Top Ten Tuesday: Bringing Books to the Big Screen

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme for bloggers who like books and lists. It's awesome and is graciously hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks topic are the books we'd most like to see made into a movie or a TV show.  I know this can kind of be a controversial development but I always live in hope of a good adaptation being done.  Here are some of the books I'd like to see adapted:

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1) Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

So they actually tried to make this book series into a TV show but it didn't take and I'm not sure why.  I liked the casting but do have to admit the few episodes there are were a little slow going which is odd considering the books are anything but slow.  It's a series that seems tailor made for dramatization. For casting Harry I liked Paul Blackthorne who played him in the short lived TV show but also maybe Guy Pearce with long hair...

2) Zenn Scarlett by Christian Schoon

I actually did not love this book but I thought it had potential and I think it would lend itself really well to a visual medium.  It's about a girl training to be a exo-veterinarian aka a veterinarian for huge alien creatures.  It would have to have a huge budget and LOTS of tweaks to the story and action but I'd be interested to see the world presented in the book on screen.

3) The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger

Steam punk doesn't seem to translate terribly well to the screen for some reason.  The only movie that comes to mind that was good and had vague steampunk elements were the Sherlock Holmes movies featureing Robert Downey, Jr.  Anyway, if the curse of steampunk could be corrected somehow I think Gail Carriger's series would make a nice TV series with Alexia and her werewolf husband investigating crime and engaging in espionage for the British crown.  Maybe Minnie Driver for Alexia (though she's a little old)?

4)  Peter Grant Series by Ben Aaronovitch

It's maybe not surprising that this series seems almost made for being a TV series because as Aaronovitch wrote for TV before becoming a novelist.  It's an Urban fantasy series featuring a young London policeman investigating all manner of supernatural crimes.  It's funny and clever and has plenty of adventure to carry a show. A younger Chiwetel Ejiofar is how I envision him...

5) 11/22/63 by Stephen King

So many of Stephen King's books have been made into movies that it's not surprising that this book also cries out for dramatization.  In fact there has been an announcement in late 2014 that this would be made into a TV mini-series by Hulu.  It's a very long story so a mini-series is probably the best format for it.  It follows the time travel adventures of Jake Epping as he tries to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  James Franco is rumored to be cast as Jake Epping in the TV show...

6) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I would love to see a movie of this book directed perhaps by Tim Burton?  It would be a hard book to adapt well for sure so it makes me nervous to suggest it but if it was done well I would love to see that. I envision Marco and Celia little like Lee Pace (also suggested by the author) and Katie McGrath.

7) Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear.

The BBC does such a great job making mystery series and period pieces and this is both so....  She's a little too famous for this type of series but I could see Carey Mulligan as Maisie.

8) The Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King

Similar to the above, I think a BBC produced TV show of this historical mystery series would be fantastic.  They've already done numerous versions of Sherlock Holmes and this would certainly be a unique take as it focuses on Holmes' female protege in his retirement.  I could maybe see Emma Watson playing Mary? Maybe?

9) The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

With this series' blend of science fiction and fairy tale, wouldn't it make a fantastic 4 movie series?  I am too overwhelmed to cast this one.  What do y'all think?

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10) Flavia De Luce series by Alan Bradley

So apparently I can't get enough mystery series because this is another period mystery series.  I would love to see Flavia De Luce brought to life.  I'm not sure who would be the perfect fit to play her because I'm not that up on 12 year old actresses.  I think Abigail Breslin or Dakota Fanning at age twelve had the right look though they are not British and no longer 12. 

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It's your turn!  Which books would you most like to see adapted to the screen and would you prefer the big or small screen?  Or would you like the movie makers to keep their filthy paws of your books, thank you very much?