Ah, Nicholas Sparks. The writer that “some” trivia players love to hate. Unless you love him, of course. I have never watched a single movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, and I don’t intend to. At least not on purpose. I can’t even get past their movie posters, TBH without risking a diabetic coma. From what I gather, they tend to be (the horror)…romantic stories. What you are about to read is a handy guide to all of Nicholas Sparks’ novels – the movies they inspired – and even the box office grosses of his films (these numbers are always subject to change, consult the web site boxofficemojo for the most up-to-date box office numbers).

Nicholas Sparks’ written works:

Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding (1990), Nicholas Sparks and Billy Mills.

The Notebook, (October 1996). Film released 2002, director Nick Cassevetes, WW gross $115.6 million

Look at my old-timey swimsuit!

Message in a Bottle, (April 1998). Film released 1999, director Luis Mandoki, WW gross $118 million

Yeah, I’ve got this filthy bottle here…but I don’t see any messages in it – Robin Wright Penn

A Walk to Remember, (October 1999). Film released 2002, director Adam Shankman, WW gross $47.4 million

Astronomy is such a great gateway to sex. Shane West (Landon) and Mandy Moore (Jamie).

The Rescue, (September 2000)

A Bend in the Road, (September 2001)

Nights in Rodanthe,  (September 2002). Film released 2008, director George C. Wolfe, WW gross $84.3 million. Stars Richard Gere (American Gigolo) and Diane Lane (The Outsiders) also appeared together in the 2002 film Unfaithful. Lane’s character has a fling with a younger man, and Gere’s character kills the guy – wraps him up in an Oriental rug – and proceeds to DRIVE ALL OVER THE FREAKING PLACE. With his wife’s lover’s corpse in the car. Which he drives to his kid’s school, where he is performing in some silly pageant or something. And that is literally all I remember from this film. Which, to be clear, is NOT based on a Nicholas Sparks novel!

Could you close that window, dear? I’m freezing my ass off. Diane Lane (Adrienne) and Richard Gere (Dr. Paul Flanner).

The Guardian, (April 2003)

The Wedding, (September 2003)

Three Weeks with my Brother, (April 2004)

True Believer, (April 2005)

At First Sight, (October 2005)

Dear John,  (October 2006). Film released 2010, director Lasse Halstrom, WW gross $114.9 million

The Choice, (September 2007). Film released 2016, director Ross Katz, WW gross $23.4 million.

The Lucky One, (September 2008). Film released 2012, director Scott Hicks, WW gross $99.3 million

The Last Song, (September 2009). Film released 2010, director Julie Ann Robinson, WW gross $89.0 million

Safe Haven, (September 2010). Film released 2013, WW gross $97.5 million

The Best of Me,  (October 2011). Film released 2014, director Michael Hoffman, WW gross $35.9 million

The Longest Ride, (September 2013). Film released 2015, director George Tillman, Jr. WW gross $62.9 million

See Me, (October 2015)

Two By Two, (October 2016)

Highest-grossing Nicholas Sparks films (in order from highest to lowest):

Message in a Bottle (1999), $118.8 million;

The Notebook, (2004), $115.6 million;

Dear John (2010), $114.9 million;

The Lucky One (2012), $99.3 million;

Safe Haven (2013), $97.5 million;

The Last Song (2010), $89.0 million;

Nights in Rodanthe (2008), $84,3 million;

A Walk To Remember (2002), $47.4 million

Total worldwide box office gross Nicholas Sparks films:  $889.6 million.

Sparks Books Not Developed into Films

“Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding (1990), Nicholas Sparks and Billy Mills.”

A Bend in the Road, (September 2001)

The Rescue, (September 2000)

The Guardian, (April 2003)

The Wedding, (September 2003)

Three Weeks with my Brother, (April 2004)

True Believer, (April 2005)

At First Sight, (October 2005)

See Me, (October 2015)

Two By Two, (October 2016)