10 Bad Film Adaptations Of Great Books
4. The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass was such a major disappointment for New Line Cinema, that they were forced to restructure the way in which they produced films as a result.
Set in a parallel universe, the book follows the adventures of Lyra Belacqua as she sets off into the world to look for her missing friend and uncle. Her search leads her to a secret government facility where experimental research is conducted on a mysterious substance known as Dust. New Line thought the book series had the same potential as The Lord Of The Rings, and bought the film rights in 2002.
But the film was met by severe displeasure by fans of the book due to the decisions made by its director, Chris Weitz. By cutting out the final three chapters of the book entirely and excluding key themes about religion and the abuse of power, fans felt it was a faithless adaptation that decided to leave out the very heart and soul of the book in order to make the film more marketable.
Fan backlash was so severe, that plans for potential sequels were dropped.