So I was thinking about movie tie-in covers the other day as I was reading Annihilation. This is one of the few books where I may like the movie cover better- and I know a lot of bloggers generally are not fans of movie tie-in covers, judging from past comments I've seen. But sometimes the movie version isn't bad! In this case I (narrowly) prefer the version above- the other cover of Annihilation is just a little too bland for me. In fact I wouldn't have known it was science fiction necessarily from the old cover- I mean it's got a plant and a dragonfly on it! Now looking closer, sure the plant looks rather menacing, but my point is that cover never really enticed me to pick that book up.
In fact the only reason I read Annihilation was because a) the movie, and b) a blogger recommended it. But my bigger question is- what do you think? Movie tie-in covers- yea or nay? Or does it just depend on the book? I think for me I generally hate tie-in covers, but Annihilation is a case where maybe I make an exception. :)
Below are a bunch of tie-ins. Let me know which you like- and any that I missed!
I think some Movie Tie-ins are gorgeous and sometimes even prettier than the original cover especially when the book is older like LOTR.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point, sometimes when cover art is old or dated the tie-in cover might be an improvement!
DeleteI personally love movie tie-ins. I definitely prefer them. I usually try get the book with the movie cover so it matches the movie :) My copies of Big Little Lies and Annihilation both have the movie covers.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I'm not as big a fan of tie-ins but occasionally one comes along and I'm like- gotta have it!!
DeleteTie in covers can look better, but, that does not mean I like them on my books since they often change things
ReplyDeleteYeah I'm mixed on them too.
DeleteI agree, it's one of those things that maybe one way is *usually* better, but you can't say it's *always* cuz sometimes there are exceptions. I haven't seen or watched it, but I like the show covers for The Magicians series better, the ones with the people. And I like the movie cover for The Princess Bride.
ReplyDeleteYup. I don't usually prefer movie tie-in's, BUT... sometimes I do! The Princess Brie one *nods
DeleteI think it depends on the cover chosen. I like the film cover for Annihilation and the Game of Thrones one of course! I like the Water for Elephants one as it conveys the story. I thionk all the Twilight covers are uninspiring but I prefer the book version of Divergent to the film cover version.
ReplyDeleteI think I prefer the movie cover for Annihilation too. I mean the other one has a certain something, the more I look, but the movie one seems more... modern?
DeleteI don't really mind one over the other, I have to admit. In these though, I totally prefer the movie/series covers better -- when it comes to Annihilation and Big Little Lies. The ladies in the latter just look so sneaky
ReplyDeleteHa they do, don't they? That's cool tho- I love seeing what people think. Annihilation definitely, and while I think I like the BLL book cover better, the movie one Is good.
DeleteI have to say I usually prefer the original cover. There are exceptions of course. I just hate movie stars on the covers - especially when they are just big faces.
ReplyDeleteThat's an issue I have as well. Like I visualize characters a certain way, like we all do, and when they slap the movie star's pic on the cover it totally defeats the purpose for me.
DeleteI like all the movies covers better except for Water for Elephants, Twilight divergent and Big Little Lies. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the book BLL cover better. Same w/ Twlights. Water for Elephants I'm sorta mixed on...
DeleteI generally don't care for movie tie in covers, but I don't mind the one for Annihilation. I guess they are obviously movie tie ins because they always show the actors, so at least it's easy to spot them😊
ReplyDeleteI noticed that too, putting together this post I was like- are ALL the movie tie-ins just actor pictures basicaly?? But yeah- I generally don't care for tie-in's myself, although Annihilation is an exception.
DeleteI ~generally~ like the original covers better, but sometimes the movie-tie-in editions are pretty, too! For Annihilation, I actually love the original, but I like the dark vibe the movie-tie-in cover has as well. I love the movie-tie-in version of Lord of the Rings! ♥
ReplyDeleteSame here. Mostly I'm a fan of the original covers, but sometimes- Annihilation is a good example- I like the movie one better. That Lord of the Rings cover IS nice!
DeleteIf I really thought about it, I probably usually prefer the original covers - sometimes the movie tie-in covers are nice, but to me it just always seemed a little weird to have a totally different cover for the same book.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I'm usually for the original covers.
DeleteI usually prefer the original covers, but Big Little Lies is an exception for me! Something about those lollipop colors feels weird for some reason. I really like the original Annihilation, though :) The movie poster is good, and one of the better tie-in covers I've seen, but the matched trio for Southern Reach look great all together.
ReplyDeleteI do too. Like 90% of the time probably- but then sometimes a good movie cover comes in and wows me. I've always been ambivalent about that BLL cover, like on the one hand I kinda like it but on the other- I don't know! It doesn't reflect the book at all, and I usually like covers to do that.
DeleteAnnihilation's original cover is growing on me, I do like the dragonfly, for whatever reason, but I had not thought to look at the Southern Reach covers together. Now I will have to do that!
Yes, do! They're all in vibrant and coordinating colors so they really brighten up a shelf. The cover for all three bound together is also nice, and simpler as well. But those series compilation books are usually enormous to the point of being too difficult to hold and read, so I almost never buy them regardless of the cover design!
DeleteI WAY preferred the book of Annihilation better than the movie but, you’re right, that cover does nothing for it the movie poster is much better.
ReplyDeleteSee I need to watch the movie (I just finished the book) so I can compare! But yeah I like the movie tie-in cover much better in this case...
DeleteI'm not usually a big fan of movie covers either, but I do really like both Annihilation and Lord of the Rings.
ReplyDeleteSame here- those two are good, but generally I prefer the original cover.
DeleteI haven't read any of the books but I did enjoy the Divergent and Twilight movies.
ReplyDeleteI did too, at least in Divergent's case. Haven't seen Twilight...
DeleteI tend to not want movie tie-in covers unless it's a book that I just love and I loved the movie and want to collect all the editions. haha Otherwise, I tend to just prefer the original cover.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Same here. If I'm collecting the book for my shelf it's almost always the original cover I want. Not a big fan of tie-in's, although occasionally one will work for me...
DeleteOMG - I never connected that Annihilation the book was the movie! lol Duh.
ReplyDeleteI usually hate tie in covers and I HATE HATE HATE when they put movie tie in stickers on the books.
I used to read the Sookie Stackhouse books and they have very unique covers that I collected and once True Blood came out they slapped these ugly - now a TV series True blood - stickers over the artwork. And sometimes it was part of the cover and couldn't' be removed. Grrrrr
I still have strong feelings lol
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Don't feel bad! I didn't know at first that there WAS a book version of Annihilation- I thought it was just a movie!
DeleteI am so there on stickers- ugh.
I hate it when books have nice covers (or even if they're not THAT nice) but then the show comes along and they just slap a picture of the actors on the cover, and then the older cover goes out of print or hard t find!
I have had Annihilation on my shelf since before its release. I just watched the movie trailer after seeing the movie cover here and think I need to dust it off and actually read that book. I think I would really like it! I like some of the originals and some movie tie ins so I am pretty mixed.
ReplyDeleteI'm mixed too, frankly. I generally prefer original covers but you know every once in a while the tie- in cover works for me. And Annihilation- I just finished the book and it was kinda weird but good too? I need to see the movie now!
DeleteI don't usually like the movie tie in covers. Thought the water for elephants one is GORGEOUS
ReplyDeleteAgreed, I don't either. Although I think I agree w/ you on that one...
DeleteSome of the movie-tie-in covers are really amazing, while there are some that should just remain as is. I do really like the new cover for Big Little Lies, though. The original cover seemed a little boring to me.
ReplyDeleteYeah the original cover for Big Little Lies was not super appealing. I like covers to reflect the story a bit and didn't get the whole lollipop thing there lol. And yeah I'm mixed too, some I like and some not.
DeleteI recently got a surprise copy of the new Ready Player One movie tie-in edition from the publisher, I'm surprised how much I like the cover!
ReplyDelete~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
Most of the time I like the original cover better. In fact, I think the Annihilation one is pretty cool. The Sookie Stackhouse series is one that I wasn't a huge fan of the original covers though. Fun post!
ReplyDeleteI agree about Annihilation for sure. I think I didn't read it in part because the cover turned me off hah oops? I think that a lot of times I don't like the movie tie-ins because I hate always picturing the characters as the actors? But in some of the more well-known cases (like GoT, Twilight, etc) it kind of goes without saying that people know what the actors look like. I think I am just not a huge fan of face covers? Which is why the Annihilation one is appealing, it isn't just a pretty face. Same with Lord of the Rings! This is a fun topic, I like it!
ReplyDeleteI'm liking all of the original covers; even the Annihilation cover, it's the one on the left, right? 💜
ReplyDeleteI'm not usually a fan of movie tie-in covers at all, although I do kind of like the Chronicles of Narnia one you shared and the Annihilation one.
ReplyDeleteI usually hate movie tie-in covers, it always makes me feel that the movie would be the main reason why you had to read the book, as if that was the most motivating thing about it. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this right :p
ReplyDeleteIn short, no I don't like movie tie-in covers :)
Tricky subject. I like the Annihilation movie cover much better than the original. It's more atmospheric and does not obviously feature the actors - which I tend not to like. (Probably because I'm not often happy with the casting of the film lol)
ReplyDeleteThough I'm in the minority, generally, I like the movie book cover just as well - and in many cases, better. So many of the books that are adapted to film (I should specify with the books I'm interested in) have boring covers. As a result, I like the new updated look for the book covers. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's actually a toss up! I agree with you about Annihilation... but i love the Water for Elephants book cover... but the Gone Girl book cover is so ugh to me... I don't get why people even read it... Such a fun post!
ReplyDeleteI generally don't like movie tie-in covers. I just don't like the faces of the actors (specifically the close-up ones) on the book cover. I want the appearances of the book characters conjured from my imagination. Ironically, I own movie tie-ins because they are cheaper.
ReplyDeleteThere are a select few movie-tie in covers that I prefer to the originals. :)
ReplyDeleteI do prefer the regular non-movie related cover but only because I rather not see the faces of the actors because don't we all have ideas of how characters should look? occasionaly, I don't mind having a movie image for a cover if the movie came before the book.
ReplyDeletehave a lovely day.
I usually prefer the original cover for one simple reason: I don't really like people on my books. (I prefer something abstract, or scenery, really.) The only ones on this list that I like the tie-in more than the original is the third LotR cover and, maybe, the Narnia cover (simply because I dislike the original so much). Of course, for my set of LotR, I have the most tie-in covers imaginable with close-up shots of the actors on the front covers. (I don't like those covers but they were the cheapest when I bought them.) I will say, particularly stand out original covers for me on this list are the Hitchhikers one - because it is so quirky - and the one for Water for Elephants - because I just love that style.
ReplyDeleteI loooove movie tie-in covers!!!! (And TV tie-in ofc!) Dude, I have books with Tom Hiddleston and Holliday Granger on the covers - why would that not be a good thing?! XD
ReplyDeleteI still hate movie tie-in covers! 😅
ReplyDelete