10 Movie Adaptations the Author Hated

From Stephen King to Roald Dahl, these authors were not fans of how their books were adapted to the big screen.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 9:04am

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Sometimes, an author hates the movie based on their book. This list explores 10 notable examples, from Stephen King and The Shining to P.L. Travers and Mary Poppins, where the author was deeply dissatisfied with the cinematic adaptation of their work.

Why it matters

Adapting a beloved book into a movie is a delicate balance, as filmmakers must translate the written word into a visual medium. When authors strongly dislike the final product, it highlights the challenges of this process and the importance of staying true to the spirit of the original source material.

The details

Taking a book and turning it into a motion picture is a practice almost as old as cinema itself. Sometimes, the authors are still alive and commend these cinematic adaptations of their work. On other occasions, however, authors have been quite vocal about their intense dislike for a certain movie adaptation of a book of theirs. This list explores 10 notable examples, from Stephen King and The Shining to P.L. Travers and Mary Poppins, where the author was deeply dissatisfied with the cinematic adaptation of their work.

  • The article was published on April 2, 2026.

The players

Ursula K. Le Guin

One of the greatest and most important American writers of her generation, known mainly for her work in speculative fiction. Her collection of fantasy stories and essays known as Tales from Earthsea was adapted into an anime film that she strongly disliked.

E.B. White

A renowned American children's literature author, best known as the creator of Stuart Little. He was displeased with the 1973 musical cartoon adaptation of his book Charlotte's Web, calling it "a travesty."

Clive Barker

A legendary British horror author, best known for the Hellraiser series. He was deeply unhappy with the 1986 film adaptation of his short story Rawhead Rex, which he had written the screenplay for.

Lois Duncan

An acclaimed author of young adult thrillers, whose 1973 novel I Know What You Did Last Summer was adapted into a 1997 slasher film that she found appalling as the mother of a murdered young woman.

Roald Dahl

One of the most important voices in the modern history of children's literature, who disowned the 1971 film adaptation of his book Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, finding it to be a distortion of his original story.

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What they’re saying

“I felt like the film told a completely different story from the source material.”

— Ursula K. Le Guin, Author

“The movie was a colossal failure, and is still remembered as one of the worst horror movies of the '80s.”

— Clive Barker, Author

“As the mother of a murdered young woman, she was absolutely appalled by the fact that her novel had been turned into a silly, cheap slasher.”

— Lois Duncan, Author

“He disowned the movie and declared himself "infuriated" by its plot deviations, its being a musical, and its shifting the narrative's focus from Charlie to Wonka.”

— Roald Dahl, Author

“He felt that Petersen completely changed the essence and spirit of the book, and later called the film a "gigantic melodrama of kitsch, commerce, plush and plastic.”

— Michael Ende, Author

What’s next

The article provides a comprehensive look at authors who were deeply dissatisfied with movie adaptations of their work. As the entertainment industry continues to mine books for cinematic potential, it will be interesting to see if future adaptations are able to better capture the essence of the original source material and avoid angering the authors.

The takeaway

This list highlights the delicate balance filmmakers must strike when adapting beloved books to the screen. While some authors are pleased with the final product, others feel their work has been fundamentally misunderstood or distorted. The strong reactions from writers like Stephen King and Roald Dahl underscore the importance of staying true to the spirit of the original text when translating it to a visual medium.