26 Book to Movie Changes in the ‘Allegiant’ Movie (MOVIE SPOILERS)

The Allegiant movie is very different from the book.

 

Today we’re looking at the Allegiant movie vs the book. Honestly, if you just exited the theater and you’re now left scratching your head: we feel you.

Allegiant was very different from the book. While the book and movie share similar aspects and plot points, there were many changes that left us confused and (let’s be honest) a little worried about the final movie, ‘Ascendant’. However, as you read our list below, remember that Allegiant is being split into two movies, the second being ‘Ascendant’ which is due out next year. Some of the elements in the book that didn’t make it to the movie might appear in the final film.

So with that said, let’s get to it! We counted a total of 26 changes between the movie and the book. Did you notice these differences?

You might also be interested in…

BOOK AND MOVIE SPOILERS BELOW
THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS CONCERNING THE FINAL BOOK OF THE SERIES AS WELL.

1. There’s no Edith Prior.

Possible Edith Prior in Insurgent

This one goes a bit along with Insurgent. At the end of Insurgent, the woman in the video is named Edith Prior. Her identity becomes a point of mystery through Allegiant–in fact, it’s the very first thing brought up in the book. But Edith Prior doesn’t appear to exist in the Divergent movies, because just like in ‘Insurgent’, she’s not mentioned at all in ‘Allegiant’.

2. Tris isn’t in prison.

In the beginning of Allegiant (the book) Tris, Christina, and Four in prison. This happens after they defiantly release the video publicly at the end of Insurgent. In the movie, Tris and everyone is free, save the corrupt Dauntless members.

3. The Allegiant don’t suggest escaping the city.

The Allegiant are already formed at the beginning of the book. They’re the ones who suggest the idea of escaping the city. In the movie, the Allegiant aren’t formed until later in the movie. They also never approach Tris about escaping.

4. Caleb doesn’t get his trial.

Caleb in Allegiant

While Caleb is a prisoner in the movie, Four rescues him before he actually goes on trial. In the book, Caleb is sentenced to death and is scheduled to be killed. It’s after the trial that Four rescues him.

5. The Allegiant don’t help Tris and the others out of the city.

Johanna as the leader of Allegiant

In the book, the Allegiant, including their leader Johanna, help Tris and the others escape the city. In the movie they aren’t involved in this at all.

6. Uriah doesn’t escape with the others.

Uriah is supposed to leave the city alongside with Tris and the others. In the movie, he stays behind and appears to be one of Johanna’s right-hand men.

7. Edgar’s Mad Max Scene

Edgar Divergent

When you’re hiking with your baes and Edgar comes out of nowhere in his hummer. Remember when everyone thought Edgar was going to be Tris’s love interest?

8. There’s no Zoe and Amar.

Zoe and Amar are among the first people that Tris and the others run into once outside of the wall. Amar was Tobias’s old instructor as an initiate–someone that everyone believed to be dead. These characters don’t exist in the movies.

9. There’s no George-Amar relationship.

Seeing as there’s no Amar in the movie, there’s naturally no George either.

10. The Plasma Globes… and other strange futuristic technology.

Allegiant Plasma Globes

While Divergent was always set in the future, the books didn’t indicate that the technology was extremely advanced compared to what we know today. For example… there were no plasma globes. Not to mention the hovercrafts (and Willy Wonka glass elevators?) which don’t exist in the book. In fact, in the book, Tris and the others get a ride on a good old airplane.

11. Natalie Prior’s journal is high-tech too.

In the book, David gives Tris her mother’s journal–which Tris refers to often throughout the rest of the story. In the movie, this is replaced with a high-tech device that allows Tris to see and experience her mother’s memories.

12. Marcus Eaton’s trial and sentence isn’t in the movie.

Marcus Eaton

Tobias’s father, Marcus, gets a trial and sentencing the book. Evelyn orders that he must leave the city, never to return. He ultimately plays a large role in the Allegiant vs Factionless conflict. He isn’t quite so lucky in the movie.

13. There’s no rebellion at the Bureau.

In the book, Nita approaches Four and Tris about a rebellion of the genetically damaged against the Bureau of Genetic Welfare. There isn’t a rebellion in the movie, although both Nita and Matthew defy David at certain points in the film.

14. Nita doesn’t show interest in Tobias.

Nita in Allegiant

While Nita and Tobias are on friendly terms in the movie, there’s never any moment where she actually shows romantic interest for him like she does in the book. It’s this potential interest that sparks tension between Tris and Tobias in the book.

15. There’s no rebellion attack.

Speaking of Nita and the rebellion, in the book they execute an attack on the Bureau with the goal of securing a serum and assassinating David. Tris ends up saving David during this attack. In the end, Nita and the other members of the rebellion are placed in prison for their rebellion.

16. The Council and Providence.

The Council in Allegiant

The movie shows that David is responsible to a Council which resides in the amazingly wonderful oasis of a city called Providence. This specific council doesn’t exist in the books.

There is, however, a council under the Bureau of Genetic Welfare–based in the airport where they’re staying. Tris is a member of this council for some time.

17. Tris and Tobias don’t break up.

Tobias and Tris in Allegiant

Tris and Tobias reach a small point in the book where they break up with each other. Not in the movie (although there are a couple of notable moments of tension).

18. The Bureau and Jeanine weren’t in cahoots…

One of the major plot twists of the book is that the Bureau slipped the serum used at the end of Divergent to Jeanine–the serum she used to try and wipe out Abnegation. This isn’t referenced in the movie–although we wouldn’t be surprised to see this come up in ‘Ascendant’.

19. Uriah isn’t in a coma/doesn’t die in the movie.

This might be a change that readers appreciate. In the book, during the rebellion attack against David, Uriah is hurt in an explosion and left in a coma until later in the book when he finally dies. However, as we’ve already pointed out, this attack doesn’t take place in the movie, nor does Uriah ever reach the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.

20. Tris doesn’t get to go to the fringe.

Tris visits the fringe with Amar. The Bureau isn’t well received there. While the Bureau does go to the fringe in the movie, Tris never goes with them.

21. The Bureau is stealing children.

The Fringe Allegiant

Mrs. Coulter and the Gobblers steal children and use science to hurt them and change the very essence of their being. Uhh… oops–the Bureau is bad for reasons.

22. David is less open about his plans to use the memory serum in the movie.

In the book, Tris and the others realize early on that David wants to use the memory serum on everyone–in fact, he says as much to the council. However in the movie, he essentially keeps his plan to himself until the very end.

23. Tris doesn’t try to use the memory serum on the council

In retaliation for the council’s plan to use the memory serum, Tris wants to use the serum on the council. In the movie, this never comes up. Although this is one of those things we could see potentially showing up in ‘Ascendant’.

24. The deal that David and Peter make.

Allegiant David

David tricks Peter into going into the city and forcing Evelyn to release the memory serum in the movie. This isn’t in the book. In the book, Peter knowingly goes into the city prepared to have his memory erased.

25. Tobias’s Chuck Norris scene.

Tobias goes full Chuck Norris when David secretly orders that he be killed. Tobias ends up taking down everyone in his airship (save Matthew, who turns out to be an ally), allowing him to escape and return to the city.

26. Airship battle!

Tris flying Allegiant

Tris, Christina, and Caleb go Star Trek on everybody and steal David’s airship. They’re attacked but in the end Tris’s drunk flying saves them and they get into the city… That’s not in the book.

This is where we end our list!

To be honest, this is a tough list to make because the movie is SO different from the book and the book has been split into two. Because of this, there’s no hard-obvious “split” in the story.

The movie essentially ends with David carrying out his memory serum plan and failing. The book’s climax is similar in that it leads to David hoping to use the memory serum against the city. However, unlike the movie, the side-plot where Tris plans to use the serum on the Bureau also plays a major role in the book’s climax.

Since Tris’s plan is left out of the movie, we’re assuming that we might see some variant of it in the final film, ‘Ascendant’. For that reason, we’re going to end our comparison here–as the rest of the book’s plot essentially has to do with the very ending, which is not present in the movie but will presumably be in the final film.

Did you like these changes?
Did you notice any changes that we missed?
Discuss the movie in the comments!

Saul Marquez founded Bookstacked in 2014 and serves as the site's Editor-in-Chief. He primarily covers news for Bookstacked. He also co-hosts Bookmarked: A YA Book Podcast.

Bookstacked Comment Policy

We welcome respectful comments. Our only rule is to be kind. Rude, hateful and generally mean-spirited comments will be removed.

9 Comments
  • SAULMARQ • 8 years ago

    They kind of tried to keep the main storyline but it just didn’t feel right. Also, I thought a lot of the scenes were awkward and strange (like the guard being caught in the plasma globe).

  • Lorraine Lopez • 8 years ago

    I was very dissapointed, for a moment it felt like I was watching some scifi movie….i liked the book so much and this movie ruined everything. I cant think that Veronica Roth was too pleased with the final product cause it was not what she wrote and portrait in the book.

  • Fourtris <3 • 8 years ago

    Right? They treated this movie terribly! Fans and author deserve better !!

  • Masa Masa • 8 years ago

    honestly after divegent , the last two books were not as good. too much unnecessary deaths .

  • Fred Guevara • 8 years ago

    This article had so many punctuation mistakes; the ideas were poorly written, too.

    • SAULMARQ • 8 years ago

      I apologize! I wrote this at two in the morning and we unfortunately don’t have the money to hire an editor. I’ll be sure to read over it again and revise it if I get a chance tomorrow. Thanks! 🙂

  • Jody Millward • 8 years ago

    I think they improved on the book so far…hopefully the movie ascendant will also have a better ending than the book.

  • Chris Mcphee • 8 years ago

    The movie is nothing like the book. They took the bare-bones of the plot that were required, and the rest seems to be made up as they went along… the film is made far to futuristic and many characters werent even in the correct places (or even existing)

  • Jennifer • 8 years ago

    How about…In the book, they snuck out of the city at night with flashlights. Tori gets killed before ever reaching the fence, Tris only saw her light fall. Amar and Zoe meet the group just outside the fence, not almost a full days walk away. Edgar did not make it outside of the fence. Natalie was NOT born in the fringe as David said in the movie. There are too many changes to count. Is it really that difficult to at least try to stick with the storyline?