Is BookTok taking over Hollywood?

With the current drought of original ideas on our screen, Hollywood has developed a liking to “BookTok”, in desperate need of content. 
BookTok, is a subgenre on the ever-growing social media app; TikTok, in which users take short-form videos discussing, reviewing and recommending titles, which are primarily romance, fantasy and thriller. 
There are currently over 52 million videos created under #booktok, accumulating 370 billion views worldwide.
(yes, you read that right)

But like many things; BookTok was birthed in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic during the lockdown period.
It was during this time, many took up new hobbies; crocheting, painting, sourdough baking (basically anything) but one that has always stood the test of time; reading. 

But where does Hollywood come into this? 

Well, with the wide growth of BookTok, Hollywood saw the level of loyalty these fanbases had towards their beloved novels. Where readers saw passion, grit and love, they saw dollars.
Due to the box office taking a plummet, original content being sparse – Hollywood was in no shape to take any risks. 
Since this notion, adaptations have made no sign of stopping. In just this year alone, so far, we’ve had: ‘Wuthering Heights‘ (Emily Brontë), ‘Project Hail Mary‘ (Andy Wier) and the recent smash ‘Off Campus‘ (Elle Kennedy) (Pictured adjacent).
With many more coming; including ‘Verity‘ (Colleen Hoover) on October 1 and ‘The  Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping‘ (Suzanne Collins) on November 19th! 

So, is the power in the hand of the bookworms? Can we really influence Hollywood’s next  move? 

Just a few years ago, studios relied heavily on critics, publishers and executives for ideas.  Now a viral TikTok can propel an unknown author’s book into an overnight bestseller and  because of that, producers are watching like hawks for their next story. 

But in saying that, Hollywood still ultimately has the last say. Plenty of viral books never  make it to the screen, while established franchises and superhero films continue to dominate  studio budgets. 

So BookTok may not be running Hollywood, but it is certainly helping write the script. In an  industry where gambling on original screenplays seems like a lost art, viral books offer  something studios crave; proof that an audience already exists and a devoted one at that.  Whether that’s a sign of reader power or Hollywood playing it safe remains up for debate.

Written by: Caitlyn Bamber