We have seen many great TV shows based on movies and even more great movies based on TV shows. However, there are also quite a few movies that spawned now-forgotten TV spin-offs or never had the chance to be adapted for television in the first place. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite cinematic classics with captivating stories that we would love to see continue (or be reimagined) on the small screen.
The Mad Max Movies (1979-2024)
George Miller‘s Mad Max movies (1981’s The Road Warrior, in particular) planted the seed for how modern post-apocalyptic movies and TV shows are depicted. As happy as we have been to see the saga continue with acclaimed sequels like 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, we would love to see even more stories from the Wasteland in a TV series, even if that means an animated adaptation.
Mystery Men (1999)
A superhero movie that deserves a reboot is Mystery Men — a sharp, quirky comic book satire way ahead of its time that follows a misfit group of wannabe costumed vigilantes. As superhero movies and TV shows dominate Hollywood, now is the perfect time for a series adaptation that either brings back Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Janeane Garofalo, and others in their original roles or is even more faithful to the source material, which is about a man with a flaming carrot for a head.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Following the success of the Apple TV+ original TV show called Servant, which he produces, we believe one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies deserves to be brought to the small screen. Our choice would be a continuation of 1999’s The Sixth Sense, which would see Haley Joel Osment reprise his Academy Award-nominated role as Cole Sear as an adult who continues to use his gift to help dead people in need.
The Goonies (1985)
Instead of the Goonies sequel that fans have been waiting for, there was once an idea to develop a TV series about a group of friends who try to create their own version of the classic kids movie on a tight budget. We cannot deny that is an interesting idea, but we would still rather see a TV show that sees the grown-up stars of the original (including Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, and Ke Huy Quan) return to go on a new adventure with their onscreen children.
Dazed And Confused (1993)
One could argue that we already got a great show which depicts the teen lifestyle in the disco era with That ’70s Show. However, it certainly did not capture the decade’s essence as genuinely as a more direct spin-off of Richard Linklater‘s awesome party movie, Dazed and Confused, probably could.
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
There have actually been two previous attempts to adapt the whimsical fantasy epic, The NeverEnding Story, into a TV show — one animated and one live-action — but neither lasted longer than a season. Perhaps with strong writing, a decent budget, and modern special effects, a new series based on Michael Ende’s novel could be a real hit.
The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984)
One of the best movies and TV shows about the multiverse is The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, which stars Peter Weller in the title role of a rock star who moonlights as an interdimensional hero. Films and series dealing with that topic are more popular these days than ever, which means now is a perfect time to adapt the cult favorite sci-fi comedy into a series, perhaps even an animated version that brings Weller, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, and Clancy Brown back to voice their original roles.
Elvira: Mistress Of The Dark (1988)
One star who has already teased the idea of bringing her iconic and hilarious alter ego back to the small screen in animated form is Cassandra Peterson, who is better known for hosting special presentations of great horror movies as Elvira. She was first brought to the big screen in Elvira: Mistress of the Dark but if a cinematic return is not in her future, an animated Elvira series would be more than welcome.
Escape From New York (1981)
What makes Escape from New York, one of director John Carpenter’s best movies, an enduring cult hit is its anti-heroic protagonist, Snake Plissken, who is tasked with rescuing the president from a maximum security prison that used to be the Big Apple. Fans would love to see more of Kurt Russell as the hardened, eye-patch-wearing war veteran struggling to survive the dystopian landscape of his war-torn future, perhaps in an animated continuation of the original.
We are surprised there was not already an attempt to capitalize on the record-breaking success of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial with a TV show that would reimagine the story and show the alien on more bizarre adventures with Elliot and his family. After all, most might agree that it sounds like a better follow-up than that horror-centric E.T. sequel that Steven Spielberg once pitched.
Candyman (1992)
Producer Jordan Peele and director Nia DaCosta’s 2021 requel to Candyman — Bernard Rose’s adaptation of Clive Barker’s short story — reimagined Daniel Robitaille (Tony Todd) as one of many victims of injustice who assumed the titular mantle. Why not build from this concept with a horror anthology TV show that explores other “Candymen” and how they became mysterious urban legends in their respective communities?
Mean Girls (2004)
Screenwriter Tina Fey and director Mark Waters’ Mean Girls was instantly considered one of the best high school movies of all time and spawned a hit Broadway musical that was later remade for cinema. The only thing missing from this franchise is a TV spin-off that further explores the volatile complexities of the teen social scene that is, perhaps, told from the point of view of Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) and Regina George’s (Rachel McAdams) children.
The Incredibles (2004)
There have actually been several TV shows inspired by some of the best Pixar movies, except for the one that, arguably, deserves a spin-off the most, The Incredibles. It is a wonder there is not already a Disney+ series that either shows more from the glory days of vigilanteism (as briefly depicted in the opening flashback) or follows the continuing adventures of the eponymous superhero family.
World War Z (2013)
Max Brooks’ original novel that inspired the Brad Pitt-led World War Z was a depiction of an ongoing conflict between the living and the dead but framed as an oral history. Continuing the story and telling it from multiple perspectives, perhaps even as faux docuseries, would be a great way to honor the source material and give us even more zombie action.
Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets (2017)
Just because Luc Besson’s otherwise visually stunning space epic, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, flopped at the box office, that does not mean we should not see more from the titular intergalactic crime fighter and his partner. Besides, there is enough source material from the original French comic book to inspire seasons’ worth of cosmic adventures for Valerian and Laureline.
Eternals (2021)
Some might argue that Chloé Zhao’s Marvel movie based on Jack Kirby’s comic about a group of immortal warriors would have worked better as a TV show in the first place. Considering its very loose ties to the MCU canon, they could easily start from scratch and produce a new episodic interpretation of Eternals for Disney+ and no one would bat an eye.
The Nice Guys (2016)
Fans of Shane Black have long demanded a sequel to his quirky crime thriller about a pair of mismatched private eyes brought together by a perplexing case in 1970s Los Angeles. Even though a series adaptation of The Nice Guys might not be the same without Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling’s chemistry, it might be fun to see even more eccentric cases featuring their characters, nonetheless.
Bad Times At The El Royale (2018)
Writer and director Drew Goddard’s star-studded mystery thriller, Bad Times at the El Royale, is a prime example of a movie that could easily be remade as a miniseries, which could even improve its hefty story. On the other hand, an anthology series depicting even more shady, violent activity at the eponymous hotel could be a fun idea, too.
Ready Player One (2018)
Director Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Ernest Cline’s novel, Ready Player One, brought to life a spectacular world in which your greatest pop culture obsessions can become your reality. Therefore, with the proper licensing, there are infinite storytelling possibilities in the VR gaming simulation known as the OASIS that we would love to see in a series.
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
A group of small-town citizens struggles to survive when motor vehicles and other mechanical and electrical devices become sentient and bloodthirsty after a comet passes over in Maximum Overdrive. While the Stephen King-helmed adaptation of his own short story, Trucks, is one of the most heavily criticized films based on his work, the concept could still make for a fun and unique miniseries or even an ongoing post-apocalyptic drama.
Bright (2017)
From director David Ayer, Bright stars Will Smith as a human cop who becomes partners with an orc (played by Joel Edgerton), much to his chagrin, until they are forced to set aside their differences and prevent a magic wand from falling into the wrong hands. With a greater focus on its world-building and character development, a crime procedural set in the same modernized fantasy world as this Netflix original film could be truly fascinating.
L.A. Confidential (1997)
In 2003, a pilot for a series based on the Academy Award-winning modern film noir, L.A. Confidential, was filmed (and starring Kiefer Sutherland) but did not get picked up, and talks of another try in 2017 would also go nowhere. We would say there is no reason why one of the most celebrated detective movies of its time should not be able to continue as a procedural dripping with ’50s-era style.
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark (2019)
If you ask us, producer Guillermo del Toro and director André Øvredal’s adaptation of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark would have worked better as an anthology horror movie instead of, essentially, a darker version of 2015’s Goosebumps about teens plagued by an evil book. An even better idea might be an anthology TV series that brings writer Alvin Schwartz and illustrator Stephen Gammell’s popular series of chilling folk tales to life one episode at a time.
Clue (1985)
In 2011, there was a miniseries based on the board game, Clue, but with an all-teen cast instead of the likes of Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, and others who were portrayed in Jonathan Lynn’s hilarious film adaptation. We recommend bringing those classic characters back but re-envisioning them and their purposes for a whole new kind of mystery told over the course of several episodes
Halloweentown (1998)
Considering it spawned three sequels, it is surprising that Disney Channel never made one of the family-friendly network’s spookiest original movies, Halloweentown, into a series. The not-so-scary witch movie introduces so much that could be explored in the titular realm where ghosts, werewolves, vampires, and other creatures that we know as going bump in the night live in harmony.
Sky High (2005)
One of the best superhero movies not based on a comic is Disney’s Sky High, which sort of feels like a story about costumed vigilantes if written by John Hughes. There were so many characters at the titular high school for superheroes-in-training who deserve to get their time in the spotlight and could with a quasi-anthology series taking place there.
To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)
Drag queens are more popular these days than they were when Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo donned wigs, heels, dresses, and heavy makeup in one of the best movies about drag performers, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. It seems that now is the perfect time for a series that continues the adventures of Noxeema, Vida, and Chi-Chi, if not another irresistible trio of road-tripping drag queens.
Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes! (1978)
While not widely considered to be one of the all-time greatest horror-comedy movies, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! boasts an uproariously unique concept that deserves to be revisited, but not with a fifth feature-length installment. We propose something like the early ’90s animated spin-off series but reworked into a live-action project that pokes fun at the recent wave of post-apocalyptic survival shows like The Walking Dead, but with giant, man-eating fruit running amock.
Last Action Hero (1995)
Imagine a series that builds off of the plot of Last Action Hero — in which a boy magically enters the world of an action movie — and follows a young pop culture obsessive given the ability to enter the world of any TV show or movie he wants and offering help in their situations. It would be especially cool to see the main character crossover with an actual current series each week but, if not legally feasible, an adventure series that pokes fun at genre conventions in the same way the original did might still be fun.
Major Payne (1995)
One of Damon Wayans’ funniest roles is the titular, discharged marine who mentors JROTC cadets in Major Payne. A sitcom based on the film could be a fun coming-of-age comedy, especially if the original actor came back to reprise is role. If not, it sounds like a perfect job for his son, Damon Wayans Jr.
Drive (2011)
One of the best Ryan Gosling movies, Drive, ends with the skilled wheelman known only as Driver (Gosling) forced to go on the run after a heist goes horribly wrong. Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s neo-noir demands no continuation, but a series following the nameless hero offering his skills to more people in need, all the while looking over his shoulder, could be fun.
Director Stephen Norrington’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is one of the least-liked comic book movies of its time, with even star Sean Connery admitting he hated it. Perhaps a series that gives each of the iconic characters — including Allan Quartermain, Dr. Henry Jekyll, The Invisible Man, and the vampiric Mina Harker — room to breathe would be a better way to do Alan Moore’s original comic justice.
We can probably think of another large set of movies that deserve TV shows, but for now, getting these 32 off of the ground sounds like a good idea.
