Ink to Film

Game of Thrones is back with an adaptation that's a breath of fresh air for the franchise. In episode 373, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they chat about the youth movement behind Ira Parker, debate the value of the diarrhea scene, explore the things that made ASOIAF work in the first place (it isn't dragons), and finally cast their vote on which is ultimately better, "The Hedge Knight" by Ge...

In the first installment of "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" George RR Martin introduces the world to Ser Dunk and his squire Egg in a story that just made the jump to television. In episode 372, join writer Luke Elliott and filmmaker James Bailey as they revisit Westeros for the first time in years, discuss their relationship status with the A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones franchise, debat...

Guillermo Del Toro's long-awaited adaptation of Mary Shelley's seminal SF/Horror novel has divided fans with passionate takes for and against, so what should we all make of it? In episode 371, author Rachael K. Jones joins Luke & James to play a morbid game of FMK, compare how children learn language to what is portrayed on screen, compare multiple adaptations to this one, and finally cast their v...

Is Chloé Zhao's adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's historical novel on the life of Agnes Hathoway, William Shakespeare, and their child Hamnet an example of one of the best kinds of adaptations possible in film? In episode 370, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they marvel at the performance Jessie Buckley delivers, debate the ethics of mining personal tragedy for artistic expression, weigh the in...

Before the award's darling film hit theaters in 2025, Maggie O'Farrell's novel made waves of its own with its brilliant prose, rich imagination, and earnest attention to the human heart. Her choice to focus on William Shakespeare's son, wife Agnes, and the possible implications his personal life could have had on his legendary work brought a fresh perspective to one of the most talked about figure...

To cap off their 9 th  season, in episode 368 James and Luke list their best (and worst) reads, then name the best (and worst) adaptations of the year. It was an exciting year highlighted by their first ever live recording featuring the incredible Martha Wells who joined the show to talk Murderbot at WorldCon in Seattle. The podcast didn't stop at just sci-fi, though, making a deep dive into Dracu...

Katsuhiro Otomo did the impossible when he adapted his own unfinished manga into an anime film that changed everything. In episode 367, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they unpack the making of this landmark film, try to understand a mind-blowing ending, compare different versions of Tetsuo, and finally cast their vote on which one is ultimately better: the manga series or the anime! Pickup  A...

Katsuhiro Otomo's series is a landmark work in the history of Japanese manga and animation that shaped the industry as we know it today. In episode 366, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they continue their journey through Neo Tokyo by reacting to volumes 2 and 3, debate just how evil (or not) Tetsuo actually is, weigh the pros/cons of color, learn about "gutter loss," and further explore the le...

Nobody seems to know for certain who created the first cyberpunk story, but Katsuhiro Otomo has as strong a claim as anyone. In episode 365, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they start their journey into Neo-Tokyo for possibly the most legendary manga of all time, learn the history of manga making into western markets, find a surprising link to "Stranger Things", and admire the sheer technical...

Edgar Wright's adaptation of a Stephen King book and 80s Arnold Action flick seemed like a perfect match, so why didn't this movie rise to the level of his very best? In episode 364, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they unpack what went right and what went wrong in the jump from page to screen. Topics include a rigid plot skeleton, a surprise cameo, some performances that divided our opinions,...

From his doublewide trailer in the 1970s, Stephen King was able to authentically tackle class struggle in this early novel originally published under the pen name "Richard Bachman."  In episode 363, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they try to understand Ben Richards, get dystopian and borderline cyberpunk in this flashy vision of the future, react to some uncomfortable hallmarks of the Master...

Join Luke & James on the convention floor as they catch up with former guests Remy Nakamura, Curtis Chen, Kate Ristau, Erik Grove, Jessie Kwak, Fonda Lee, Daryl Gregory, Patrick Swenson, and Rachael K. Jones! Each author shares their experiences at the convention and what they've been up to in the years since their last appearance on the podcast. Find our guests books on our bookshop: https://book...

Jake Kasden reimagines Jumanji for a modern audience while making clever connections to the original that manages to keep this latest entry in line with the classic Robin Williams-led version. He delivers star-power with The Rock, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, and Kevin Hart, who all give memorable comedic performances. Join Luke & James for this video-game flavored take on a classic adaptation for th...

In the 90s, Director Kenneth Branagh made a wild heavy metal adaptation of the seminal SciFi novel starring himself, Robert De Niro, and Helena Bonham Carter. Join Luke & James in this former Patreon-exclusive Halloween episode as they debate the value of such an over-the-top take on a literary classic. Pickup any of the novels they've covered at the Ink to Film Bookshop:  https://bookshop.org/sho...

Director Rodney Ascher presents some of the wild interpretations of The Shining (1980) that persist to this day, each more fantastical than the next. Some theories seem grounded in reality, but others take massive leaps and arrive at outlandish ideas, none more ridiculous than the "moon landing footage was faked by Stanley Kubrick" theory. But is it possible that the entire documentary is actually...

Director Francis Lawrence takes time off from directing the Hunger Games franchise to tackle one of the original battle royale stories with THE LONG WALK by Richard Bachman. In episode 362, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they discuss changing this Bachman story back into a King story, the changing metaphor behind the grueling contest, how adaptation decisions by the screenwriter and overseen...

Enigmatic author Richard Bachman drew comparisons to another famous author from the jump, but it would be years before the truth about him was finally exposed. In episode 361, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they strap on their best shoes and take a long walk into the past as they explore the noteworthy history behind this novel, consider toxic masculinity's role in controlling young boys, unp...

Paul Verhoeven's adaptation of Heinlein's classic novel divided critics at the time as many found the satire to be indistinguishable from endorsement, but its antifascist subtext plays a bit different in 2025. In episode 360, join Luke Elliott and James Bailey as they compare the film to Helldivers II, try to find the line between satire and approval, recount some surprising behind-the-scenes stor...

Often called the "Dean of Science Fiction Writers," Robert A. Heinlein is considered one of the "Big Three" of English-language classic science fiction, but why isn't he read more today? In episode 359, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they explore Heinlein's complex legacy of shifting political philosophy, grapple with an explicitly militaristic yet utopian vision of the future, trace the orig...

Guest Shayna Hodge (they/them) joins the show once more to round out our coverage on the Marielle Heller adaptation of Rachel Yoder's NIGHTBITCH. In episode 358, join Luke, James, and Shayna as they breakdown Amy Adam's stark portrayal, unpack the changes made to the husband's character, make a surprising "American Psycho" connection, hear about an out-of-pocket question asked to the film's creato...

Special guest Shayna Hodge (they/them) joins the show to discuss Rachel Yoder's splashy debut novel. In episode 357, Luke Elliott & James Bailey ask about Shayna's immensely popular  book club  (run on behalf of the "Parallel Worlds" book store), what drew them to this novel, who writes body horror best, the hidden labor women often take on at home, what the boldest/most controversial choice the a...

Author Martha Wells joins LIVE at Seattle Worldcon 2025 to discuss "Murderbot" season 1, adapted by Paul and Chris Weitz for Apple TV+. In episode 356, Luke Elliott & James host their first live-recording in front of a packed room of Martha Wells fans, adding to their "Creative Conversations" series. They kick things off with a special video message from the show's cast for Martha Wells: Noma Dume...

In a surprising twist, Amazon's adaptation of the Fallout video-game franchise is good! Join Luke & James in this former Patreon-exclusive episode as they reminisce about a beloved series, give their spoiler-free reactions to the show, and reflect on what makes Fallout so iconic in the world of post-apocalyptic fiction. Pickup any of the novels they've covered at the Ink to Film Bookshop!  https:/...

In Gore Verbinski's adaptation of RING (and the original Japanese version) analog film takes the spotlight representing a medium in transition. The result is a turning point in modern horror cinema, as the artform transitioned into a more digital age . In episode 355, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they compare the film to the Koji Suzuki novel, unpack the filmmaking choices that make this mo...

Author Koji Suzuki's novel RING sparked a resurgence of horror in Japan and launched a franchise that would shock the world, but what disturbing details from his original story didn't make it to the screen? In episode 354, join Luke Elliott & James Bailey as they try to make sense of Asakawa and Ryūji's characterization, encounter Sadako Yamamura for the first time, try to resist the urge to watch...