Turtles All The Way Down is the latest John Green adaptation, but before that, we got Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, Let It Snow and The Fault in Our Stars. Several thousands of readers learned of Green when The Fault in Our Stars was released, making him a worldwide known author. But I was surprised to hear which book Green hears about the most from fans – and how much it means to him.

For those who don’t know, Turtles All The Day Down released on Max as part of the 2024 movie release schedule. While I myself have said how much I love Turtles All the Way Down, there have been plenty of others that have come forward with their own reviews of the new coming-of-age movie – even actor Ryan Reynolds shared his love of the film.

While sitting down with John Green on the day the film was released to talk about the making of the movie, I asked what it was like to create a story like Turtles All The Way Down that has not only resonated with my generation, but a new generation of people now with film. Green opened up and said that it “means the world to him,” and that this book is actually what people talk the most about with him, despite it not being as popular:

John Green himself has lived with OCD and based much of what happened with Aza in his novel on certain experiences that he has had himself. With such a close connection to the subject, Green talked about how it was important to “stick the landing” when it came to proper mental health representation, as Hollywood itself has never had the best track record with that.

The Turtles All The Way Down movie has received great reviews, and while certain parts of the adaptation have been changed from the book, the spirit of the novel remains within the film, according to Green. With all of this, Green and director, Hannah Marks, created an adaptation that many fans across the world have loved and recommended to others.

But that didn’t mean every day was perfect for the Green. The Turtles All The Way Down author commented that some days were harder than others to be on set, as it was difficult to “see that stuff” up close in regards to OCD and anxiety. However, he offered praise to the director for creating such a great “environment” for the cast and crew, even on the days where it was tough:

As someone who has grown up both reading John Green’s novels and watching all his adaptations, I was one of the first to get the chance to see Turtles All The Way Down and adored every second of it. While I’m sure that the cast will go on to continue to do great things, like Isabela Merced in The Last of Us Season 2 or Felix Mallard in Ginny & Georgia Season 3, I’ll forever love them in this movie.

And truthfully, to hear that Turtles All The Way Down was the book Green gets talked to the most about – that healed something inside of me. With so much devotion poured into this adaptation, it makes me think that we’re on a good step to proper representation for not only OCD and anxiety in Hollywood, but mental health as a whole.

Stream Turtles All The Way Down on Max now.

Turtles All The Way Down has dropped for those with a Max subscription – and the author of the book, John Green, is celebrating how they brought his raw and authentic novel to the screen in a respectful way. 

For those who haven't watched yet, Turtles All The Way Down is the latest coming-of-age film on streaming. It's about a character named Aza who suffers from OCD and anxiety. The movie is based on a book written by John Green, which is itself based on experiences with OCD Green has experienced himself.  The novel has touched millions of hearts everywhere; as such, it was essential to make sure the film adaptation kept that same spirit and I recently got to ask Green about it. 

I asked John Green and the director of the film, Hannah Marks, about the proper representation of OCD in the film, considering Hollywood, in general, has not had the best track record for showing the realities of mental illness. Green said that he was afraid at first they might fall into the stereotypes viewers often see, but because of the director, they were able to balance the the story and the themes with entertainment properly:

There are plenty of mental health movies out there about the subject, and even some television characters that allow viewers to really dive deep into their psyche. We could talk about the development of Ted Lasso's mental health or maybe even the complexities of films that talk about depression, for example.

But truthfully, it's rare when a coming-of-age film featuring a young woman is told accurately, often because Hollywood – as Green said – romanticizes mental illness, usually with younger people. Turtles All The Way Down, however, perfectly captures what it's like to live with anxiety and OCD in high school and life in general. It's why I personally recommend everyone see it as part of their appointment viewing on the 2024 movie schedule.

Hannah Marks also commented on the importance of getting the logistics right, saying that a big reason why they were able to keep the spirit of the original novel and make sure it was appropriately told was because of a personal connection that most of the cast and crew had with the book the film was based on: 

Green praised that it was "incredible" to have that feeling and know that everyone had read the book and understood the meaning. In short, he felt like he knew the film would be in good hands. 

There are so many upcoming book-to-screen adaptations that many fans are excited for, but personally, it'll be hard to beat Turtles All The Way Down, considering it was so well taken care of and adapted wonderfully. 

The 2024 movie schedule is filled with plenty of interesting titles, some of which are book adaptations. Amongst those feature film efforts is Turtles All the Way Down, which is based on John Green’s 2017 novel of the same name. Max subscribers have already taken to the platform to stream the teen-centric romantic drama flick. And, if you’ve yet to check it out yourself, maybe Ryan Reynolds’ review of the movie will encourage you to do so. I don’t know about you, but I’m now aiming to go watch it immediately. 

Aside from acting in major movies, Ryan Reynolds – like so many of us – is also a lover for quality feature films. So I’m not too shocked that he took some time to watch Hannah Marks’ latest directorial effort. Reynolds took to his Instagram story to share some glowing thoughts on Turtles All the Way Down. The post – which was draped in the film’s official poster – also featured a piece of high praise for the scribe who wrote the book. Check out the message of praise for yourself down below: 

While the author is the only person who is explicitly tagged in the post, this is certainly a major compliment for everyone involved in the making of the movie. It’s definitely not easy to adapt a novel into a motion picture. However, John Green has seen several successes when it comes to his work being translated to the screen. The Fault in Our Stars, Let It Snow and Dil Bechara are just a few of his books that have been praised as films. At present, I’m glad to see that the Deadpool star is among those who are high on this particular film, and his compliment certainly gives me even more incentive to check it out ASAP. 

Turtles All the Way Down centers on a 16-year-old named Aza Holmes who contends with her obsessive–compulsive disorder while also mourning the death of her father. She eventually sets her sights on investigating the disappearance of a billionaire, while becoming close to the missing man’s son. All the while, Aza also reconnects with a childhood friend. As a whole, the story provides a nuanced look at how an individual, specifically a youth, navigates the complexities of mental health. The premise and themes alone have me intrigued by this intimate flick. 

Thus far, the movie has received mostly positive reviews thus far and currently holds a 94% freshness rating (out of 16 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes. Our own Alexandra Ramos was also a fan of the film and shared some introspective thoughts on it. She specifically detailed how it captures her time dealing with anxiety while in high school. All in all, it seems that this movie is striking a chord with people. 

In the last few years, Ryan Reynolds has been very vocal about his “lifelong” struggle with mental health. He first revealed it in a post shared in 2021, through which he explained that he would “overschedule” himself while dealing with anxiety. Later, Reynolds shared why he spoke out, saying that he wants to “de-stigmatize” such conversations. On top of that, he also wants to serve as a good “role model” for his kids. We can’t say for sure whether it’s the mental health aspects of TATWD that truly resonated with the Canadian actor. However, considering what we know about him, one would think that he appreciated the movie’s handling of such subject matter. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m now definitely ready to give Hannah Marks’ film a watch. Reactions point to it being a warm and cerebral piece of work that’s mostly faithful to John Green’s work. You love to see a quality book adaptation in any case, and I’m certainly glad that this one is getting some buzz. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a streaming service to hit up. 

You can also check out Turtles All the Way Down now! It’s streaming amongst some of the best movies on Max.

Spoiler warning for those who have yet to see the adaptation of Turtles All The Way Down!

In any book-to-screen adaptation, there are always some changes made, whether it be a new character added or a new storyline. However, for the film based on John Green's Turtles All The Way Down, most of it ended up staying the same – except for a few minor tweaks, and one fundamental change that Green said was a great decision. 

For those who don't remember, John Green is the author of various coming-of-age novels that have defined a generation of young adults such as myself and continue to do so. These include The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, and Looking for Alaska – all of which have received adaptations into coming-of-age films or shows – and many more. Turtles All The Way Down, which was released in 2017, and its adaptation just premiered on the 2024 movie schedule. 

I had the chance to speak to John Green, who worked as an executive producer, and director Hannah Marks about the film. While most of the movie ended up staying faithful to the novel, there was one key change about the ending that Green really enjoyed. He loved that instead of Aza thinking of what her future could be like with her OCD, her best friend, Daisy, was there to tell her, herself. Elaborating on why he loved it, the author told me:

In the original novel, Aza thinks of her future on her own while saying goodbye to Davis (played by Ginny & Georgia cast member Felix Mallard), skipping forward to an ideal future self version of her. In the film, however, the final moments are of Daisy and Aza, where Daisy tells Aza that she believes she will live a "full life" despite her OCD and that there will be challenges, but she believes in herself. 

The complexities of mental illness are rarely portrayed the best when it comes to modern-day media. Some actors and their battles with anxiety have been shared with the world, but I still don't think it's discussed enough. Furthermore, there are certainly some honest movies about mental illness that dig into the topic and shows that know how to discuss it properly (like Ted Lasso's mental health representation). Still, most tend to over-dramatize the issues that everyday people – like Green himself – live with. 

However, this moment, where two friends are openly discussing the future and how one truly believes they will live a good life and always be there for each other, is a great representation. 

Director Hannah Marks also spoke about the few changes they made from the book, and while there weren't as many as other adaptations out there, they said that the main goal was to "keep the spirit the same" as the novel: 

Green went on to agree, saying that as long as the theme continued, that was all that mattered to him, regardless of specific plot changes: 

As someone who has been an avid fan of Turtles All The Way Down for many years and was waiting for this to get the adaptation it deserved, I'll openly say that the ending was fantastic – and it's a film I will be recommending to people for a long time. 

If you still need to check out Turtles All The Way Down with a Max subscription, be sure to do it. Trust me, you'll likely love every second of the film – and probably crave a Pop-Tart like I did after it. 

Get ready, because Turtles All The Way Down is getting an adaptation – and this is what we know so far about it. 

There was once a time in my life where the very idea of not being able to read a John Green novel was something I couldn’t have imagined. I was obsessed with this man’s writing and for a good amount of my high school years, I was constantly reading his novels. 

There have been three John Green book-to-screen adaptations so far – The Fault in Our Stars, which I think everyone knows, Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska, all books I’ve read. Now, Hollywood is developing my next favorite John Green novel, Turtles All The Way Down. But, what is this new movie going to be about? And who is going to star in it? For all the questions you might have about this upcoming young adult adaptation, here is what we know so far about it. 

What Is The Turtles All The Way Down Release Date?

Turtles All The Way Down will be released on May 2, 2024, according to the official trailer on YouTube for the film. 

That’s right, Turtles All The Way Down will be a part of our 2024 movie schedule, and now, we know exactly when it will be out. I’m counting down the days. 

Check Out The Turtles All The Way Down Trailer

If you’re as excited about this movie as I am, you’ll be even more excited for the Turtles All The Way Down trailer. Featuring the incredible cast, fans can get their first look into the story of Aza, and how deep this film will go with the topics of mental health within the modern world. I have a feeling this is going to be a great coming-of-age movie for many young people. 

Isabela Merced, Judy Reyes, And More Will Star

If you were wondering who was going to star in this upcoming adaptation, we have plenty of information for you. Here is who we know will appear in Turtles All The Way Down:

Isabel Merced as Aza Holmes

It was confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter in March 2022 that Isabela Merced would take on the role of Aza Holmes, the main character in Turtles All The Way Down.

The young actress has already been in a variety of films during her career. Some of the best ones you might have seen her in include the live-action Dora and the Lost City of Gold, where she played the titular character, as well as Madame Web, Father of the Bride, Sweet Girl (alongside Jason Momoa), Spirit Untamed, Let It Snow, and Rosaline. 

Merced really does have leading lady energy, as she has this sort of charisma that makes watching her on the big or small screen so much fun, so, honestly, I can’t wait to see her in this role. Let It Snow was also a partial John Green adaptation (since he wrote a part of that book) and she killed it there, so I’m excited to see her in this new film. 

Judy Reyes as Gina Holmes

According to Deadline in April 2022, Judy Reyes joined the film to play Aza’s mother, Gina. Reyes is primarily known for her role in Scrubs, as well as appearing in Devious Maids, Claws, Smile, and more. 

Cree Cicchino as Daisy

Deadline reported in early April 2022 that Cree Cicchino had signed on for the film. She will play Daisy. The young actress is primarily known for her role in Mr. Iglesias on Netflix, as well as the film The Sleepover, and the Nickelodeon show, Game Shakers. 

Felix Mallard as Davis

Also from the Deadline article regarding Cicchino, it was confirmed that Felix Mallard would portray Davis in Turtles All The Way Down. The actor is primarily known for her role on the Netflix series Ginny & Georgia, as well as Locke & Key. 

J. Smith Cameron as Professor Abbott

Also reported by Deadline were three other stars: J. Smith-Cameron plays Professor Abbott, The actress is known for her time as part of the Succession cast.

Poorna Jagannathan as Dr. Singh

Poorna Jagannathan plays Dr. Singh. The actress is known for her role in the hilarious teen comedy Never Have I Ever, and even more. She was also featured in the miniseries, The Night Of.

Maliq Johnson as Mychal

Maliq Johnson portrays Mychal. The actor is known for his role in Little Boxes, Grand Army, and various other projects. 

With such a great cast, this movie is sure to be a hit. 

The Film Will Be Based On The John Green Novel Of The Same Name

For those who don’t know what Turtles All The Way Down is about, it basically dives into the mind of a teenager, Aza, who has anxiety. 

Per The Hollywood Reporter announcement above, this will be an adaptation of the John Green novel and follows Aza as it looks into themes regarding mental illness and anxiety. She tries to do her best and make her parents proud, be there for her friends, and do well in school, but it doesn’t help that she is constantly berated by obsessive thoughts that make her life harder. 

While also dealing with her own mental health, her childhood crush suddenly comes back into the picture, and it throws Aza’s life for a tailspin as she tries to learn how to love while also dealing with her own problems at the same time, in this wonderful coming of age story. 

Hannah Marks Directed The Film

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hannah Marks directed the YA adaptation. The actress turned director has appeared in a variety of projects previously, such as Dirk Gently’s Holisitic Detective Agency, Daniel Isn’t Real, Awkward, and more. 

As a director, Marks has also worked on movies such as After Everything, Mark, Mary & Some Other People, and Don’t Make Me Go. 

Marks even had the chance to talk about directing the film in the February 2024 Entertainment Weekly article, saying that she was “immediately drawn” to the film: 

Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker Wrote The Screenplay

Also confirmed in The Hollywood Reporter article about Marks was that Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker wrote the script. 

These two have done so much in Hollywood that has been a massive hit, including the LGBTQ+ show, Love, Victor (as well as the movie it was based on), This Is Us on NBC, About a Boy, and more. So, I would say that this film adaptation is in good hands. 

John Green Is A Producer On The Movie

Something else that is fun to know is that John Green is also a producer on the movie, which is always a good sign. In a TikTok, he talked about his responsibilities on set:

To be honest, whenever an author is involved with an adaptation, that always makes me super happy, so I can’t wait to see how it turned out. 

Green even spoke about the film in that article from Entertainment Weekly in February 2024, saying that the movie was “everything I wanted the book to be:”

This just makes me more excited. 

Turtles All The Way Down Will Be Rated PG-13

Unsurprisingly, Turtles All The Way Down will be rated PG-13, according to FilmRatings.com. Considering the original book is classified as a YA-novel, it would have been pretty surprising to see this film get any higher than a PG-13 rating. But, it deals with some pretty serious topics, like metal health. 

What are you the most excited for when it comes to Turtles All The Way Down? It’s going to get here before we know it and I know I am going to reread the book beforehand. Now I just need to prepare myself to sob uncontrollably for two hours. Can’t wait for that again, John Green.  

There’s that one movie romance that we all wish we could emulate in our real life, with some exceptions. A lot of people are going to having flashbacks to one of those celluloid courtings pretty soon, as among the 2023 new movie releases is a 3D re-release of James Cameron’s Titanic. Still, the young lovers who want to be Jack and Rose know better than to book an iceberg laden cruise for their first date.

It’s a warning someone should have given on half of a couple that went viral on TikTok, as a woman realized that her wife was copying the tragic backstory of The Fault In Our Stars; right down to the bit about having terminal bone cancer. If you thought the story was wild, wait until you see author John Green’s reaction to being told the entire story: 

Let’s just take a moment here to really take in what’s happened. John Green’s bittersweet tale of terminally ill teens falling in love, almost a decade after it became a box office phenomenon starring Shailene Woodley, is now being credited as inspiring an emotional fraud. The Fault In Our Stars may have been written to inspire tears, straight from the trivia friendly personality that is Green, but not these types of tears.

Green’s own shocked reaction confirms as much, as his shock with each turn of the story is palpable. The man wears a look of someone whose creation has been used for all of the wrong reasons, and while it’s entertaining to see John Green be his charmingly goofy self, it’s still sad to see him come to this realization. If only someone had just pretended that their name was Katherine, referencing Green's novel An Abundance of Katherines, instead.

John Green shouldn’t take it too hard, as again, The Fault In Our Stars was a cultural touchstone of its time. The book was banned from a California school library system upon its release, which probably made it all the more popular. That’s on top of director Josh Boone’s film dominating social media in the year of its release. Again, when a movie like this or Titanic is going strong, some are going to take it as a personal romantic goal.

That still doesn’t excuse this case of someone faking terminal cancer to forge a relationship. Rather, it highlights some contributing factors that may have led to these misguided actions. At least no one was harmed beyond a massive breach of trust, and the social media user who was wronged now has a cooler story to tell relating to John Green and his work.

Should you want to watch The Fault In Our Stars with someone you love and trust, you’re in luck. At the time of this writing, the movie adaptation is streaming for those with an HBO Max subscription. 

Let’s be honest: It’s not often that filmmakers add LGBTQ representation when it adapts a book into a film. But that’s exactly what happened with Netflix’s new holiday-themed teen romance. And the authors had a strong reaction to the added storyline.

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances is a 2008 anthology of young adult stories from authors Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson, and pre-Fault in Our Stars John Green. And while it took over a decade for the book to be adapted into a film, the authors are thrilled with the finished product.

Netflix’s Let it Snow keeps the book’s Love Actually-esque approach to telling interconnected stories. But the screenwriters added a new story, featuring two girls who struggle to admit their feelings for one another. Though this marks a significant departure from the book, Lauren Myracle understood the value of the new storyline. Here's what she told BuzzFeed News:

Liv Hewson was also impressed with the changes from page to screen. She pointed out that the approach the filmmakers took to telling a lesbian storyline felt true to life. In an interview on the red carpet with MEAWW, she said:

Some spoilers ahead: In the Netflix movie, Dorrie (Liv Hewson) approaches Kerry (Anna Akana) at the diner she works at, but is rejected at first. Later in the film, Kerry reveals to Dorrie that she hasn’t come out yet. Their story ends on a somewhat ambiguous note, as Kerry admits her feelings for Dorrie, despite her ongoing fear of being fully open about her sexuality. John Green admired the complexity that Let It Snow’s writers brought to their story:

Over the past several years, LGBTQ representation has slowly begun to increase in TV and film. And John Green thinks these more inclusive stories should be commended:

Let It Snow premiered on Netflix on November 8.

Some books are a bit too mature for middle school, but does John Green's The Fault In Our Stars apply? According to six of the seven people in California's Riverside Unified School District's book reconsideration committee, it does, as the novel, which centers on a terminally ill teen who falls in love was banned by the Riverside, California school system's middle school library. The reported reason the book has been removed from the library is because of its inclusion of mortality and sex. John Green, who penned the book that went on to become a massively successful feature film, had some things to say on the banning.

The author took to his Tumblr to respond to the situation, when asked by a fan, Green said the following:

Detecting a bit of sarcasm there...

THR says the school district's "reconsideration committee" took the matter to a vote when a complaint was made about the school library carrying three copies of the book, which were available to kids (ages 11-13) who attend the school. Those who've read the book know that the story focuses heavily on Hazel's struggle with cancer, and the budding romance she experiences with Gus. Spoiler alert: sex and mortality are among the subjects addressed.

On one hand, one could argue that a school can carry whatever books it sees fit for its students. And parents certainly have a right to monitor what their kids read, and decide what their child is mature enough to handle. But focusing on the principle of the matter, I'm compelled to wonder when the subjects of sex and death are considered age-appropriate for a kid? Does the context of these subjects and the way they're explored make a difference?

This also causes me to want to put The Fault In Our Stars up against a book like Twilight, which is certainly popular among teens, and presumably has a tween fandom as well. Twilight omits premarital sex and centers itself around a scenario where people live happy, young (non-violent vampire) lives, essentially forever. This isn't a slam against Stephenie Meyer's books, as I can appreciate the appeal of a story that applies fantasy elements toward life and romance, and I think I would've loved Twilight in my younger years. Fantasy is fun. But there's also value in a story that brings us back down to earth. I remember being a kid and setting my expectations of adolescence by things I read in books or saw in TV and movies. Not everything prepared me for the reality of it, but some of it did, and some of the books I read stuck with me well beyond my childhood years. I think Fault would have been one of those books, had I read it as a kid.

Alas, when I was of middle school-age, I was getting most of my reading material from the public library. Maybe that's what this comes down to. Whether or not it's appropriate for a kid ages 11-13 is likely up for debate, but the question is, is The Fault In Our Stars appropriate for a middle school library?

This poll is no longer available.

To say that the feature adaptation of John Green's The Fault In Our Stars was a success would be an understatement, especially when we take into account the movie's modest $16 million budget. It's a big week for the Josh Boone directed film, not only because it just released on home video this week, but it also managed to pass the $300 million mark at the worldwide box office.

Deadline reported news of the milestone today. The site also notes that it was producers Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey who pursued the adaptation and encouraged Fox to move it forward. Their efforts obviously paid off. The Fault In Our Stars' domestic gross has surpassed $124 million at the box office, $48 million of that was earned in its opening weekend. The film brought in another $174 million-plus internationally, bringing the total to cross the $300 million mark.

Fans of John Green's novel probably don't need an explanation as to how this movie performed so successfully. However, Deadline brings up some good points about the factors that may have helped Fault reach box office success, including the stars of the film,John Green's involvement and impressive social media presence, and Fault's release proximity to Divergent. Were these elements a winning formula for box office success? Let's take a closer look...

Star Power And Good Timing

Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort are up and comers, no doubt. Their talent and chemistry played a huge factor in The Fault in Our Stars turning out to be a great adaptation of a great book. But it also helps that both actors starred -- Woodley more prominently than Elgort -- in the feature adaptation of Divergent, which came out earlier that year and brought in $54 million in its opening weekend. Elgort and Woodley's involvement in Divergent likely helped boost their star power a bit leading into Fault's release.

It seems worth noting that The Fault In Our Stars' total box office surpassed Divergent's. While Divergent performed better domestically, with $150 million brought in stateside, Fault's impressive international gross pushed the film past Divergent's $286 million worldwide haul.

Green Power And Social Media

John Green is no stranger to the internet, and the internet is where all of the people are. That in itself has huge value to a movie in terms of generating buzz and interest. Being smart, personable and charismatic goes a long way, and John Green is all three. The millions of YouTube followers who subscribe to John and his brother Hank's channel can attest to that. The author having his own massive following likely helped add some exposure to the film.

Beyond that, Fox's efforts to promote The Fault in our Stars weren't limited to simply flooding the internet with clips and trailers, but extended to finding ways to bring fans together, including launching a nationwide tour. They also did an advanced screening event called "The Night Before Our Stars, which probably helped boost that opening weekend box office. Tickets for the screening were $25 a piece.

Good Source Material

Good source material doesn't guarantee a great movie, nor does it guarantee a successful movie. In addition to great direction, a solid script, which didn't stray too far from the book, and outstanding performances by Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern and everyone else involved, The Fault In Our Stars certainly benefited from its source material and the fan base that came with it. Whether it's the romance between Hazel and Gus, the challenges Hazel faces with her illness and her determination to meet her favorite author, or simply Hazel's candid, sometimes humorous narrative, the book has a lot of appeal and it translated nicely to the screen, which likely contributed to its success at the box office.

Fault's June release date may have also played a factor in its box office success. At least, Fox may seem to think so as they just scheduled the feature adaptation of John Green's Paper Towns for June 19, 2015. Will it find similar box office success?

The Fault In Our Stars is now available on DVD/Blu-ray.

Earlier this month, John Green went from a YA Author to a serious force in Hollywood when The Fault In Our Stars, Josh Boone's adaptation of Green's widely loved novel, topped the box office with a whopping $48 million opening. And that's without the aid of major stars or giant nostalgia-driven robots. Naturally, it shouldn't surprise anyone that filmmakers are eying Green's other novels for inspiration, chief among them Sarah Polley.

EW reports Sarah Polley is now set to write and direct Looking For Alaska, a film based on John Green's debut novel of the same name from 2005. For his part, Green couldn't be happier about this development. He shared his joy on Twitter saying:

Looking For Alaska was not only Green's first novel but also his first New York Times best seller. At the center of this popular YA book is sixteen-year-old Florida native Miles Halter, whose decided in his junior year to switch from public school to boarding school, specifically Culver Creek Preparatory High School in Alabama. There he befriends a poor but brilliant classmate named Chip, and the mesmerizing and reckless dream girl Alaska Young. Young love, pranks, and growing up all play a part in Green's novel, and will likely be well-translated by Polley, who has shown a unique gift for vulnerability in her filmmaking.

For those unfamiliar with her, Sarah Polley is a Canadian actress best known for the Dawn of the Dead remake and the disturbing sci-fi thriller Splice. She helmed her first feature film in 2002, but gained major notice for her follow-up, 2006's Away From Her, which notably earned Polley a Best Screenplay nod at the Academy Awards. Next came the polarizing late-bloomer romance Take This Waltz, then the critically heralded documentary Stories We Tell, in which Polley blurred the lines of fact and fiction to tell the story of her own life and her mother's. Stories We Tell is now streaming on Netflix.

If Polley is able to tell Miles' story with half the grace and insightfulness that she managed in her last film, John Green fans will have plenty of reason to look forward to Looking For Alaska.

In the world of book adaptations, there are few instances when movies can truly compare to their fictional counterparts. Books are more of a time commitment, but they offer more detail and they often give audiences the chance to view the world from a character or a set of character’s perspectives. There’s something about reading a book that is extremely intimate whereas a movie screening is not. This become especially apparent during my opening night screening of The Fault in our Stars, where hundreds of Kleenex-clutching fanatics blubbered loudly through the third act.

The Fault in our Stars is an intimate read, but director Josh Boone does a great job of bringing author John Green’s bestselling novel to the big screen. Instead of manipulating the book and making major changes to suit his own whims and purposes, Boone recognized that he had found a witty writer in Green. So, he simply trimmed the fat from the novel, cutting out some of the minor details, characterizations and backstories that would have been cumbersome for the theatrical audience catching the story for the first time. While those who have pored over the pages of Green’s book since its release in 2012 might miss a few scenes, lines and sequences, Green’s work is evident and largely intact on the big screen.

Following are the eight changes I noticed in my screening of The Fault in our Stars. Plenty of other details were changed, of course, and feel free to remark on any changes you feel may have been more noticeable. There are many spoilers in The Fault In Our Stars book to movie comparison. Do not delve in if you want the film to be a surprise.

Hazel never lets a little girl try her oxygen at the mall. Hazel’s need to be connected to her oxygen tank at all times is made apparent in the film. However, the scene in which she is explaining her tank and what it does to a precocious kid named Jackie is cut out for time. I guess it’s enough to know that Hazel’s lungs are bad and the oxygen helps supplement her regular breathing.

Hazel’s mom isn’t obsessed about unimportant holidays. In the movie, she still shows forced energy and positivity across numerous scenes and in numerous ways, but her best quirk is her love of Half Birthdays and Arbor Days, of celebrating the little things. Laura Dern brings a lot of energy to the role of Frannie, but if she had been able to work in a Christopher Columbus Day joke, I would have loved her even more.

The Fault in our Stars movie is a little light on Isaac. One of the most amusing sequences in the book is an exchange between Isaac, Hazel and a nurse at a hospital just a few hours after he loses his second eye. The nurse tells Isaac that "he’ll see" that things will get better. It probably would have weighed down the plot to build up Hazel’s relationship with Isaac, but audiences may miss a few of his amusing jokes. At least we get to keep his break-up with Monica.

Caroline Mathers never comes between Gus and Hazel. While Hazel’s parents are notoriously skeptical of a cancer beater getting involved with a Stage 4 girl, Hazel and Augustus’ onscreen relationship is mostly filled with spunk and positivity. There’s never the ghost of a long dead cancer girl polluting the finer moments.

We never learn about Gus’ "existentially fraught free throws." We do know he used to be a prominent basketball player, thanks to his wall of trophies. However, his poignant story about his former basketball days and the months leading up to losing part of his leg is a key part of Green’s novel, giving Augustus a little more depth.

Gus’ family is less apparent. Augustus Waters, unlike Hazel, is from a larger family unit. He has two sisters who are married, a slew of nephews and two parents who play a larger part in the novel. In fact, Gus’ illness is foreshadowed in a fight he has with his rents before leaving for Amsterdam. Hazel is so stoked to see her hero, she doesn’t really seem to notice.

The Oranjee restaurant scene is handled differently, but with plenty of care. The champagne and risotto are still present, but Gus and Hazel eat inside a modern-day contemporary restaurant instead of the scenic and charming outdoors. He also tells her he loves her at the table, which amps up the stakes in their relationship considerably.

The time we spend with Gus’ cancer is short. To spare us the horrible details of the enigmatic teen wetting his bed and dying horribly, Josh Boone’s film shortens Augustus Waters’ illness into a few of the book's best scenes. There’s a scene at a gas station where a panicked Gus just wants to do something for himself without people fawning over him. There’s a less exhilarating picnic by the skeleton sculpture and a pre-funeral where Hazel, Isaac and the audience really get to say their goodbyes. Weeks and months of time are shortened into just a few minutes, but it's still effective and affective.

Ever wondered about the origins of your favorite games and toys as a kid? Is your day job slowly sucking the life out of all your fun? Maybe you need a reminder of what fun actually is?

Writer and host John Green and Mental Floss have you covered with another hilarious and informative video, this time it's all about fun. No, not the pop punk band, but actual fun activities and the history of their origin. Green is quirky and provides some interesting commentary on the history of fun objects, theme parks and games.

First of all, I had no idea there were so many facts about mini golf, including that apparently there's a Mini Golf Sport Federation that sanctions tournaments. I had no idea anyone over the age of six enjoyed mini golf, but apparently some adults still know how to have a good time and get paid to do it. And remember kickball, the horrifying yet exciting playground sport? At one time the rulebooks said 30 players could be on the field at once, there was only one base, and you literally just kicked the ball around with no pitcher. If you've ever been kicked in the face by a kickball, you know this sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. And did you know the Super Soaker was invented by a NASA engineer? Best use of technology ever.

Mental Floss has a ton of funny yet educational videos including this video about how adult beverages got their names, which are definitely a fun object for grown ups. Another personal favorite video is where Green tests out life hacks to see if they really work. And for the hypochondriac in your life, check out this Mental Floss video on strange medical conditions. All the videos are worth the watch and who knows, maybe some of those facts will come in handy on Jeopardy someday.

You may not realize this, but there are other other, lesser known, authors out there working day to day to provide us with entertainment. Not everyone is a Stephen King or Nicholas Sparks, with mega bestselling status. There are lots of uncelebrated novels out there, and author John Green is here to tell you about some of his favorites. Green is the author of The Fault in Our Stars, a beautiful and touching novel about teenage love in the shadow of cancer. That novel has been turned into a film that will be released later this year.

The list John provides is pretty eclectic. It includes a book about the Carter family, who were music legends and produced Johnny Cash’s wife June. There’s a coming of age tale by Zach Braff’s brother, and what John promises is a good vampire story. I’m not so sure about that one, what with the vampire genre being so overwrought with petulant childish and silly characters lately.

To honor his own book hitting number one on the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists this week, John has taken to celebrating those books he loves that never had that pleasure. Many of the authors mentioned have some more famous works, some are complete unknowns to most of us. Even my book loving self hadn’t heard of many books on John’s list.

You should definitely give any book on John’s list a try you find interesting, he’s a smart guy. He has fine taste in things, and he wrote the incredible The Fault in Our Stars, which has its film adaptation premiering June 6, 2014. I’m particularly interested in reading a book by a guy who traveled the perimeter of Ireland with a refrigerator. I don’t know why he did it, but I’m going to find out. Discover your own new story, thanks to John Green.

Let’s just be honest. An overwhelming majority of the time, we don’t really think about who wrote the screenplay or who wrote the novel the screenplay was based off when we go to see a movie. If they’re not also a director, actor or beloved classic author, the scribes may as well be the boom microphone operators to most people. Their names just don’t have enough appeal to drive theater traffic, but there are a few exceptions and John Green is hoping to add his name to that list. He wrote the novel version of The Fault In Our Stars, and he is reason enough to go see this movie.

If you’re under the age of forty and are even casually active on the Internet, chances are you’ve heard Green’s name somewhere, in some context, but there’s a good chance it may not have stuck. You may not have come to the split second realization in the moment that his name was worth remembering, but I can assure you it absolutely is. I’m here to tell you why.

In addition to churning out The Fault In Our Stars back in 2012, he has put his stamp on a number of bestselling books, a number of beloved Internet shows and even a widely attended convention. He is a jack of all trades with his hands in a number of delicious cookie jars. So, let’s dive in and start talking about them.

Here are 5 fascinating things about The Fault In Our Stars author John Green…

He Hosts Mental Floss

You know all those addictive, professional-looking YouTube shows that churn out scientific and/ or historical facts? There’s V Sauce, ASAP Science, and, of course, Mental Floss. Well, Green is actually the host of that latest program. Judging by the insane numbers each episode puts up (many over 1,000,000 views), there’s a good chance you’ve actually seen one of them too.

Each week, Green (and the writers) churn out a list focusing on the little known backstories and facts about historical figures, everyday items and pretty much anything else imaginable. They’ve tested life hacks to see if they really work. They’ve gotten boozy with histories of beloved cocktails, and throughout it all, Green has added enough charm and humor to elevate the somewhat dry material into a delightful must watch. You can check out a sample video below…

His Other Books Are Very Highly Regarded

Don’t call Green a one hit wonder when it comes to novels. The Fault In Our Stars might be receiving the lion’s share of the headlines right now, but other efforts such as Will Grayson, Will Grayson and An Abundance Of Katherines have sold huge numbers of copies and been nominated for a slew of awards. His first novel, Looking For Alaska even won the Printz Award. In all likelihood, we’re going to be seeing a ton of adaptations of Green’s work over the next several decades, and for those who appreciate a delightful mix of humor and poignancy, that’s a great thing.

Green is currently at work on his latest novel, The Racket. Not a ton of details have been released about the project thus far, but no matter what it ends up being, it’s probably a guarantee it will reach The New York Times Bestseller List and its movie rights will be quickly sold to an eager studio that wants to get in on the Green rocket right before it takes off and his name is suddenly everywhere. You can check out Green reading something from Looking For Alaska below…

His Brother Is Also Famous

Hank Green has not won any lofty awards for writing. He doesn’t have quite the name recognition of his brother John, and more than likely, he never will. In his own weird way, however, he’s even more of a YouTube superstar than his brother. He co-hosts the wildly popular Vlog Brothers alongside his sibling. In addition, Hank also has his hand in a ton of different cookie jars including but not limited to SciShow, Sexplanations, Lizzie Bennett Diaries, Crash Course and the environmental blog EcoGeek.

He’s really carved out his own niche over the past few years on YouTube, and that’s a really great thing for both him and John. It’s nice that Hank has established himself enough to not rely on his brother, and it actually benefits John because it allows Hank to carry the load when he gets too busy on Vlog Brothers or even to fill in on Mental Floss. To get a sense of Hank’s style, you can check out the fascinating video below in which he highlights some amazing maps…

He Founded VidCon

Last year, 12,000 people descended on the Anaheim Convention Center to attend VidCon, the fourth installment of the viral/ Internet community’s answer to Comic Con. Seeing as how the number of attendees has at least come close to doubling every single year, the future looks nothing but bright for the extravaganza, especially since it’s now starting to attract most of the biggest names in the YouTube world. As the host of several popular shows, it’s not a surprise Green would be a mainstay, but it probably is a surprise to many that John actually co-created the event alongside his brother Hank back in 2010. They thought it was the next logical step and best way to bring all the content creators together, and they were absolutely right.

It’s one thing to get people to sit behind a computer and watch a video for free. It’s quite another to mobilize a portion of the audience and get them to spend real money to attend a convention. That’s exactly what John’s fans, called Nerdfighters, have done, and now, the event is so much bigger than any one single creator, genre or even group of fans. VidCon should survive whether the Greens are involved or not, and that’s a testament to their careful planning. To watch blind YouTube all-star Tommy Edison give you his perspective on VidCon, check out the video below…

His Charity Is Awesome

Green’s charity is called “Project For Awesome”, and the stated mission is to “Decrease WorldSuck”. Every December, John and Hank ask YouTube’s best and brightest to create videos advertising their own favorite charities. The brothers themselves donate some money based on the number of comments that go up, and more importantly, they ask users to donate money to IndieGogo. The top ten most creative and all-around best new charity videos are then voted on and chosen, and they collectively split the money raised. Last year, it totaled more than eight hundred thousand dollars, and within the next two years, the annual fund drive is expected to easily surpass a million bucks.

You know what’s great about this charity? No one else is doing it. It encourages people to be passionate about the causes they care about. All too often celebrities start foundations that do a worse version of the same thing dozens of other charities are doing, but Project For Awesome is a completely unique, previously untapped market. It genuinely does a lot of good, and it hammers out plenty of smiles along the way. You can check out a longer video about it below…

The new poster for The Fault in our Stars has gotten some mixed reactions due to the tagline. The image depicts stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort sharing a happy moment together in the grass as lead characters Hazel and Augustus, two teens fighting cancer. The tubes hooked up to Woodley’s nose are the barely-subtle indication that all is not entirely well for her character, health-wise. But to drive the subject matter home, the tagline included under the title says "One Sick Love Story." Is it in bad taste or are we misreading the tone? Author John Green comes to the defense of the phrase, saying he didn't write it but he likes it.

In addition to sharing the poster, BuzzFeed also shared an update from Green on the reaction to the "One Sick Love Story" tagline, which seems like it would be more suitable for a comedy, not a tale of two teens falling in love while fighting cancer. But Green disagrees, as he said on his Tumblr. Though he says he didn't write the tagline, he does like it:

I don’t know if Green’s response makes the tagline work any better. Given the purpose of a tagline, I’m thinking if it needs to be explained, it’s probably not working. But the imagery certainly does the trick regardless, which counts for a lot, and what Green says makes sense.

I should probably admit that I've been avoiding reading this book for a while now, and the fact that Green's response to the tagline inspired a tearful reaction from me is pretty much exactly why I've been dragging my feet on this one, despite all the positive buzz the novel has gotten. With that said, last night while I was shuffling aimlessly through Target like a zombie who's programmed to want to shop despite having finished my Christmas shopping weeks ago, I picked up a copy of Green’s novel, hunched awkwardly over my shopping cart and read the first two pages on a whim. I was hooked enough from that partial introduction to go home and buy the Kindle (eBook) version, so it’s officially on my short list of to-read books. In the meantime, Fox has Josh Boone’s feature adaptation lined up for a June release, and this poster is one of our first official looks at the promotional content for this potentially heartbreaking story headed to theaters next year.

Did you know Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer was originally a promotional tool for Montgomery Ward Department Store? Or how about that Martin Luther may have been the first person ever to put lights on a Christmas tree? No? Well, that’s why you need to watch the above video immediately.

Put together by the highly underrated YouTube channel Mental Floss, the clip outlines 27 different winter holiday traditions and gives the viewer background information on each of them. Not surprisingly, they’re almost all fascinating. Here’s my favorite:

Christmas Carols almost disappeared during the 1600s and 1700s thanks to fanatical Puritans who wanted no part of them, but by the 1800s, their influence largely died down and more moderate Christians got back on board in a big way.

The more and more popular John Green gets, the more concerned I get that he’ll eventually stop doing hysterical and informative YouTube videos. By all accounts, he absolutely loves them and uses them as a way to keep up with his brother who is all about YouTube too, but at the end of the day, Vlogs are still quite a bit less flashy than giant Hollywood productions and New York Times Bestselling books.

Regardless, if you’re interested in checking out some more hilarity Green and Mental Floss have already combined for, I will go ahead and embed another episode below. This one covers phrase origins and will give you at least fifteen hot facts you can pull out during conversations with people you want to impress in the future…

There are a lot of great things about college. From being on your own to meeting like-minded people to getting up to dumb, usually consequence-less bullshit, the old stand-bys are discussed a lot, but some of the more cool things that are a little more wholesome more often fall by the wayside: for example how cool it is to plan your own schedule.

Sure, there are always random classes you have to work in like calculus and English, but more often than not, there is room for at least one completely random slice of wonder on any subject that sounds like a good time. For example: during my time at Indiana University, I took a class on Charlie Chaplin. I took another one on The Bible and I took at least two on cooking. At the time, I thought I sought out and took more than enough weirdos, but after watching this video, I think I should have tried to get a little stranger.

Put together by Mental Floss, the footage takes a look at many of the crazier classes offered by universities. They include but are not limited to ones on South Park, ones on Mad Men, ones on beauty pageants and ones on the pork industry. There are more than a few I’d trip all over myself to take, and there are quite a few I would never ever take unless they were requirements for my major. Luckily for the professors, however, there are clearly others who are more than willing to check them out.

If you feel like wathing some more Mental Floss, I’ve gone ahead and embedded another edition of the show below. Here’s the origins of 42 popular pharses…

If you’re not interested in language or history, go ahead and bail out of this video immediately. You will be bored to tears by its content and will never be able to get the time back. If, however, you have a little bit of nerd inside you and love learning hot and quirky facts about the words we use on a regular basis, you’re going to want to fire this clip up.

Put together by the geniuses over at Mental Floss. The footage features host John Green outlining the origins of forty-two different idioms. From Peeping Tom to bury the hatchet to cup of tea, the author/ YouTube host criss-crosses in a lot of different directions and ultimately produces what feels like a slightly upgraded version of America’s Secret Slang, which is a very big compliment.

It’s hard to narrow down a single favorite from the list, but if I had to pick one, I’d probably say to win hands down, which apparently traces its origins back to horse racing. If one of the racers is so far ahead of the others, the jockey is able to ease his hands off and still win without pushing the horse. Therefore, the animal wins hands down and another phrase is added to the lexicon.

Mental Floss is always a big fan of the English language and the history of everyday items. In the past, the channel has offered videos on drink origins, misquotes and grammar mistakes. You can check out the last of those options below…

Remember those maps illustrating differences in word choices and pronunciations between different parts of the United States that flew around the Internet back in June? Well, imagine someone took some of that information and a whole lot of new information, added just enough snark and created a video highlighting the ridiculous rather than informative qualities of the differences? That’s exactly what Mental Floss did, and not surprisingly, fans are enjoying the content.

The official title of the above video is 107 Regional Slang Words, and while it touches on the old favorites like pop vs soda vs Coke vs soft drink, it also makes a few detours to discuss contradictions most of us never even knew existed. For example: did you know people in Canada call the garbage disposal the garburator? Or how about that people in Minnesota call rubber bands “rubber binders”? That’s right. I find “rubber binders” so ridiculous, I had to throw quotation marks around it.

Host/ young adult author John Green took a break from the grind last week when the show covered bizarre celebrity arrests, but as you can see, he’s back in the above video. Given the material, that’s a good thing too. Some of the fill-in and other Mental Floss projects hosts bring a really unique and exciting energy to the table, but none of them are ever able to match John’s frenzied momentum. He gets through so much material so quickly while inserting just the right number of jokes to keep it interesting. He’s got a great sense about when to linger and when to keep going.

If you’re looking for some more Mental Floss fun, you can check out the below video too. This one features 50 great facts about the United States. It was created for the July 4th holiday, but America, like beautiful women and fresh out of the oven cookies, is worth celebrating every day.

You know what’s more annoying than simply not knowing the story behind something? Mistakenly thinking there’s not a complicated story behind something that seems really obvious, only to find out you couldn’t be more wrong. I felt that annoyance about ten minutes ago when I sat down to watch this week’s new Mental Floss video and discovered German chocolate cake wasn’t invented in Germany, nor does it have any connection to Germany in the slightest. Instead, it was apparently invented by some guy named Sam German who figured out a way to make presweetened dark baking chocolate way back in 1852. He named it after himself, though it’s unclear whether or not he realized it would cause mass confusion for centuries.

That hot fact is just one of twenty-eight John Green and company’s newest video hits us with this week. Luckily, not all of them are so shocking. Instead, most of them simply offer the real life story behind foods we always assumed were named after someone but were far too lazy to look up the origin for—like Melba Toast or Granny Smith Apples or Cobb Salad.

Ordinarily, I’m a fan of lists getting as long as possible. I love being bombarded with information, and as those AT&T commercials with the children have taught me, more is better. When it comes to Mental Floss, however, I actually think the episodes work a little better when there are less entries on the list. That gives Green a little more time to breath as he’s recounting why certain things are on the list, and it keeps the show from taking on an “and then…”, “also…”, etc vibe. Plus, it’s nice to hear the long form version of stories rather than brief snippets that could be expanded on.

As such, I’ve decided to go ahead and embed another video that I think works particularly well because it doesn’t cover a whole lot of territory. It’s called 26 Alcoholic Drinks, and in many ways, it’s the perfect partner to pair with this food video. It also outlines the name origins, though it obviously focuses on libations. Whether you’re a big drinker or not, there will be types of alcohol you’ve heard of, and besides, watching it is far more enjoyable than doing real work.

You can check it out below…

In theory, an ideal mascot should be a perfect blend between ferocious and loveable. He, she or it should inspire fear in an opponent and yet, serve as a rallying cry for the students and fans of the school. In truth, there’s not a single mascot in the world that inspires any real fear in an opponent. The best they can all hope for is to get the lovability element right. Many definitely accomplish that goal, but unfortunately, there are more than a few that do little more than confuse.

On this week’s episode of Mental Floss, host John Green outlines thirty-seven different college mascots that are weird, stupid or both. From a piece of asparagus to an artichoke to corn cobs, schools and student bodies have mined a wide variety of subject matter to get unique and original mascots and/ or nicknames. Ordinarily, I’d make a pretty snarky comment here about the Syracuse Orangemen or the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, but I attended Indiana University and was a Hoosier. No one has known exactly what that term has meant since at least the early 1800s, though if you want some terrible guesses I don’t agree with, you can head over to the State Government’s official website.

If the above video had to be boiled down to one recurring theme, which many of the channel’s efforts do, it would be not to let the students vote on a mascot name, specifically when there’s a conflict going on between the student body and the administration. More often than not, such an offer only leads to everyone rallying around an insulting or intentionally stupid moniker that serves as a big middle finger and a permanent reminder of why democracy doesn’t always work.

Another common problem with mascots involves unintentionally choosing a nickname that doesn’t stay relevant. For example: only a fraction of people are aware a “shocker” is actually a person who works in the wheat fields and not a hand gesture Dane Cook was excited about five years ago or the person who pulls the switch on the electric chair. Unfortunately, not every school gets around to updating their mascot often enough, just like States and random laws that are no longer relevant.

If you want to continue with Mental Floss for another seven months or so, feel free to watch the below video that chronicles 50 Weird Laws that are still technically on the books…

Have you ever met someone that suffers from some strange peculiarity like never having any concept of what time it is or constantly stinking like fish? Well, there are more than seven billion people in the world. Because of that, there are other people out there who share the same oddities, and more often than not, their specific problems have legitimate medical names.

So, for the newest installment of the popular YouTube show Mental Floss, host John Green decided to take a look at 31 of the craziest medical conditions he could find. From stress directly related to your husband retiring and spending more time at home to the false belief that you’re actually dead and your organs are rotting, the video criss-crosses in a lot of different directions, but every stop is more than worth your time, especially because of the humorous and punchy fashion the content is delivered in.

If you’d like to check out more from Mental Floss, you can click here, here or here. Or, if you’ve got a medical condition you think is even crazier than the ones outlined, head over to the comment section of the video and leave a note. If the footage goes over well enough, they may very well do a follow-up, at which point your oversharing will prove valuable.