9 Movies That Succeeded By Ignoring The Source Material

Now we come to There will be Blood, loosely based on "Oil!". Upton Sinclair's original novel was an older, more eloquent story released far back in 1926. It takes place from the perspective of James Arnold Ross Jr, who bears witness to his father's oil industry. It's far more political than many entries on this list, tying itself in with historical events of the time along with other background occurrences.

Some eighty years later, the book laid the groundwork for Paul Thomas Anderson, who treated us to one of the best films of the 2000s. Oil! was merely a starting point as There Will Be Blood created one of the most loathsome and greedy characters in film history. One who we're hopelessly attached to watch through the entire piece.

The film shifts perspectives to Daniel Plainview, played perfectly by Daniel Day-Lewis, as he ruthlessly attempts to expand his oil empire while crushing anyone who gets in his way. This creates a relentless conflict between Daniel and a rival preacher named Paul Sunday (played by Paul Dano).

By ditching the political undertones and focusing almost entirely on this conflict, There will be Blood maintains a vicious edge. The flick achieved acclaim across the board with many calling it the best film of 2007, speaking to its power to outdo its original inspiration.