This Wicked press tour clip is getting utterly dragged and has become a massive meme

The journalist behind the Wicked ‘holding space’ meme has finally explained what she meant

I can’t help but think this really fascinating memoir would have been done way more justice if Ryan Murphy had adapted it for Netflix later on in his career, rather than as a feature film in 2006. The film had an amazing cast but it was a mess. Not that Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series aren’t mostly a mess – but still.

The Great Gatsby 

Bad Luhrmann’s 2013 film was the definition of all bells, all whistles, but no meat on the bones. Gatsby is a story where you just need more time to actually know what the hell is going on and this film is long enough as it is.

The Time Traveller’s Wife

Just Hollywood nonsense, really – a bit like the One Day film was. Even Rachel McAdams couldn’t save it. 0 chemistry. Needs a 2020s lick of paint.

Kill Your Friends

Again, a really ballsy and solid book that has an interesting premise that just got squandered in its journey to the big screen. It could have been done so much better and I think a proper sharp Netflix style adaptation a la One Day would redeem it from its bad films based on books legacy.

The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train always lives in Gone Girl’s shadow – and with that film adaptation doing so well critically and commercially obviously the same was expected for the Emily Blunt starring movie. It didn’t really work out.

Gone Girl

Look, I love Gone Girl. I love Rosamund Pike. But there are a lot of fans of the book who absolutely HATE the David Fincher adaptation and would love to see a more faithful adaptation. Maybe Netflix could be its new home

One Day is available to watch on Netflix now. For more like this bad films based on books that deserve the One Day treatment and all the latest Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• This is what Emma would have looked like in old age if One Day’s ending was different

• This hidden symbolism you missed in One Day makes the ending even more gut-wrenching

• One Day’s creative director reveals how they initially shot two endings for the show