Lost in Translation

Expanded universes are typically associated with franchises; popularity and demand allow for the original to expand.

With superhero movies becoming a mainstay in theatres, the question arises, what is the border between adapting and expanding a franchise?

It is safe to say that Reptilicus has issues. Movies don’t get featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000 if they don’t.

So, if Mutant X is not X-Men, what is it?

Ian Fleming wrote the screen treatment of the film before he wrote the novel; Thunderball is an original work in the 007 series with the novel being the adaptation.

Captain Power, for being a live-action kids show designed for a thirty minute time-slot, was ambitious.

The system is solid, having been refined with other games, and the writing brings out the details that drew fans into watching both Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess.

The Black Hole was gothic horror tucked in a science fiction shell.

The movie remake of The A-Team is a hit-and-miss affair.

As long as the writers could find the funny for riffing, the films were added to the lineup.

Created by Ian Fleming and first published in 1953, James Bond has appeared in 57 books, including 43 by other authors, at least 29 movies, and in comics.

St. Trinian’s updated the source while remaining true to both the cartoon strip and The Belles of St. Trinian’s.

The movie of the series is a perfect example of adapting properly.

For adaptations, this reversal of roles means that television is the better medium, especially for long-form works like novels.

What happens when a film made on the cheap gets a budget? Let’s look at the Roger Corman classic, Death Race 2000.

Get Smart, though, was more than the gadgets. Like many good parodies, like Airplane!, the characters took the situations seriously.

What helped Cortex be flexible enough for the range of adapted works is its simplicity.

Deadpool set out to correct the problems with the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

With some works, though, choosing an iconic moment to tell is difficult.

The biggest problem the 2015 Jem had was obvious – it wasn’t the cartoon.