Holiday blockbusters: Eragon and Charlotte's Web hit the big screen.

Two popular books are landing on the silver screen this month. The new dragon movie Eragon, written by Christopher Paolini, hits theaters on December 17. E. B. White's masterpiece, Charlotte's Web, spins onto the big screen on December 20. WR News caught up with Edward Speleers, 18, who plays Eragon, and Gary Winick, who directed Charlotte's Web, for the inside scoop on these holiday hits.

Edward Speleers stars in his first movie role, as a boy who befriends a dragon in Eragon.

WR NEWS: Had you read the book before you tried out for the film?

SPELEERS: I had. Everyone at school was [reading it]. I was completely oblivious to the idea that there would be a film. I prefer the second [book, Eldest]. That's why I hope we do well, so we can go in and make the second one.

WR NEWS: Have you seen the film in its entirety? How true is the movie to the author's book?

SPELEERS: I've seen the trailers and snippets here and there during production. I think Christopher Paolini would be proud. [With any] film it's impossible to create an epic fantasy, but I think he'd be very happy. I think the meaning of the book is echoed throughout the film.

Gary Winick directed the film adaptation of the children's classic Charlotte's Web.

WR NEWS: What are the challenges of transforming a book into a movie?

WINICK: For this story, one [challenge] is that the book is such a classic, so we had to make sure that all of the wonderful classic moments were in the film.

WR NEWS: How does the movie differ from the book?

WINICK: We ... tried to add more humor. We added two characters--he crows. They were the comic relief.

WR NEWS: What do you hope children learn from the movie?

WINICK: I made the movie for one reason: because the most important thing in the world to me is friendship. To learn what loyalty, trust, and friendship mean is a great thing.