4 Pinoy Wattpad Authors Who’ve Made It Big
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Diary ng Panget, She’s Dating the Gangster, and Talk Back and You’re Dead. Now, what do these 3 iconic movies have in common? They are the brainchildren of Pinoy Wattpad authors!
Why Adapt Fanfiction?
These stories have a built-in audience, who are hooked to the plots and engage with fellow readers online. We have also seen successful adaptations from all over the world, encouraging writers to explore more themes and genres. And when they are picked up by producers, it reduces financial risks for them.
What Does the Author Gain?
If the work is used with the author’s permission, they may receive compensation through royalties, licensing fees, or a direct payment.
Plus, can you imagine your name attached to a high-grossing, box-office film? Or a series with high viewership ratings? You get the credit you deserve!
In our case, let us celebrate 4 Pinoy Wattpad authors who helmed the iconic media we have:
1. HaveYouSeenThisGirL
This is the pseudonym of Denny R., who wrote the classic, Diary ng Panget. DNP was first published on Wattpad before PSICOM Publishing Inc. distributed it in paperback. And in April 2014, Viva Films released a film adaptation of the same name, starring Nadine Lustre and James Reid.
Fun fact: DNP was the first Wattpad story to be adapted into a feature film! And it grossed roughly Php120 million domestically.
2. Bianca Bernardino
Bianca, under the name SGwannaB, wrote what is arguably the highest-grossing Wattpad-to-film adaptation in the Philippines: She’s Dating the Gangster. The film was helmed under Star Cinema and Summit Media and starred Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla.
When it was released in July 2014, it amassed an estimated amount of Php296 million in the box office, beating out DNP!
3. Alesana Marie
The JaDine loveteam is back! In August 2014, they starred in Talk Back and You’re Dead, based on Alesana’s Wattpad novel of the same name. The movie was distributed under Viva Films and Skylight Films, and grossed roughly Php76.9 million domestically.
There was a sequel film teased at the end, but there has been no news about it since 2018.
4. Gwy Saludes
Let us turn on the TV for this one. Gwy wrote The Rain In España, which was the first in Wattpad’s University Series. It became a Studio Viva miniseries in 2023, with 10 episodes airing from May 1 to July 3, and starred Heaven Peralejo and Marco Gallo.
It garnered favorable reviews online. Plus, it boosted Heaven and Marco’s loveteam to new heights!
READ: A List of Romantic Pinoy Films on Netflix
Over the past decade, these Pinoy Wattpad authors have proven that creativity, imagination, and a little bit of fangirling, can lead to greater things. So, let us not underestimate the power of fanfiction!