Netflix’s Damsel, a fantasy adventure that turns one of the genre’s most longstanding tropes on its head, isn’t the only version of the story that fans are able to experience. Dan Mazeau’s screenplay provided not just the structure of the movie but also the backbone of a novelization written by Evelyn Skye. The Netflix movie and the novel are based on the same screenplay, but the movie is not an adaptation of the novel, as tends to be the case. Fans are, predictably, confused.
Damsel Is Not Really Based on a Book
The real source material for both the movie and the novel is a screenplay written by Dan Mazeau. The idea to publish a novelization came during the film’s production.
New York Times bestselling novel Evelyn Skye is behind the novelisation and in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Skye would explain how the novel of the screenplay would come about.
“The easiest way to think about it is this: Dan Mazeau wrote the original screenplay. I was able to read an early draft and was given free rein to write my own version of the story, which ultimately became the novel. Both the novel and the movie may stem from the same origin, but they are also each their own unique works of art.”
With the novel being based on an early draft of the screenplay written before filming, the two finished products — despite having the same title, framework, and interlinked marketing — are indeed distinct interpretations of the same story. Fans of one should definitely check out the other to get a more complete experience.
Damsel Book Cover Via Amazon
Why has the origin caused confusion?
The confusion arises from our expectations that often fantasy films do take their inspiration from novels. Since Damsel has an accompanying novel, it is not a huge leap to think that the movie was based on the book.
However, as above, it is safer to say that the book is based on the movie’s screenplay; it is not a 1:1 adaptation. The book shares the same characters and situations, but there are discrepancies between both products. Skye was given access to the film during production and was able to meet the cast and see the sets, giving her a foundation for the novelization, however, they remain distinct.
Plot Summary and Thoughts
The plot takes a fantasy trope — damsel in distress — and subverts it. We follow a young soon-to-be princess who has been duped into becoming a sacrifice for a dragon, as opposed to being a member of royalty. She has to fight for her survival, as no prince is coming to save her.
The trailer gives a feel for the film, and it has to be said that the tone is a lot darker than you might think. I get the impression that if they had pushed the envelope slightly further, there may have been a fantasy, folk-horror film desperate to get out. The effects, sets, and costumes look good, and there are some nice images, including an almost Eyes Wide Shut moment that caught my eye. On the downside, as usual a lot of the key moments are featured in this trailer, and audiences will be able to grasp the premise and guess how things end up after watching these carefully edited clips.
The Damsel screenplay is credited to Dan Mazeau and although he does not have a huge catalog of work behind him, you can find his name on Wrath of the Titans from 2012 and Fast X from 2023. Dan was also an executive producer on Damsel and is working on an upcoming project called Van Helsing.
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