When Fifty Shades of Grey rose to infamy, it was slammed for its romanticized depiction of unhealthy relationships, its wacky vanilla portrayal of BDSM, and, most laughably, the fact that it was once a piece of Twilight fan fiction. Despite the years spent revising the fan fiction story into an original novel, many could not let go of its origins, drawing parallels between Fifty Shades’ Anastasia Steele and Twilight’s Bella Swan. Even so, the Fifty Shades trilogy was brought to the big screen and skyrocketed the careers of its lead stars, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. Despite how polarizing the Fifty Shades of Grey films were, they proved that everything and everyone has to start somewhere, even if it’s Wattpad.
While the writing platform Wattpad is the host of a lot of fan fiction, it also houses some original stories — usually romance — some of which have become the source material for major movies and TV shows. While much of today’s media seems adapted from previous material, stories have been taken from page to screen for decades. Given that Wattpad tales are often altered into tangible novels, it’s no surprise they are added to the forever-growing list of book-to-film adaptations. As such, here’s a list of Wattpad books and stories turned into movies and TV shows.
15
‘He’s Into Her’ (2021)
Based on the Story by Maxine Lat Calibuso
He’s Into Her
Release Date
May 28, 2021
Network
iWantTFC, Kapamilya Channel
He’s Into Her is a Philippines series that follows the story of Maxpein Zin del Valle, a free-spirited teenager raised by her grandmother. When her estranged father re-enters her life, offers to pay for her grandmother’s hospital bills, and accepts her request to move into his enormous house in Manila, Maxpein enrols at Benison International School and meets Deib Lohr Enrile, a high school senior notorious for bullying outsiders. As Deib and Maxpein clash with one another, their complex rivalry turns into romance.
From Rivals to Romance
Written by Maxine Lat Calibuso (Maxinejiji on Wattpad), He’s Into Her is a lighthearted rom-com that plays around the age-old enemies-to-lovers trope and delivers a story that’s about redemption and personal growth as well. The direction by Chad Vidanes, as well as the electric performances of Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, make the series a captivating watch. On Wattpad, the original story has garnered over 370 million reads, and for fans of the books and the series, even though the TV adaptation was canceled after two seasons, there is a Season 3 available to read on Wattpad.
14
‘Talk Back And You’re Dead’ (2014)
Based on the story by Alesana Marie
Talk Back and You’re Dead
Release Date
August 20, 2014
Runtime
120 Minutes
Director
Andoy Ranay
Starring James Reid and Nadine Lustre, Talk Back And You’re Dead is another Philippines romantic comedy. It centers around Miracle Samantha “Sammy” Perez, a young girl who simply wants to look out for her friend when she realizes her boyfriend, Timothy Odelle “Top” Pendleton, might be cheating on her friend. Sammy confronts Top, slaps him and throws insults at him, only to find out later that she was wrong. But her video goes viral and turns their lives upside down.
Wattpad Thriller Gets Cinematic Treatment
Based on the thrilling Wattpad novel by author Alesana Marie, Talk Back And You’re Dead is just as swoon-worthy as it is action-packed. It explores the consequences of making tough choices and the transformative power of love, but has layers to its narrative which includes family secrets, gang rivalries, misunderstandings, and a lot of unexpected plot twists. The direction by Andoy Ranay effectively captures the passion and intensity of the original Wattpad story, which, interestingly enough, is told across a series of seven books.
13
‘Sidelined: The QB And Me’ (2024)
Based on the Story by Tay Marley
Release Date
November 29, 2024
Director
Justin Wu
Writers
Mary Gulino, Crystal Ferreiro
Sidelined: The QB And Me, Tubi’s first original movie ever, revolves around Dallas Bryan, an ambitious and talented cheerleader who is determined to earn a dance scholarship to get into CalArts. That is until Drayton Lahey, the high school quarterback with a bad reputation, gets in her way. When their paths intersect, there is resistance. But they also share an undeniable chemistry with each other.
A Wattpad-to-Screen Touchdown
On the surface, the movie seems to be a typical high school romance with a touch of sports and drama. But watching the intense rivalry between Dallas and Drayton unfold is simply irresistible. The way they begin to question their priorities and discover their dreams in life is engaging and relatable. The film is based on Tay Marley’s Wattpad story, and it’s known for bringing realism to the high school setting. It stars TikTok star Noah Beck in the lead role alongside Siena Agudong, whereas James Van Der Beek plays Beck’s father.
12
‘My Life With The Walter Boys’ (2023)
Based on the Story by Ali Novak
Release Date
December 7, 2023
Directors
Jerry Ciccoritti, Winnifred Jong, Nimisha Mukerji
Writers
Melanie Halsall, Ali Novak
My Life With The Walter Boys tells the story of a teenager named Jackie Howard. After a tragic family accident leaves her broken and alone, she moves in with her new guardian, Katherine Walter, a veterinarian and her mother’s best friend, and her seven sons. Jackie’s life takes a wild turn as she tries to adjust to living with a large, boisterous family and is drawn to two of the Walter boys.
Drama, Romance, and Family
This heartwarming adaptation is based on a story written by Ali Novak on Wattpad. The book gained immense popularity for its emotionally resonant writing and the central romance, as well as Jackie’s journey of navigating family, love, and self-acceptance. Novak’s book has over 80.5 million reads and won several Watty Awards, which only made it more popular with readers. She also announced a sequel, which is coming up in 2025. The TV series got a mixed response and only holds a 45% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
11
‘My Fault’ Movies (2023)
Based on the Story by Mercedes Ron
My Fault
Release Date
June 8, 2023
Director
Nicole Wallace, Anastasia Russo, Gabriel Guevara
Writers
Domingo González, Mercedes Ron
Directed by Domingo González in his feature directorial debut, My Fault follows 17-year-old Noah, who moves into a luxurious mansion with her mother after her mother marries a wealthy man named William Leister. Having left her boyfriend and friends behind, Noah struggles to adjust to her new surroundings and is constantly at odds with her stepbrother, Nick. When tensions rise, Noah and Nick’s bond goes from hostility to a complicated romance.
One of the Highest-Viewed Wattpad Adaptations
My Fault obviously deserves a spot on the list for its intense character dynamics and emotional narrative. Based on the novel by Mercedes Ron, which was originally published on Wattpad, the movie broke the record as Prime Video’s most-watched original international movie of all time back in 2023, and it was surpassed by the sequel, Our Fault, in 2024. The English-language adaptation of Culpa Mía, titled My Fault: London, debuted on Prime Video in 2025, and it has already gained immense popularity with fans.
10
‘Float’ (2023)
Based on the Story by Kate Marchant
Float
Release Date
September 30, 2023
Runtime
100 minutes
Writers
Sherren Lee
-
Michelle Krusiec
Rachel Liu
Wattpad’s Float was very popular, accumulating over 25.5 million reads before being adapted into a feature film. The story follows a young woman named Waverly, who falls for a lifeguard named Blake after he rescues her from drowning. Waverly decides to pursue her feelings, heading to a small town in Canada to spend time with Blake and forgo her schooling. Yet, as the two fall in love, they are challenged by Blake’s past and Waverly’s aspirations to attend medical school.
Love Comes and Goes Like the Tides
Is there anything more quaint and charming than romance in a small beach town community? Sherren Lee’s adaptation of the hit Wattpad novel certainly captures the romantic sensation of being swept up by another in a picturesque environment. Andrea Bang and Robbie Amell also make the perfect pairing of Blake and Waverly, bringing the romance that made the original work such a hit. Those who are also focused on representation in media will also be pleased by the diverse cast on offer.
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9
‘After’ Series (2019 – 2023)
Based on the Series by Anna Todd
Anna Todd’s fan fiction series, After, amassed over one billion amorous Wattpad readers, each eager to see what was in the disorderly yet addicting worlds of Tessa Young and Hardin Scott. The stories were picked up by Simon & Schuster to become a bestselling series, which includes four books, one prequel, and two spin-off novels. Readers follow the journey of Tessa and Hardin from the day they meet in college to the future versions of themselves, with the film’s plot following a similar progression.
A Romance Spanning Many Films
The first After movie premiered in 2019, followed by three sequels: After We Collided, After We Fell, After Ever Happy, and After Everything. The latest film in the series, After Everything, was released in September 2023. Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin thoroughly brought life to the characters, embodying their fictional counterparts in a way that imitates perceiving the book in motion right before your eyes.
After Everything marked the official end of the After film series, bringing the once-annual institution of romance and drama to a close. Castille Landon, who directed the latter films in the After series, would later write and direct Summer Camp. The composer of After Everything, George Kallis, was also attached to the latter After films alongside Landon.
8
‘Cupid’s Match’ (2018)
Based on the Story by Lauren Palphreyman
Cupid’s Match
Release Date
February 14, 2018
Cupid’s Match gained tens of millions of readers on Wattpad, and was later turned into a book by Lauren Palphreyman. The novel tells the story of Lila, a dejected high school student who uses Cupid’s Matchmaking Service in search of love, only to be matched up with Cupid himself. What appears to be a quintessential romance is a supernatural fantasy, with Lila entering a mythological world overflowing with supernatural wonder. Even more fantastical is that the original Cupid wants to reciprocate Lila’s feelings. Though it was turned into a full-length pilot for The CW in 2018, it didn’t receive a full-length season.
Supernatural Fantasy Romance
Michel Janse, who played Lila in the pilot, currently has no recent credits attached to her name. She was previously featured in a pair of Idiotsitter episodes. Robert Palmer Watkins, who played Cupid, would continue his acting career with roles in projects like The Walking Dead: World Beyond and S.W.A.T. Prior to his involvement in Cupid’s Match, he also had an extended stay in General Hospital as Dillon Quartermaine. Cupid’s Match is unavailable on streaming, though you can watch the pilot here.
7
‘The Kissing Booth’ Trilogy (2018 – 2021)
Based on the Works of Beth Reekles
In 2018, Netflix released The Kissing Booth with Joey King taking the lead role as the quirky, lovable Elle Evans. This high school rendezvous was written by Beth Reekles, who published the story chapter by chapter online when she was 15-years-old. The Kissing Booth follows the classic “best friend’s brother” trope, with Elle falling for Noah (Jacob Elordi), the sibling to her especially codependent best friend, Lee (Joel Courtney). Though the film saw negative reviews, it had a tremendous impact on general audiences, likely due to the popularity of its source material.
A Popular Netflix Series of Films
The Kissing Booth would later receive a pair of sequels, The Kissing Booth 2 and The Kissing Booth 3, released in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Joey King and Joel Courtney would reprise their roles for each of these sequels. King would later star in 2022 action films Bullet Train and The Princess, eventually being pulled from streaming in 2023. Courtney, meanwhile, would appear in Peacock’s exclusive pandemic-themed thriller Sick. Jacob Elordi also started with The Kissing Booth, though Elordi’s comments about The Kissing Booth movies left some fans slightly miffed.
6
‘The Tearsmith’ (2024)
Based on the Story by Erin Doom
The Tearsmith
Release Date
April 4, 2024
Runtime
103 Minutes
Director
Alessandro Genovesi
Erin Doom would see her fanfic work, The Tearsmith, garner 450,000 copies sold in its native Italy shortly after its release before moving on to global acclaim thanks to its push on BookTok. The story revolves around Nica, an orphan who endures hardship at the strict Sunnycreek Orphanage before being adopted by the Miligans. However, things become complicated for Nica when the Milligans adopt her formal rival at the orphanage, Rigel. The two begin a complex relationship turned into romance as they explore the scars of their past and slowly open up to one another.
A Dark Romance With Style
The Tearsmith certainly nailed that gothic, romantic aesthetic and flow, with some fans likening it to the pillar of teen romance movies in Twilight. Simone Baldasseroni and Caterina Ferioli also helped bring the story to life as two rival siblings turned romantic partners (a not uncommon fanfic trope). The Tearsmith is a bit rough around the edges. Still, it shows the international appeal of the platform and how an Italian fan-fiction work can even make its way to global acclaim and be adapted for the screen.
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5
‘Light as a Feather’ (2018 – 2019)
Based on the Story by Zoe Aarsen
Release Date
2018 – 2018
Network
Hulu
Directors
Geary McLeod, Joanna Kerns, Alexis Ostrander, Chad Lowe, Fred Gerber, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Shiri Appleby, Amanda Row, Michael A. Allowitz
-
Corey Allen Kotler
Officer O’Doyle
-
John Churchill
Mr. Richmond
-
John O’Brien
Reverend Fahey
This fantastic Hulu original series was based on an original Wattpad story. Zoe Aarsen wrote the story of Light as a Feather and acquired over three million views before the series was made. After a group of friends mess with a supernatural board game brought upon them by the new girl Violet (Haley Ramm), they mysteriously begin dying one by one, exactly as Violet’s game predicted. The lead character, McKenna (Liana Liberato), grows suspicious and recruits her neighbor, Trey (Jordan Rodrigues), to get to the bottom of everything. It debuted on Hulu in 2018 and ran for 26 episodes before going off the air in 2019.
Supernatural YA Thrills
With names like Peyton List, Brianne Tju, and Brent Rivera, the show had many familiar faces in its impressive cast. The series was nominated for 10 Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Young Adult Program and Outstanding Writing for a Digital Drama Series, though it never secured any wins. Liana Liberato later went on to star in Peacock’s Based on a True Story, in addition to having roles in Prime Video’s Totally Killer and Scream VI.
4
‘Perfect Addiction’ (2023)
Based on the Story by Claudia Tan
Release Date
March 27, 2023
Runtime
107 Minutes
Director
Castille Landon
Perfect Addiction, originally written by Claudia Tan, follows 18-year-old Sienna (Kiana Madeira), whose perfect world is turned upside down when she discovers her boyfriend, Jax (Matthew Noszka), has been cheating on her with her sister. While still a romance, Perfect Addiction is a sports drama, as Sienna works in a local gym and soon comes face to face with Kayden (Ross Butler), the moody boxer that her boyfriend famously defeated in the ring. Despite their ill feelings towards each other, the two team up and learn that they may not actually hate one another.
Perfect Blend of Sports Drama and Romance
The original story earned 85 million reads online and won the People’s Choice Award at the Wattpad competition, The Wattys. The film was released in April 2023 to mixed reception, though praise was directed towards the film’s high production values and the rivalry between Ross Butler and Matthew Noszka. Castille Landon, who was previously involved with the After series, also directed this Wattpad adaptation.
3
‘Turn On’ (2021 – 2023)
Based on the Story by Tiara Wales
Vidio
Turn On, originally written by Tiara Wales, is about an affluent tech executive, Andreas (Giorgino Abraham), who forms an unlikely bond with Maria (Clara Bernadeth), a girl next door struggling to make ends meet. The first season of this Indonesian series launched on Vidio in January 2021, running for eight episodes before quickly being renewed for a second season. The original Wattpad story continues to draw in new readers to this day, with nearly 20 million unique reads in total.
A Hit Indonesian Adaption
The Vidio Original series would prove to be a massive success for the platform, bringing in over 10 million views. The series’ success was attributed mainly to matching the same emotional storytelling of the series it is based on, backed by a strong cast. Turn On is only available on Vidio, an Indonesian-based streaming platform. While available in the USA, fans must subscribe to check out the series for themselves.
2
‘Through My Window’ (2022)
Based on the Story by Ariana Godoy
Release Date
February 4, 2022
Director
Marçal Forés
Writers
Ariana Godoy, Eduard Sola
Originally published in Spanish, Ariana Godoy’s A Través de Mi Ventana, or Through My Window, earned a combined total of 400 million reads between its original language and the English adaptation. The story follows Raquel (Clara Galle) and the apple of her eye, Ares Hidalgo (Julio Peña), a boy whom she literally stalked before becoming his girlfriend. Raquel was head-over-heels for the boy next door, and once she finds him using her Wi-Fi password, she is finally given a chance to make her move. Little did Raquel know, however, that Ares had always returned those feelings, and with a little drama, passion, and canoodling, their crushes might turn into something more.
Exploring the Universal Language of Love
The story was brought to Netflix in 2022 to mixed reception. However, two sequels were quickly planned following Through My Window’s debut on streaming. The first of these sequels, Through My Window: Across the Sea, officially debuted on Netflix in June 2023. The third film in the franchise, Through My Window: Looking at You, was released on Netflix in 2024. If you love the series of films, there are plenty of other movies like Through My Window on Netflix in order to get your romance fix.
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1
‘Boot Camp’ (2024)
Based on a Story by Gina Musa
Boot Camp
Release Date
August 2, 2024
Runtime
94 minutes
Director
Mackenzie Munro
18-year-old Whitney Carmichael finds herself bullied at school, and generally looked down on for her lack of athletic prowess. In order to solve the problem, she convinces her parents to send her to a summer boot camp. However, the camp is not quite the getaway she wanted when she runs into her rival at school, Willow who has also enrolled. Yet, Whitney begins to develop a complicated relationship with her personal trainer Axel, which forces her to make the change she was desiring, though not in the way she originally expected.
If you Can’t Love yourself, How in the Hell are you Gonna Love Somebody Else?
Gina Musa’s Boot Camp would go on to garner 27 million reads as of late 2024, speaking to the polarity of the book and the subsequent adaptation. Carrying a strong message of body positivity, Whitney’s journey to self-acceptance radiated with a lot of viewers. Rachel Boudwin does a wonderful job of exploring complex themes as Whitney, further adding to the charm of the movie adaption. Yet, where Boot Camp stands above a lot of others on this list is its witty script, which manages to imbue a lot of comedy into the romance story.
You can view the original article HERE.
