So someone on a Facebook group that I’m a part of asked about inaccuracy and changes to characters and stories in comic book films. They asked about when a change is wrong and respectful to the source material and at what point we feel slighted by these changes. This is what I came up with.

“When it comes to changes in character and story, it’s necessity that makes it feel right or respectful to the source material.

Let’s make two groups to make this easier to talk about, Marvel films and others (Fox, Sony, DC films).

The changes that Marvel films have made (like Jane Foster being a physicist instead of a nurse and Bucky being a grown man instead of a child) actually makes sense in their films. Despite the inaccuracy, the change is needed to help the story develop in the way that the directors and writers intended. Combined with a story that tries to emulate the feel and wonder that the source material contained, it makes for a great adaptation.

Now if you look at the changes made by the other comic book film producers, most of their changes don’t stem from necessity but rather from their having the ability to make it happen (as an example, I’d cite the race change of the Human Torch and the complete misuse of characters in most, maybe even ALL, of the X-Men films). I hear “a new take on the story and character” a lot in interviews for these films but we have to understand that the story could have gone on without these changes. Do these always make the movie worse? No, sometimes it makes it better (The African American actor who played Ben Urich in Daredevil S1 was amazing and I wouldn’t change that casting choice even if I could, despite Urich being white in the comics) but sometimes what happens when these producers try so desperately to establish their own take is that they forget to try to properly convey the essence of a character and a story onto film.

Like what someone said earlier in the thread, there’s a difference between a great adaptation and a great film. It’s not something that is mutually exclusive. Those two don’t always come together, but it’s always the best for comic geeks when they do.

I hope producers realize that you don’t have to appease either the casual fans or the fanboys. I really think it’s possible to appease them both. Marvel’s already doing it, so why can’t the others?

*P.S. As for BvS, I’m reserving my judgement because I haven’t seen it. I have bias against it because based on what I’ve seen from MoS and the trailer, I won’t like the direction they’ve taken with Superman. But hey, hopefully I’m blindsided by a really really good movie and adaptation. I’m just excited to see Affleck as Batman to be honest.”

Just thought it was worth a share because once upon a time, I too was a comic geek that was offended by every little thing that wasn’t an accurate representation of the comics I read. I only hope that this post enlightens some little comic geek out there who is so pissed off that everything isn’t right in comic book films he or she is paying to see.

Calm down little dude. We’re in the golden age of comic book movies.
Enjoy the ride!