Veronica Roth, the talented author behind the popular Divergent series, recently spoke out about the film adaptation of her books and the heartbreaking decision to cancel the final film. In a candid interview, Roth expressed that she had come to terms with the cancellation of the fourth film, titled Ascendent.
As fans may recall, Lionsgate chose to divide Roth’s third book, Allegiant, into two separate movies, with the first part being released in 2016. The decision to split the book into two parts was a popular trend at the time, but Roth admitted that she knew the films were deviating from the original storyline. She acknowledged that altering the lead-up to the finale would inevitably lead to changes in the conclusion. Roth shared, “I kind of felt like at that point… I feel like that third movie, I don’t know, there’s a lot we could talk about with it. But it’s its own thing.”
Despite not receiving a proper ending, Roth believes that the Divergent saga still feels complete. She emphasized that the idea of completeness is subjective and questioned its true meaning in this context. While the cancellation of the final film was undoubtedly disappointing, Roth expressed her contentment with the overall journey of the characters and story.
Reflecting on the decision to split Allegiant into two films, Roth shared her thoughts on the matter. She believed that splitting a book into two movies only made sense if the source material was substantial enough to warrant it. Roth highlighted that the book would need to be long and full of intricate details to justify extending it into multiple films.
In a final twist of fate, there were attempts to continue the Divergent story through a television series on Starz. Unfortunately, these plans never came to fruition, leaving fans yearning for closure. However, Roth remains grateful for the opportunity to see her books come to life on the big screen and acknowledges that sometimes adaptations do not always follow the original plans.
Veronica Roth’s acceptance of the cancellation of the final film of The Divergent Series is both admirable and bittersweet. While fans may lament the lack of closure, Roth’s perspective offers a unique insight into the creative process and the challenges that come with translating books into movies. The journey of Tris and her comrades may have ended prematurely in the film realm, but the impact and resonating themes of the Divergent series continue to captivate readers worldwide.