I’m not stealing ideas, really!

As a novelist, I sometimes worry that I’m subconsciously “borrowing” characters, settings, and / or plotlines from other writers. After all, how many original ideas are there? I honestly try to create new things, but I’m sure if someone did a close analysis, they could point out how I’d been influenced by previous works. 

Then came the summer of 2013. 

I like to watch movies, so when it came time to pick out the movies I’d spend my time watching I smiled when I realized something: many of the big summer releases were based on books, plays, TV shows, toys or comics from years gone by. 

Here are some, starting from the most recent creations and going back in time: 

My Little Pony: Equestria Girls

Based off of toys first created in 1983 

The Wolverine 

Based off of the comic book character created in 1974 

Star Trek: Into Darkness 

Based off of the TV show created in 1966 

Iron Man 3 

Based off the comic book character created in 1963

The Smurfs 2 

Based off the characters created in 1958

Man of Steel 

Based off the comic book character Superman who first appears in comics in 1938 

Lone Ranger 

Based off of the radio program that first aired in 1933

The Great Gatsby 

Based on the book published in 1925 (5th time this book has been made into a movie!) 

Last but not least: 

Much Ado About Nothing 

Based on a play from 1623 

Well, if Hollywood can outright remake other people’s stories, I shouldn’t worry if some of my work is influenced in some way, shape or form things I’ve read or seen.