The leap from page to screen is tricky—literary nuance can be lost and characters flattened. Yet some adaptations succeed, like The Princess Bride, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Dune. By honoring the essence of the books while embracing the strengths of cinema, these films show that great adaptations aren’t about strict fidelity—they’re about capturing tone, theme, and emotion in new ways that elevate both mediums.

Hans Zimmer's "Dune: Part Two" soundtrack praised by critics, ineligible for Oscar nomination due to Academy rules on existing music.