The Forbidden Kingdom. Poster of the 2008 movie and cover of the 1592 book, The Journey to the West
VS3
The Journey to the West
Wu Cheng'en, 1592
movie vs book
Rob Minkoff, 2008

An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself travelling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King.


Mulan. Poster of the 2020 movie and cover of the 1695 book, Romance of Sui and Tang Dynasties
VS3
Romance of Sui and Tang Dynasties
Zhu Renhuo, 1695
movie vs book
Niki Caro, 2020

In Imperial China, Hua Mulan is an adventurous and active girl, to the disappointment of her parents, who hopes that one day she will be wed to a good husband. As a young woman, Mulan is forced to meet with a matchmaker to demonstrate her fitness as a future wife. Mulan, flustered, attempts to pour tea in front of the matchmaker, but a spider causes a panic that destroys the kettle, and the matchmaker calls her a disgrace in front of her family.


Mulan. Poster of the 2020 movie and cover of the book novelization
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Mulan Live Action Novelization
Elizabeth Rudnick, 2020
movie vs book   [NOVELIZATION]
Niki Caro, 2020

In Imperial China, Hua Mulan is an adventurous and active girl, to the disappointment of her parents, who hopes that one day she will be wed to a good husband. As a young woman, Mulan is forced to meet with a matchmaker to demonstrate her fitness as a future wife. Mulan, flustered, attempts to pour tea in front of the matchmaker, but a spider causes a panic that destroys the kettle, and the matchmaker calls her a disgrace in front of her family.


The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Poster of the 2008 movie and cover of the book novelization
VS3
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Max Allan Collins, 2008
movie vs book   [NOVELIZATION]
Rob Cohen, 2008

In ancient China, a brutal and tyrannical warlord unites the country’s kingdoms into an empire and becomes the Dragon Emperor. Having foreseen this event, she immolates and imprisons the Emperor and his soldiers in clay, turning them into the Terracotta Army, and flees.