History Main / NovelizationFirst

* The Creator/ProjectItoh's novelization of ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' was published on June 12, 2008, the same day the game was released... in Japanese only. The English translated edition wouldn't be released until four years later on June 2012.

* The novelizations for all three ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' films were released before the film's release.

** The sequel trilogy appears to have broken that trend, with digital copies of ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' novelization out on the same day as the movie's theatrical release (four days after the Los Angeles premiere) and print copies two weeks ''afterwards'' to avoid spoiling the movie. ''Film/RogueOne'' is given similar treatment.
*** ''Film/TheLastJedi'' goes even farther, not releasing in any form until close to the DVD release of the film. Perhaps owing to the divisive reaction to the film, it's being advertised as being an "expanded edition".

* The novelizations for all ''three Film/{{Transformers}}'' films were released before the film's release. They also each had a prequel novel released two months prior of the release of the novelizations.

** Perhaps the SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample is the book version of ''WesternAnimation/LadyAndTheTramp'', which came out almost ''two years'' ahead. In fact, it was specifically written to "familiarize" audiences with the story, since Disney was then - even more than now - inextricable linked with adaptations of already-ubiquitous fairy tales.

** Unlike the previous three movies, the novelization of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsLegendOfEverfree'' was released on September 6, 2016 — almost a month before the (English) premiere on October 1, 2016. And the novelization itself apparently got released early in some stores, as details (and eventually the book itself) were leaked by some fans.

* Unlike the previous three movies, the novelization of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsLegendOfEverfree'' was released on September 6, 2016 — almost a month before the (English) premiere on October 1, 2016. And the novelization itself apparently got released early in some stores, as details (and eventually the book itself) were leaked by some fans.
** The same thing happened with ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'', where the novelization came out on August 29, 2017, but the movie would only be released more than a month later on October 6, 2017.

** Perhaps the SugarWiki/MostTriumphantExample is the book version of ''Film/LadyAndTheTramp'', which came out almost ''two years'' ahead. In fact, it was specifically written to "familiarize" audiences with the story, since Disney was then - even more than now - inextricable linked with adaptations of already-ubiquitous fairy tales.

** Perhaps the MostTriumphantExample is the book version of ''Film/LadyAndTheTramp'', which came out almost ''two years'' ahead. In fact, it was specifically written to "familiarize" audiences with the story, since Disney was then - even more than now - inextricable linked with adaptations of already-ubiquitous fairy tales.

* Pretty much any given Disney film from the 90s and onward has novelizations and other merch coming out before the films.

* Pretty much any given Disney film from the 90s and onward has novelizations and other merch coming out before the films

* Unlike the previous three movies, the novelization of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsLegendOfEverfree'' was released on September 6, 2016 — just a few days shy of an exact month before the (English) premiere on October 1, 2016. And the novelization itself apparently got released early in some stores, as details (and eventually the book itself) were leaked by some fans.

* The novel version of ''Film/Mulan2020'' was released in Australia on May 29, 2020. The film had been delayed from its early April release date because of the UsefulNotes/CoronavirusDisease2019Pandemic, and was moved to July 23 in the nation.

* The novel version of ''Film/Mulan2020'' was released in Australia on May 29, 2020. The film had been delayed from its early April release date because of the UsefulNotes/CoronavirusDisease2019Pandemic, and was moved to July 23 in the nation.

*** Film/TheLastJedi goes even farther, not releasing in any form until close to the DVD release of the film. Perhaps owing to the divisive reaction to the film, it's being advertised as being an "expanded edition".

** Eventually he had to write an entire science article both to sort this out ''and'' explain in how many ways the scientific problems of shrinking were ignored by the screenwriters. Ultimately, he acquired the rights and created "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantastic_Voyage_II:_Destination_Brain Fantastic Voyage 2]]" - a remake in ''book'' form.

** The same thing happened with ''Film/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'', where the novelization came out on August 29, 2017, but the movie would only be released more than a month later on October 6, 2017.

* Famously, ''Franchise/StarWars'', including the first six episodes plus ''Literature/ShadowsOfTheEmpire'' and ''[[Film/StarWarsTheCloneWars The Clone Wars]]'', as well as comics and novels of ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed'' and its sequel. Notably, the very first ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' had a novelization known as ''Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker'' credited to Creator/GeorgeLucas (ghostwritten by Creator/AlanDeanFoster during production) and released ''six months'' before the film's initial theatrical cut, in December 1976, though this can be excused as part of the promotion of a product whose success was not at all assured.

* Many {{Pixar}} movies - as well as the sequels to ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' - had their novelisations come out before the films did, as well as tie-in books.

* The novelization of Sozin's Comet, the GrandFinale of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', came out months before the actual episodes were shown on {{Nickelodeon}} (but only in the US, they had aired elsewhere in the world months before).

* The novelization of ''Film/TheFunhouse'', by Owen West (a pseudonym of DeanKoontz), came out the year before the film.

* Famously, ''Franchise/StarWars'', including most movies plus adaptations of many ''StarWarsTheCloneWars'' episodes and games like ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed''. Notably, the very first ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' had a novelization known as ''Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker'' ghostwritten by Creator/AlanDeanFoster and credited to George Lucas during production and released ''six months'' before the film's initial theatrical cut, in December 1976, though this can be excused as part of the promotion of a product whose success was not at all assured.
** All prequel movies had novelizations, comic adaptations and ''Illustrated screenplays'' released in a month or so before the movie's release. Add in the official soundtrack and the video game adaptation and by the time of the premiere you could not only know the plot, but ''every single line'' as well. Specifically, the novelizations of the [[Film/ThePhantomMenace first]] [[Film/AttackOfTheClones two]] movies were the first to be released, and the graphic novel of the [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith third]] was the first to be released.
** ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' broke that trend, with digital copies out on the same day as the movie's theatrical release (four days after the Los Angeles premiere) and print copies two weeks ''afterwards'' to avoid spoiling the movie.

* Famously, ''Franchise/StarWars'', including most movies plus adaptations of many ''StarWarsTheCloneWars'' episodes and games like ''VideoGame/TheForceUnleashed''. Notably, the very first ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' had a novelization known as ''Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker'' ghostwritten by Creator/AlanDeanFoster (though given proper credit in reprints) during production and released ''six months'' before the film's initial theatrical cut, in December 1976, though this can be excused as part of the promotion of a product whose success was not at all assured.