'Oldboy' and 7 Other Movies You Didn't Know Were Actually Based on Comics

When we watch a movie marked by a unique directorial style, it doesn't occur to us that the source material might have been a comic book rather than a novel or original screenplay.

Although the word "comics" still conjures up images of simple superhero stories, the world of graphic literature is incredibly deep and diverse.

1. 'Men in Black', 1997

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

The comic book series that inspired Barry Sonnenfeld's legendary sci-fi comedy was published in the early 1990s by Aircel. This independent Canadian publisher began as a foam insulation company but pivoted to a promising new niche after losing a government contract.

Lowell Cunningham created a three-issue story about a secret international organization whose black-clad agents monitor and investigate extraterrestrial and paranormal phenomena, from aliens to zombies.

Unlike the franchise's first movie, which was released in 1997, the comics had a darker tone. Special agents used any means necessary, including bloody reprisals, to accomplish their mission.

2. 'The Mask', 1994

IMDb Score: 7.0/10

Shy bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss finds an ancient mask that gives him supernatural abilities and the appearance of a quirky character with a green head.

While the movie is remembered as one of the most vibrant comedies of the mid-1990s, the Dark Horse comic book it was based on was much darker.

In the original comic, the mask was associated with African voodoo cults and changed owners, affecting each person differently and sometimes leading to violent acts.

3. 'Oldboy', 2003

IMDb Score: 8.3/10

Oldboy, the cult South Korean action thriller film directed by Park Chan-wook, is based on a Japanese manga series by Nobuaki Minegishi with a story by Garon Tsuchiya.

They drew inspiration from Alexandre Dumas's novel The Count of Monte Cristo, splitting Edmond Dantès into two characters linked by a shared past: one imprisoned and the other obsessed with revenge who first becomes rich and then succeeds in his plans.

Compared to the manga's restrained and psychological narrative, the movie is darker, more violent, and emotionally shocking.

4. 'Road to Perdition', 2002

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

Sam Mendes' dark crime drama is based on the 1998 graphic novel by screenwriter and mystery writer Max Allan Collins and British artist Richard Piers Rayner, published by Paradox Press.

Collins conceived the story of gangster Michael Sullivan, who is forced to go on the run with his son after witnessing a murder, with the intention of exploring the topic of fatherhood in the context of organized crime during the Great Depression.

5. 'The Crow', 1994

IMDb Score: 7.5/10

One of the darkest works of pop culture, James O'Barr's graphic novel The Crow was first published in 1989 and became a cult classic in the dark fantasy and superhero noir genres.

The protagonist, musician Eric, and his fiancée, Shelley, fall victim to brutal criminals. After Eric dies, a supernatural raven brings him back from the dead, creating a link between the world of the living and the afterlife.

Alex Proyas' legendary 1994 movie, which largely echoes the comic's dark atmosphere, was mired in tragedy. During filming, Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee's 28-year-old son, was killed by a stray bullet.

6. 'Snowpiercer', 2013

IMDb Score: 7.1/10

Snowpiercer is based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette. A Netflix series of the same name was released in 2020 and is also based on the novel.

The book, movie, and show share several key settings, including a land that is uninhabitable due to freezing temperatures, a nonstop train rushing through an icy wasteland, and harsh social divisions aboard the train.

While the graphic novel has a darker, slower, and more melancholy tone, the film and series have a more dynamic plot. They introduce new characters and storylines and shift the focus to larger-scale social conflicts.

7. 'A History of Violence', 2005

IMDb Score: 7.4/10

This dark and tense crime drama is based on the 1997 Vertigo comic book of the same name by writer John Wagner and artist Vince Locke.

David Cronenberg's movie retains the core concept: the protagonist leads an ordinary life until his dark past is revealed through violence and other external factors.

However, the film emphasizes psychological drama, family relationships, and the characters' moral dilemmas, shifting the focus from crime thriller to socio-psychological drama.

8. 'Barbarella', 1968

IMDb Score: 5.9/10

Barbarella, a space traveler from the 41st century, was born in 1962 in the pages of the French men's magazine V Magazine.

Created by Jean-Claude Forest, she became even more famous after the release of Roger Vadim's 1968 science fiction movie of the same name.

The artist was inspired by Brigitte Bardot when creating his heroine, but she was not interested in playing sexualized characters, so the director cast his wife, Jane Fonda, in the role.