Top 10 Movie Questions That Were Answered in the Book

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Movie Questions That Were Answered in the Book. For this list, we’ll be looking at lingering questions from adaptations that actually have answers in the source material. We’ll be discussing plot details and endings, so this is your spoiler alert! What details from your favorite books were left out of the movies? Let us know in the comments.

#10: Why Did the Triceratops Get Sick?

“Jurassic Park” (1993)
It’s still amazing how real the animatronic dinosaurs feel in the first film of this franchise. As a group of experts tour the park, they come across a mysteriously sick triceratops. After a couple of brief questions, left unanswered, the guests move on. But the scene left viewers wondering, “How did the triceratops get sick?” In Michael Crichton’s novel, it’s a sick stegosaurus, not a triceratops. We learn that dinosaurs often swallowed stones to help grind food in the stomach, and occasionally other items on the ground were swallowed too. In the stegosaurus’ case, it ate some poisonous berries that had fallen from a nearby West Indian Lilac plant.

#9: Who Built the Cryptex?

“The Da Vinci Code” (2006)
Based on Dan Brown’s mystery-thriller, the movie adaptation of “The Da Vinci Code” struggled to pull off the twists and turns of the novel. On their quest for the Holy Grail, Langdon and Sophie discover a ‘cryptex’, designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The password for the cryptex is ‘apple’, after the falling apple that led Newton to formulate his theory of gravitation. But the film is missing some key information. Da Vinci couldn’t have made this cryptex, as he died before Newton was born, and didn’t speak English. Audiences can put probably two and two together here, but the book spells it out, attributing the cryptext to Sophie’s grandfather.

#8: What’s with the Desert Mouse?

“Dune” (2021)
Based on Frank Herbert’s novel, Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic transported audiences to the desert planet Arrakis. There’s a lot of emphasis placed on shots of a kangaroo mouse, seen in the desert by Paul Atreides. But without context, it might seem like a pretty random detail. In the book, the native Fremen call the desert mouse “muad’dib.” The mice are considered resilient survivors, mirroring Paul’s journey, and he even takes the name “muad’dib” for himself once the Fremen accept him as one of them.

#7: Why Did Stones Destroy Carrie’s House?

“Carrie” (1976)
Focusing on outcast high schooler Carrie White, who discovers she has telekinetic powers, this horror classic captured the feel and major plot points of Stephen King’s novel. But not everything could be transferred to film. In the book, we’re introduced to Carrie’s telekinetic powers when she brings a rain of stones onto her house in a moment of intense emotional distress as a child. The scene was actually filmed for the movie, but neither production designer Jack Fisk nor director Brian De Palma was happy with how it turned out. They repurposed some of the footage for the ending, showing the destruction of Carrie’s home.

#6: What Happened to Everyone at the End?

“The Divergent Series: Allegiant” (2016)
Only half of the final “Divergent” book was adapted for the film “Allegiant,” leaving most plotlines unresolved and invested viewers dissatisfied. The movie ends with the main character, Tris, exposing the Bureau of Genetic Welfare’s sinister plan in Chicago. We don’t know if there are any other cities in this dystopian world or what happens to Evelyn, the new head of Chicago. If moviegoers didn’t read the novels, they were left with a lot of unanswered questions. In the book, Tris’s side wins, though David kills her. Everyone working for the Bureau of Genetic Welfare has their memories erased, other surviving civilizations are confirmed, and Evelyn is banished from Chicago for two years.

#5: What Happened to Saruman?

“The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” (2003) (Theatrical Cut)
Saruman is one of two major threats in the “Lord of the Rings” universe. He is seen stranded in his tower at the end of the second movie, “The Two Towers,” but he makes no appearance in the theatrical cut of “Return of the King”. Is trapping him in a tower really enough to stop his plans? In Tolkien’s novel, Gandalf breaks Saruman’s staff, but Saruman leaves Isengard and takes over the Shire. He’s stabbed by his mistreated servant Wormtongue. The extended edition of the film shows Saruman similarly felled, although still while in Isengard.

#4: Why Doesn’t Watney Get Radiation Poisoning?

“The Martian” (2015)
While this sci-fi film was well received by both critics and audiences, it left a couple questions unanswered, especially for more scientifically-minded viewers. One question regarded the Radioisotope Thermometric Generator, or RTG, which was a box containing plutonium that protagonist Mark Watney used for heat. Considering that plutonium is a dangerous radioactive element, how did he avoid radiation poisoning and cancer? The book explains that the radioactive isotope in the RTG is encased in pellets that prevent radiation leaks. By using both solar power and radioactive energy, Watney was able to take care of various tasks, like heating water and traveling by rover.

#3: What’s with the Man in the Bear Suit?

“The Shining” (1980)
Director Stanley Kubrick took many elements from Stephen King’s novel for his movie, but there are also some big differences. For some reason, though, he decided to keep one particular figure that Wendy sees when running from her unhinged husband Jack. The man in a bear costume is a source of major confusion for those who haven’t read the book. The man is likely Roger, a lover of the Overlook Hotel’s previous owner, Horace Derwent. Roger actually dresses as a dog in the book, but seeing as he and Derwent aren't mentioned in the movie, that change in detail isn’t too important. The relationship between the two men is the most probable explanation for the peculiar sight.

#2: Who Are the Marauders?

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004)
The third installment of the “Harry Potter” franchise focuses on Harry trying to unravel the mystery around a convicted murderer who’s escaped from prison. We are also introduced to the Marauder’s Map, an item that reveals almost all the hidden passages in Hogwarts and can track everyone on the grounds. The movie involves the Marauder’s Map and even specifies the nicknames of the Marauders, but we don't know who they really are or why they’re important. The book states that the Marauders are Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black, and James Potter, who are all crucial, recurring characters for the plot of the series.

#1: What Are the Monoliths?

“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
Its ending has left viewers confused for decades, but Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece includes even more mysterious aspects that left viewers wondering, “What was that?” One big question is about the scenes with the monoliths, the huge black slabs that appear during key events. While the scenes are well-known, their purpose is left unclear in the movie. In Arthur C. Clarke’s novel and its sequel, “2010: Odyssey Two,” we learn that the monoliths were created by intelligent aliens called the Firstborn who want to foster growth and knowledge in other life forms.