How Netflix's Bird Box Was Different From The Book

Have you seen how Netflix's Bird Box was different from the book? No movie adaptation is exactly like the book - and it’s fun to look at Bird Box book vs Bird Box Movie differences - but the Sandra Bullock Netflix movie changed some important details from the original written source. Some things are actually quite minor, like changing the location from Detroit to Northern California - that doesn’t really impact anything, but there’s other changes that really show the differences between Bird Box book and Bird Box movie versions that will want you to check both out.

In the Bird Box book, the story is much slower - taking months for the epidemic to hit the US. In the movie, to speed things up, the creatures appear in America almost immediately. Also to get the story moving, Malorie’s sister Jessica dies very early on. In the Bird Box book, Malorie’s sister survives much longer. Also in the book, Malorie’s sister’s name is Shannon. Shannon meets her end in her home with Malorie when she gets exposed to an open window. That’s another significant change - in the book, Malorie doesn’t join the group until months after the outbreak; in the film she joins immediately.

John Malkovich's Douglas is not in the Bird Box book. He is sort of a composite character of a few people - but he’s not the only change. Tom, played by Trevante Rhodes, is a tall, blue eyed man who is knocked off by Gary in the book. Tom and Malorie form a family to boy and girl - he’s given a much deeper character arch in the film.

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A quicker collapse | 0:15
Different company | 1:22
Tom's larger role | 2:07
More monstrous monsters | 2:54
Animal immunity | 3:44
Malorie's choice | 4:31
A lifetime of training | 5:11