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The joy of seeing one’s favorite books being turned into movies or TV shows is inexplicable for any reader, especially when the adaptations belong to a writer as loved and prolific as James Patterson.
As someone who has been consistently present in the world of literature for over four decades now, Patterson has seen many of his novels being turned into movies, TV shows, and so on.
Given the fact that his books are so popular, it’s not astonishing that directors and producers want to turn his stories into something that can be immortalized on screen. He is among those rare authors whose book movie, or TV show adaptations started long before the norm became a common occurrence.
As a James Patterson fan, you might be aware of some of the famous adaptations of his books, but there are certain movies and adaptations that still remain slightly obscure.
In this article, we will be discussing some of the adaptations of James Patterson’s books that you should totally check out.
Table of Contents
- Movies and Adaptations of the Books by James Patterson
- 1. Kiss the Girls (1997)
- 2. Miracle on the 17th Green (1999)
- 3. Along Came a Spider (2001)
- 4. Women’s Murder Club (2007)
- 5. Sundays at Tiffany’s (2010)
- 6. Alex Cross (2012)
- 7. Maximum Ride (2016)
- 8. The Postcard Killings (2020)
- Conclusion
- Neha Jhunjhunwala
Movies and Adaptations of the Books by James Patterson
Over the years, many of Patterson’s works have been adapted into various formats. Here are some of the popular adaptations of his works:
1. Kiss the Girls (1997)
Kiss the Girls is a movie based on Patterson’s book with the same title, directed by Gary Fleder. It had quite a stellar cast, which included:
- Morgan Freeman
- Ashley Judd
- Cary Elwes
- Alex McArthur
- Tony Goldwyn
The plot introduces us to Alex Cross, who is a detective and forensic psychologist. He finds himself heading to North Carolina when Naomi, his niece, goes missing. Nick Ruskin, a police detective, informs Cross that Naomi is among the many women who have recently disappeared.
Shortly afterward, a woman named Kate McTiernan gets kidnapped. Kate manages to escape, knowing that her captor is a masked individual who goes by the name of Casanova.
After she narrates the events to Cross, he concludes that this man is a collector who only kills his victims if they dare to disobey him. Therefore, they realize that they can still save the women as long as they stay obedient to his wishes.
Several clues take them to Los Angeles, where Dr. William Rudolph, who has given himself the title of the Gentleman Caller, has been blamed for numerous murders and kidnappings.
While Cross tries to question Rudolph, he manages to run away. He is revealed to be Casanova’s partner after Cross discovers the place where Casanova has been hiding out.
Through a twisted turn of events, Casanova turns out to be someone who has been deceiving everyone in broad daylight.
2. Miracle on the 17th Green (1999)
Fans don’t always get to see Patterson coming out with a story that is soft and heartwarming instead of thrilling and filled with scary elements. This is why Miracle on the 17th Green is such a refreshing story turned into an equally sweet telefilm that will remind you of your favorite Christmas movies.
The movie has Robert Urich, Meredith Baxter, Donnelly Rhodes, and Matthew Walker as part of its star cast which is directed by Michael Switzer. We come across the protagonist, who is a man named Mitch McKinley.
One fine day, Mitch wakes up thinking of how he wanted to play golf but is instead stuck being unhappy in his job as an advertising executive. While going through a midlife crisis and regretting that he is allowing life just to pass him by, he ends up losing his job.
This presents him with an opportunity to go for the senior pro golf tour. On the other hand, his wife, Susan, is extremely unhappy about his decision. However, soon enough, she realizes that she is much more capable of looking after herself, her career, and her kids than she had given herself credit for.
Both Mitch and Susan get a chance to reinvent their lives and build a better tomorrow.
3. Along Came a Spider (2001)
Based on the bestselling novel by Patterson, Along Came a Spider is a psychological thriller movie, which is a sequel to the Alex Cross movie series. Directed by Lee Tamahori, the movie includes:
- Morgan Freeman
- Monica Potter
- Michael Wincott
- Penelope Ann Miller
Alex Cross gives his resignation from the force after losing a sting operation which leads to his partner getting killed. However, the forensic psychologist and detective find himself getting back on the field after Megan Rose gets kidnapped from her school.
The case becomes high profile as she is the daughter of a US senator, and the person to kidnap Megan is a man who teaches computer science named Gary Soneji. Cross is joined by Jezzie Flannigan, a special agent of the Secret Service, to look for Megan.
After Soneji sends one of Megan’s shoes to Cross’ mailbox, the detective realizes that Soneji aims to become famous by committing a crime that the world will remember him for, much like something that happened a couple of decades ago.
Yet another kidnapping takes place, and this time it’s the Russian President’s son, who is named Dimitri Starodubov. Cross receives a ransom call asking him to uncover a series of calls made at phone booths, forcing him to deliver millions in the form of diamonds, which Cross manages to accomplish.
As the movie progresses, Cross discovers that Flannigan himself is involved in the case for his own evil intentions. The movie ends with Megan being saved by Cross.
4. Women’s Murder Club (2007)
Based on Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series, this is a TV series that was released on ABC in October of 2007. The show included stars such as Angie Harmon, Laura Harris, Paula Newsome, and Aubrey Dollar.
The show is based on the lives of four women living in San Francisco, with their respective jobs being that of a newspaper reporter, a medical examiner, an assistant district attorney, and a homicide detective.
All four women collaborate and use their respective talents and professional expertise to solve various cases of murder.
Although the women differ distinctly with regard to their personalities, they have a strong and solid friendship. It’s this unbreakable bond that not only helps them flourish professionally but also aids them in navigating their personal life.
5. Sundays at Tiffany’s (2010)
Based on Patterson’s novel of the same name, the cast of Sundays at Tiffany’s includes Alyssa Milano, Eric Winter, Kristin Booth, Emily Alyn Lind, Ivan Sergei, and Stockard Channing;Directed by Mark Piznarski.
The movie introduces viewers to Michael Friend, a guardian angel who appears for kids between the ages of 5 to 10 every time they need an imaginary or invisible friend. Jane Claremont is an aspiring author who is all set to get married to Hugh Morrison, who is the star of a TV series.
Soon enough, Michael appears in front of Jane, but neither of them can understand the reason behind it. Michael finds himself falling for Jane, which is something that has never happened before.
He attempts to seduce her and does everything to prove to her that they’re soulmates, to the point where he becomes corporeal. Although Jane tries her best to remain faithful to Hugh, things do take an interesting turn in the end.
6. Alex Cross (2012)
Alex Cross is the third film in the Alex Cross movie series. Directed by Rob Cohen, the movie has actors such as Bill Block, Steve Bowen, Randall Emmett, and Leopoldo Gout.
The movie shows us Alex Cross going on with his life and learning that his wife, Maria, is pregnant. This makes him wonder if he should take up a job with the FBI. A businesswoman named Fan Yau dies after being injected with TTX by a killer.
The murderer calls himself Picasso and even leaves behind a sketch at the crime scene for Cross to discover. The killer attempts to murder Erich Nunemacher, a German businessman, but his plan fails due to the intervention of Cross and his partner, Kane.
Cross discovers that the killer’s next target is Giles Mercier, who is the rich CEO of a company. In order to get his revenge on Cross, he tortures and kills Monica Ashe, who is Kane’s colleague.
Towards the end of the movie, Cross deduces that the killer was hired by Mercier himself. The movie wraps up by showing that Cross has accepted the job offer from the FBI, and he shifts to Washington along with the rest of his family.
7. Maximum Ride (2016)
Maximum Ride is based on The Angel Experiment, which is the first book in the Maximum Ride series by Patterson. The cast of the movie includes Allie Marie Evans, Lyliana Wray, Patrick Johnson, Gavin Lewis, and Tetona Jackson.
The movie focuses on the Flock, which is a group of six orphans who are DNA-enhanced and have the ability to fly. They manage to escape from the lab that created them and move away to the mountains, where they try to live in peace.
Their joy, however, is short-lived when they are discovered by the Erasers, who are wolf-human hybrids and end up kidnapping the youngest of the group. The film was directed by Jay Martin, and the screenplay was developed by Angelique Hanus and Jesse Spears.
8. The Postcard Killings (2020)
One of the latest instances of Patterson’s novels being made into a movie is that of The Postcard Killings, which is based on his novel titled The Postcard Killers. Starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Famke Janssen, the movie was directed by Danis Tanović.
The plot revolves around Jacob Kanon, a detective who is attempting to uncover the details of his daughter’s death, which occurred while she was away on her honeymoon.
Jacob seeks help from Dessie Lombard, a journalist employed in Sweden, after learning that many others in Europe have faced similar tragedies.
Conclusion
To be able to see your beloved characters come to life is indeed happiness of a different kind. This is especially true in the case of James Patterson’s books since he fills his novels with mystery, intrigue, and so much more.
If you find yourself free on a Sunday evening, wondering which movie or TV show to watch next, take inspiration from the names mentioned above and let these stories keep you hooked for hours.
Neha Jhunjhunwala
This is Neha Jhunjhunwala, one of the writers for this book review website. Her interest in this field is driven by her exposure to a plethora of books from a very early age. By sharing her observations and insights on different books with others on this website, she hopes to motivate and inspire people to read more and more books and help them better their knowledge of different genres and enrich their lives.
