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Book to movie

The Witches: Book to Film

A boy and his grandmother uncover a secret gathering of witches who plan to transform children into mice.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-01

Verified facts

Relationship
Direct adaptation
Source book
The Witches (1983)
Screen work
The Witches (1990)
Story family
The Witches on screen

Adaptation family

The Witches on screen

See all related screen works

Roald Dahl's child-versus-witches story has produced two features that change its setting, effects, protagonist, and final consequences in different ways.

This map covers the related screen works currently supported by PlotGeeks, rather than every adaptation ever made.

  1. Source book | 1983The WitchesView book explainer →
  2. 1990 | Feature filmThe WitchesAdapted from | Nicolas Roeg

    The first feature uses elaborate creature effects and replaces the book's lasting transformation with a restorative final turn.

    View film explainer →You’re viewing this comparison
  3. 2020 | Feature filmThe WitchesAdapted from | Robert Zemeckis

    The later adaptation relocates the story to 1960s Alabama, changes the boy and grandmother's background, and restores a less reversible ending.

Why read this explainer

Keep the novel's lasting transformation separate from the 1990 film's reversal. The grandmother's continued love can make the book tender without requiring the boy to regain his human form.

PlotGeeks note

The grandmother's love gives the novel tenderness without reversing the boy's transformation. Restoring him to human form on screen changes that lasting consequence and the terms of its comfort.

Connected knowledge

Connected in PlotGeeks

Related explainers and browse pages for The Witches: Book to Film.

At a glance

Book and film, fast

Same coreWhat both versions keep

A boy and his grandmother uncover a secret gathering of witches who plan to transform children into mice.

Biggest changeThe book is stranger and colder

The film leans into grotesque performance and visual menace.

CompressionWhat the film has to condense

The film condenses the plan against children into a clearer hotel confrontation.

Ending shiftThe film changes the book's final state

The film offers a softer reversal, turning the final state into rescue rather than lasting transformation.

Start hereEither version works first

Read first if you want the darker ending. Watch first for the creature effects and hotel thriller shape.

Closer comparison

Book and film side by side

The film changes the book's final state

In the book

The novel leaves the boy transformed and still loved.

In the film

The film offers a softer reversal, turning the final state into rescue rather than lasting transformation.

The book is stranger and colder

In the book

The novel treats danger and tenderness side by side.

In the film

The film leans into grotesque performance and visual menace.

Both keep the grandmother bond

In the book

The book uses that bond to make the ending tender.

In the film

The film keeps the bond while making the adventure more reassuring.

Source to screen

From The Witches to The Witches

The book is stranger and colder

The novel treats danger and tenderness side by side. The film leans into grotesque performance and visual menace.[1][2]

The film changes the book's final state

The novel leaves the boy transformed and still loved. The film offers a softer reversal, turning the final state into rescue rather than lasting transformation.[1][2]

Sources

Source trail

Sources for the book, film, and adaptation relationship are listed below. The comparison notes are original PlotGeeks prose.