Are Authors Usually Pleased With The Film Adaptations Of Their Books?

Authors usually have preferences when it comes to film adaptations of their novels. J.K. Rowling, for example, was adamant that the entire cast be British for the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, a preference that caused director Steven Spielberg to walk away. Rowling disagreed with Spielberg's idea of combining the first two books, as she wanted each book dealt with separately. Rowling has been generally pleased with all the Harry Potter films released so far.

Roald Dahl, however, did not like the 1971 film adaptation of his novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The film was entitled Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and received less than average sales at the box office. Dahl outright refused to sell the rights for the book's sequel, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. However, he allowed a film adaptation of the BFG, which was released in 1989. It is rumoured that Dahl hated the 1990 film adaptation of The Witches so much that he stood outside the cinema informing people not to watch the film.

Stephen King was displeased with the 1980 film adaptation of his novel, The Shining. King felt the casting of Jack Nicholson, who played the novel's protagonist, was not suitable, due to Nicholson's role in an earlier film. King felt that this would give away the fact that the main character would go mad, due to Nicholson portraying a madman in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.