Feature: What makes a good book to movie adaptation?

Project Hail Mary , Ryan Gosling's new space blockbuster, reached number one at the Box Office last weekend. It's the second successful book-to-screen adaptation for author Andy Weir, best known for his novel The Martian which also got a movie adaptation in 2015 starring Matt Damon. Weir helped write the screenplays for both films, which could be part of their positive reception. But, turning a book into a well-received film is no small feat, even if you have the author at the helm. Obviously, a two hour movie cannot fit everything included in a 500 plus page book. A while back, LAist host Austin Cross spoke with FilmWeek critic Tim Cogshell on AirTalk about what makes a good book-to-film adaptation. Listeners also called in to share the movies they thought adapted their source material well and the ones that got it all wrong. Visit to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency

You can listen to Feature: What makes a good book to movie adaptation? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Feature: What makes a good book to movie adaptation? is an episode from FilmWeek by KPCC 89.3 | Southern California Public Radio.

This episode is 13:30 long.

This episode was published on Mar 27, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from FilmWeek when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.