Robert De Niro Makes Beloved Adaptation Better Than The Book, Where To Stream

By Nina Phillips | Published

robert de niro stardust

It’s normal for movies to deviate from their source material at least a little, to make the story smoother, or simply because the director had a better idea. While the book and the movie for Stardust are fairly different, both are good. However, it’s Robert De Niro’s character in the Stardust movie that makes it stand out from the book, and maybe even makes it better than the original. 

Robert De Niro Has Great Company In Stardust

Robert De Niro Captain Shakespeare Stardust 2007

To be fair, the entire cast of the movie is amazing, not just Robert De Niro. Other faces you’ll see and voices you’ll hear throughout Stardust include Charlie Cox (The Theory of Everything), Claire Danes (Homeland), Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), Sienna Miller (American Sniper), David Kelly (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Henry Cavill (The Witcher), Nathaniel Parker (The Haunted Mansion), Peter O’Toole (The Stunt Man), Michelle Pfeiffer (Hairspray), and Mark Strong (Kingsman: The Secret Service). 

Searching For Stars

Stardust movie 2007

Stardust follows a young man named Tristan Thorne, living in a small and normal village called Wall. One day, he tries to woo the girl of his dreams and ends up offering her a star. To get the present, he travels to a far more magical world outside the wall in search of the star. 

Unfortunately, he ends up mixed up in a fight for the crown between several murderous brothers and ends up seeing much more of the world than he expects. During his adventures, he learns and grows, realizing that what he once wanted might no longer be what his future holds for him. 

The Book And Movie Are Equally Great

Robert De Niro Stardust

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics were somewhat torn on the film, providing an average rating of 77 percent. Audience members were much more decided and in love with the movie, giving Robert De Niro’s Stardust an average rating of 86 percent.

Originally, Stardust was a book written by Neil Gaiman. While the book doesn’t feature the amazing character played by Robert De Niro, it does have its own charm. Though the two versions of Stardust, the book and the movie, have the same general plot and conclusion, the paths the two stories take to get there are pretty different. 

From Dark Fairy Tale To Whimsical Magic

Robert De Niro Stardust Captain Shakespeare

The biggest difference is the overarching theme and feeling of the story. While the movie is lighthearted, romantic, and whimsical, Neil Gaiman’s original story is more of a dark fairy tale and has much more disturbing moments in his book. Both versions are good, but they’re best if they are loosely compared to each other like they’re cousins more than siblings. 

However, it’s the addition of one character, played by Robert De Niro, that really makes Stardust stand out on its own. In Stardust, he plays Captain Shakespeare. This captain is very serious and deadly in public, but behind closed doors, he enjoys romantic stories and feeling beautiful. 

Stream Stardust Today

Robert De Niro Stardust promotional poster

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Though Robert De Niro gets a relatively short amount of time on screen, he helps save Yvaine and Tristan and wins the hearts of audience members. He also teaches Tristan how to protect Yvaine, and how to stand up for himself, and cares for the two like they’ve been lifelong friends. 

Whether or not you’ve read the book before, everyone should give Robert De Niro’s amazing character and Stardust a chance. Thankfully, Stardust is available to watch on Paramount+. For a more detailed breakdown of the movie, check out the GenreVision Podcast.