April 15, 2026

Film Adaptations: The Daily Heartbreak of a Bracket

LitHub's bracket on the best literary film adaptation reminds us that even with great source material, a film's fate is never guaranteed.

LitHub is running a bracket to determine the best literary film adaptation of the last 50 years. On day three, with only 16 films left, the editor confessed, "I always forget that running these brackets is an experience in daily heartbreak, as every morning, more of my favorites get knocked out." Yesterday, Bram Stoker's Dracula was among the fallen. This sentiment, the daily heartbreak of a bracket, resonates beyond just film critics and industry insiders. It speaks to anyone who has loved a book, then seen its translation to the screen. We bring so much of ourselves to the page — our own in…