Movies based on TV shows

Alright, let's get this show on the road. Hopefully, I'm starting a decent thread here.

First thing that pops into my head? Twelve Star Trek sequels.

The X-Files: Fight the Future

Two "Sex and the City" movies.

It's the exact opposite:

First you watch 12 Monkeys, then you dive into the series.

This marks the very first instance where we saw a production jump from the small screen to the big screen, transitioning from a television series into a feature film. It’s a bit of an anomaly, really, because after this one, there was a significant drought before they tried it again... If my memory serves me right, the next leap into cinema wouldn't happen until Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979).

Well, there's truth to be found in both directions, really.
Let's just say that Serenity was essentially born from the spirit of the Firefly series.
It’s finally happening—the Ash vs Evil Dead series is coming after that whole Evil Dead trilogy.
If a show or a movie manages to build up a solid enough fanbase, it’s only natural that people start looking toward the horizon and thinking about producing something similar down the road.

Mission: Impossible, Charlie's Angels... those are the big ones everyone remembers. In Angel, you had John Forsyth voicing that invisible boss again, which was always such a slick little touch.

Then there’s that whole category of TV movies that basically act as a series wrap-up—kind of like the "final word" on a show.

The Streets of San Francisco actually happened about 15 years after the original show wrapped up. Karl Malden stepped back into the lead role, though Michael Douglas didn't show up—he was offered a tiny cameo, but apparently he just couldn't squeeze it into his schedule with everything else he had going on.

Homicide is another one following the series conclusion. It wasn't exactly a masterpiece or anything, but honestly, it was pretty cool just seeing all those old characters back together again.

Hunter follows the same pattern—it was one of those gritty crime shows that dominated the 80s, eventually getting at least three or four TV movies before they even tried a revival back in 2003.

It was actually the opposite with Blue Thunder, where the movie actually paved the way for a short-lived series afterward.

Paul Anderson7 said:Look, you can see it both ways.
Take how Serenity was basically made because of the Firefly series.
Or look at Ash vs Evil Dead coming out of the Evil Dead trilogy.
If a show or a movie hits a certain level of cult following, obviously people start thinking about making more stuff in that same vein.

"Serenity" feels more like a massive bonus episode. But "Ash vs Evil Dead" is a rare gem—a legit great series born from a movie. Most times, those spin-off shows just don't land.

Paradise Hotel is essentially a spin-off of the series Bottom. Then you have The Naked Gun, which was built directly from the foundation of the show Police Squad!. The Fugitive actually stems from that same iconic TV series (which also served as the basis for U.S. Marshals). Similarly, Twilight Zone: The Movie is based on the original series. After Monty Python's Flying Circus, we saw several films follow suit. And let's not forget Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, which is tied back to the series Twin Peaks. You could also throw Jackass movies, Mission: Impossible, The Addams Family, The Untouchables, and so on into the mix.

Larry Walker24 said:The movie 12 Monkeys, followed by the series.

Exactly: the short film La Jetée -> the film 12 Monkeys -> the 12 Monkeys series.

There are way more of them than you'd think at first glance.

Baywatch started out as a series, then we got the movie later on. Then there was Miami Vice.
And don't forget The Addams Family, Charlie's Angels, The Dukes of Hazzard, and The Fugitive (yeah, definitely)...

As far as cartoons go, we've got He-Man and The Jetsons. I can't recall if The Flintstones was a show or not, but I definitely remember a movie.

Then there's that whole run of movies based on anime...

The Chronicles of Narnia... honestly, that series was such a staple of our childhood, even if they eventually moved away from just focusing on the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe stuff. As for the movies? They didn't really do much for me.

briskhound2 said:Think *Mission: Impossible* or *Charlie's Angels*—you know, those big blockbuster hits. In *Charlie's Angels*, having John Forsyth provide the voice for that invisible boss was such a clever little touch.

It’s kind of wild looking back. From the mid-90s through the early 2000s, there was this massive trend of turning old 60s spy shows into big Hollywood movies. First we got *Mission: Impossible*, then *The Saint*, *The Avengers*, *Wild Wild West*, and *I Spy*... followed later by *Get Smart*, and then way after that, *The Man from U.N.C.L.E.* It was everywhere.
So many of them just got buried by the critics. 😁

Richard Wilson4 said:*Serenity* feels more like a glorified bonus episode to me. But *Ash vs Evil Dead*? That’s a rare exception. It’s actually an incredible series born from a movie. Usually, those kinds of spin-offs just don't amount to much.

So, if I remember right, shows like Bates Motel, Hannibal, Westworld, plus mentioning Ash and 12 Monkeys—those are all great examples of highly acclaimed series that actually started out as movies.
Honestly, I’d even say there have been plenty of them during this whole "TV renaissance" we've seen over the last decade or so.

copperdrifter2 said:The Chronicles of Narnia... honestly, that series was such a massive part of my childhood. It was just so good. Even though they eventually moved away from focusing solely on the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe stuff, it still hit home. As for the movies? Yeah, they didn't really do much for me. Not my thing.

Movies are just new adaptations of novels anyway, so I wouldn't really put them in this category.

Honestly, I’d make a clear distinction between movie sequels based on TV shows—you know, like Batman with Adam West, Star Trek, Sex and the City, Twin Peaks, Serenity, or The X-Files—versus actual remakes or reboots. Think about those spy flicks I was talking about, or stuff like Miami Vice, Lost in Space, The Fugitive, or The Untouchables. Totally different vibes.

Does anyone know of a series that was actually adapted from a movie? Ideally, I'm looking for something in the horror or thriller genre.

Christian Ross83 said:Can anyone recommend a series based on a movie? But it has to be a horror thriller.

Wolf Creek.

Are you trolling me or what?

Why would anyone bother trolling you? They just gave you exactly what you asked for. 😕

Well, it's mostly because I actually asked if there was any series similar to that one in a completely different thread,

Morgan Brown4 said:Generally speaking, I’d draw a line between movies that serve as direct sequels to television series—think things like Batman with Adam West, Star Trek, Sex and the City, Twin Peaks, Serenity, or The X-Files—and those that are actually remakes or reboots, like those spy flicks I was talking about earlier, or Miami Vice, Lost in Space, The Fugitive, or The Untouchables...

To my mind, the more critical distinction is separating the series sequels produced specifically for TV from the ones that actually made the leap to a theatrical release. Those TV movie versions barely qualify as "films" in my book; they feel more like extended episodes. Perry Mason is the ultimate example here—nearly twenty years after the show wrapped up, they churned out about 26 TV movies over a span of six or seven years. And even after Raymond Burr passed away, they pushed out another four...😵

There just aren't that many of these heavy-hitting cinematic releases. You have Batman, Star Trek, The X-Files, and Twilight Zone: The Movie. I honestly don't think there are even fifty of them in total...

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me is absolutely incredible to me! It’s easily in my top three favorite movies of all time. 👍

Honestly, I think it might even be better than the show itself—well, better than those first two seasons, anyway, not necessarily the third... It just feels darker and way more complex.