In today’s cinematic landscape, many filmmakers and studios are looking for any and all previously existing stories that audiences are already familiar with to adapt to the big screen. Young adult novels have had their moment in the sun, there’s a mountain of Stephen King movies, and the Lord of the Rings was recently announced to have a new series of films in the works, but what audiences really need are some Kurt Vonnegut movies! Vonnegut is one of the most beloved authors of the 20th century, whose deeply sarcastic works are almost always satirical, and either fall into or mix, the genres of drama, sci-fi, war, and comedy. His works are just grounded enough, while also having the perfect amount of genre infused into them, that modern audiences would have a field day with any of his books being brought to the screen. With classics like Slaughterhouse-Five, Breakfast of Champions, and Cat’s Cradle to his name, just to name a few, Vonnegut’s works are a treasure trove ready to be mined for the movies.
Who Is Kurt Vonnegut?
Kurt Vonnegut was born on November 11th, 1922 in Indianapolis, Indiana. On top of having written 14 novels, Vonnegut also wrote numerous short stories, eight plays, several nonfiction works, a children’s book, and even drew quite a bit of the artwork that appears in his books. The man was a true artist in every sense of the word. His novels, particularly, are laced with satire. Vonnegut often took aim at traditional American lifestyles, the rich, war, and religion, and he did so with a pitch-black, brutal sense of humor. His punches were never pulled, but regardless of how dark or uncomfortable some of his books could get, it’s undeniable how funny they often are. While his stories often satirized a number of different ideas, Vonnegut would do so creatively by telling these stories through a multitude of other genres, namely science fiction.