Friday night has long been regarded as movie night. In a world where Netflix is at everyone’s fingertips and movie theaters charge exorbitant prices, the local cinema has lost some serious business. The movies they do put out, however, are oddly familiar.

A major source of material for upcoming movies is popular young adult literature. The world has been transformed by the overwhelmingly successful Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Twilight series. In lieu of these cultural icons, movies debuting soon are from the same genre.

Veronica Roth’s Divergent is one such teen novel that will soon hit theaters. On March 21, Shailene Woodley as Tris Prior and Theo James as Four will light up the screen with the story of a dystopian Chicago where members of society are broken into five factions depending on their personalities. The kind form Amity, the honest form Candor, the selfless form Abnegation, the fearless form Dauntless, the intelligent form Erudite, and the millions of loyal readers form a fan base that is eagerly anticipating the arrival of this movie.

Divergent has also proved to be a hit among Nazareth students. The movie has a lot to live up to, however, and Nazareth students are wary. Junior Jenny Mayer was a big fan of the Divergent book and stated, “I like seeing movies, but from the commercials I’ve seen, they’ve been switching things up and it won’t be the same as I imagined it.” Freshman Kelsey Cho is also an enthusiastic Divergent fan and stated, “I think the casting for the movie is a little off, especially [the character] Four, but I’m excited for the movie.”

The widely popular The Fault in Our Stars by John Green will also make the transition from bestseller to blockbuster come June 6. Shailene Woodley will once again star as a leading actress in 2014 with the enviable role of Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenage cancer patient who has to live with her illness and decide how she wants to live her life. Ansel Elgort will star as Hazel’s witty love interest, Augustus Waters. John Green’s novels are highly praised and The Fault in Our Stars is no exception with its impressive accolades and fan base.

Freshman Garrett Allar is a fan of all things John Green and is completely in love with The Fault in Our Stars. In regards to the movie adaptation, Allar stated, “I’m ready to finally see the world of John Green brought to life. I’m really excited.”

Another approach movie producers are taking in hopes of bringing more people to the theaters is by remaking moviegoers’ favorite flicks. The beloved Spider Man has received yet another facelift and will once again grace the big screen this July. Spiderman, whether it be in comic books or action movies, has been around for generations and continues to build as a franchise.

Many people are torn between whether a movie should be remade or whether it should remain in it’s original state. Sophomore Colleen Cavanaugh believes, “I think it is kind of silly.  We already have a good Spiderman movie and we don’t need another remake.” On the other hand, Freshman Jessica Sullivan is a supporter of remakes and stated, “I am excited to see the new Spiderman movie because I like seeing how they bring it to life with today’s technology.”

Veronica Mars is yet another movie that will debut this season that was not created solely for the cineplex. Not only did this mystery filled drama originate as a young adult novel, but it also was adapted as a television show. Devoted fans are lucky to relive the antics of Mars for yet a third time come March.

Numerous people have come to decree these movies as double-edged swords. While they anxiously await the premiere of the movies, they cannot shake the feeling that they will inevitably be disappointed. Nazareth Choir teacher Mrs. Maney stated, “In general, [movie adaptations] don’t live up to the books. They can’t fit in all the details. The Harry Potter movies, for example, can’t include all the details but they are still great.” Sophomore Alecia Bell expressed similar sentiments and stated, “I feel like they don’t have the same effect because they cannot go into depth like the books can and lack the same emotions that the book provoked.”

So why are books constantly being scripted into the next blockbuster? Moviegoers just simply cannot resist seeing their cherished characters come to life before their eyes. The movie theaters are beckoning them back in with the opportunity to relive their favorite scenes or fall in love with a story all over again. As Junior Austin Brown so eloquently put it, “movies enhance the reading experience by allowing the reader to better picture what they’re reading.”