Q&A: Does it cost more to make books into movies then regular movies?

Question by VampireKnight_Lover: Does it cost more to make books into movies then regular movies?
And does it take longer for a book to be made into a movie then regular movies?

Best answer:

Answer by akaMaryn
The answer is a resounding “It depends.”

The studio which wants to adapt a book, making it into a movie, needs to purchase the right to do so. Usually they buy an option, which gives them the rights for a specific amount of time, and if they haven’t done it yet, the rights revert back to the copyright owner (usually the author) and can be sold again.

While the studio has the option, it hires a screenwriter to adapt the novel. Most novels have way too much material to make this an easy task. The screenwriter has to decide what makes it to the screen and what doesn’t, which is quite difficult. (And often produces terrible results.)

At this point, the novel-adapted-to-movie and the original screenplay are on equal footing. But in the case of the novel, the studio has already paid for the rights during the option period and already paid a screenwriter.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!