So with the Wheel of Time in name only show being cancelled the usual suspects were out in force online calling book fans "toxic". This one fan of the show (who didn't read the books) asked me why I was happy about the show getting canceled and people losing their jobs. I told her that I was happy that it was cancelled because it was a major bastardization and didn't respect the source material. She couldn't understand that when you adapt a popular book series/comics the fans of the series have an expectation of a somewhat faithful adaptation at least. They act like we don't understand that you can't do a straight one for one adaptation.
I could've been more diplomatic but I told her that I have reached the point where I hate modern day adaptations because they attract normies like her who clap like a seal because the show craps all over the source material and adds the usual current year crap. She was never a fan to begin with. She called me a jerk.
Probably the easiest thing to do with an adaptation or period piece is to get the racial demographics correct. When they can't do that, then I know their priorities. I guess it just annoys me how they act like we don't understand that you have to streamline a large book series and that some changes have to be made due to the medium.
I'm honestly looking forward to the day when AI can just make a movie based on a command you give. I'll probably start with Moon is a Harsh Mistress or UBIK.
Rant aside, but why do y'all think that the entertainment industry seems to despise fans of the source material or make ridiculous changes and then use the "well we can't do a one for one adaptation" excuse?
I get that from a studio point of view but there is no point in adapting if you are going to inject lgbt, girl power, and race swap like crazy. Just seems like a lot of times they try to appeal to a tiny group of ppl. Why bother adapting when you openly say you hate the source material.
A company's access and ownership of IP's are frequently flaunted to appeal to investors. It hardly matters if the products themselves are good, because there's still a magic value attached to every IP. And even more applicable when factoring in streaming services.
Additionally, using IP's that people have at least heard of makes it easier to market. Even to people who've never seen or read a thing about the original works in said IP. It means there's less money that needs to be spent on marketing as well as at least a decent number of curious and yet gullible customers who'll check it out when it comes out.
When these companies use an IP nowadays, it has fuck all to do with caring one iota about the original story or characters. It's about trying to min-max those profits with just the bare minimum level of investment and effort.
And I suspect it's almost become a sort of ego-serving career game too. A writer who can totally dismiss the original story and rewrite it in a totally different way might bizarrely be seen as somehow more employable in the industry. IE, maybe they'd cater to a studio's whims more, even at the cost of opportunities for good storytelling.
Great points all around.