From a Hollywood friend:

The problem with the “Bonfire” comparison is that in between now and then Tom Hanks has gone on to win two Oscars and make about ten 100 million dolllar hits. He is a much bigger star and Ron Howard is a great director. Bonfire was not a well made movie and it changed from book to screen. Don’t expect the same. Also Bonfire was not “politically correct” so I don’t think the critics were that fond of it (although I could be mistaken) and with a book that is more “literary” than “beach read” that is important. It’s wishful thinking on the part of people hoping for a bomb. Will it reach Narnia or Potter heights? I don’t know but it really isn’t an indication of anything in the culture. It’s not like Michael Moore’s movie won the election for Kerry. People who liked the book will go and people who like Tom Hanks will go and dumb people will think that Jesus got married and others will join Opus Dei to become super secret Catholic ninjas and it will all be Bush’s fault anyway.