South African book-to-screen adaptations are on the rise
Film/TV adaptations of beloved books are forecasted to become a major touchpoint this year. From books like “Hlomu The Wife” to “Trackers,” with more in production, the bookstores are the next big source of inspiration for South African entertainment.
It’s about time we paid more attention to books with screen potential. The power of writing is that nobody can dictate the length of a story, barring an author’s editor and publisher. Film/TV adaptations have runtime limits that affect the screenplay, but viewers often read the source material of these productions.
In South Africa’s film/TV industry, Dudu Busani-Dube’s Hlomu The Wife readers are regaled every Thursday night by their favorite characters adapted on screen. “The Wife,” produced by Stained Glass TV, has been criticized for going “rogue” and straying too far from the original text. If only fans of the Zulu brothers had asked the “Game of Thrones” fandom for advice, they would have known to prepare themselves for a rollercoaster of emotions.
“Hlomu The Wife” book cover
Personally, where the screen adaptations have left me wanting, I find solace in the fandom of my favourite stories, producing alternate endings, fan fiction, and self-publishing. An example of this is “Game of Thrones Redux,” a non-profit podcast with an alternate ending to the criticized finale. Spotify)Throughout South Africa’s literary world, screen adaptations offer an opportunity to engage audiences with a wider reach than the publishing industry. One such example is Deon Meyer’s “Trackers.” Where the book may not have reached notoriety in the United States, MultiChoice and HBO collaborated to adapt the novel for TV. The intense 5-episode series has garnered international acclaim and audiences.
South Africans are spoiled for choice in African fiction by African writers. Authors like Angela Makholwa and Zakes Mda have been greenlit for adaptations of “Black Widow Society” and “The Zulus of New York” respectively. While audiences wait for the release of anticipated or impending film/TV adaptations of their favorite novels, we’ve compiled a list of book-to-screen adaptations to keep you busy!
