25 great TV shows based on popular movies

They began to transform famous projects from big screens into serials a very long time ago. This is quite reasonable: the audience has already been attracted by the story and the characters, so after watching a full-length film, the audience can be interested in the television analogue for a long time. Suffice it to recall the animated series from Disney. "The Little Mermaid", "The Lion King", "Aladdin" - they all received sequels on the small screens.

Game serials are sometimes more difficult. Big stars rarely agree to appear on television for several seasons, and budgets do not allow for the same level of filming and effects, which leads to failure.

The television prequel to the legendary "Casablanca" lasted only five episodes, "Planet of the Apes" with low ratings barely made it to 10 episodes. And even fans of the original films are trying to forget about the sequels of Blade and Minority Report. But there are also more successful examples. And in rare cases, the TV version even overshadows the full-length.

Therefore, the authors continue to release similar projects. For example, on July 31st, a new mini-series, Four Weddings and a Funeral, kicks off, which will retell a familiar story from the 1994 film, but with different characters.

Series, which are based on feature films, are built on different principles. They can continue the original, describe what happened before, retell the same story, and sometimes they just quietly refer to the source.

Sequels and spin-offs

The easiest way to build such TV projects. After one or a series of successful films, the authors tell what happened to the characters next. And if the performers of the main roles did not get into the project, then you can put a minor character or some newcomer in the center.

1. Ash vs. Evil Dead

USA, 2015-2018.
Horror, comedy.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 5.

More than 20 years after the release of the third film about the adventures of Ash, fighting zombies and demons, Bruce Campbell returned to the image of a hero with a chainsaw instead of a hand.

Aged Ash again saves the world from the invasion of monsters and is looking for the terrible book "Necronomicon". All this, as usual, with jokes, blood and cheap special effects.

2. What are we doing in the shadows

USA, 2019 - present.
Comedy.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 8, 4.

A simple but very funny 2014 mock-documentary from New Zealander Taiki Waititi told about the everyday life of four vampires who have been living under one roof for many years.

In 2019, the FX channel released a sequel to this story. This time the action takes place in the USA, where ancient ghouls live in the same way, unable to adapt to modernity. And to emphasize that everything takes place in the same world, in one of the episodes, the characters of the original film appear.

3. Damn service at the MES hospital

USA, 1972-1983.
Medical drama, black comedy.
Duration: 11 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 4.

After the success of the comedy "MES Field Hospital", the series continued to tell about the fate of the main characters. This is exactly the same collection of funny and sometimes touching tales from the life of employees of a mobile military hospital during the Korean War.

The entire cast has changed, but this did not prevent the project from becoming one of the best TV series in history and delighting viewers for 11 seasons. The final episode "Goodbye, Goodbye and Amen" is considered the most watched episode in the history of television.

4. Stargate SG – 1

USA, 1997-2007.
Fantastic.
Duration: 10 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 4.

In Roland Emmerich's 1994 film, humanity discovered a portal to other worlds. The TV version develops a year after these events. In the center of the plot is the SG-1 squad, which, together with other groups, is exploring distant planets.

The authors invested in special effects and were able to create a series that practically does not lose in the visual range of a full-length tape. And this allowed the franchise to reach a new level. In addition to 10 seasons of "ZV-1", two more films and three series appeared.

5. Areas of darkness

USA, 2015-2016.
Detective, crime, comedy.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 8.

The film of the same name in 2011 told about a writer who started using the drug NZT, which increases brain activity. The drug made him practically a genius.

Roughly the same fate befell the hero of the series. Only here he, taking pills, is taken to help the police in investigations. And Bradley Cooper, who played in the original film, only looks at a cameo.

6. Terminator: Battle for the Future

USA, Canada, 2008-2009.
Science fiction, drama, action.
Duration: 2 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 7.

After the events of Terminator 2, Sarah Connor and her son John are trying to establish a quiet life. But from the future, killer robots come again. And then the heroes move forward several years in order to finally prevent the uprising of the machines.

In the original films, Sarah Connor was played by actress Linda Hamilton. Here this role was given to the future star of "Game of Thrones" Lena Headey. Ironically, in one of the full-length sequels of The Terminator, another Game of Thrones actress, Emilia Clarke, appeared in the same image.

7. Highlander

Canada, France, 1992-1998.
Action, science fiction, drama.
Duration: 6 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 3.

The films of the Highlander series are dedicated to the immortal Connor Macleod, who fights with other representatives of the ancient clans. The series also introduced viewers to his brother, Duncan. He hid for a long time, trying not to participate in the battles. But Connor asks him to come back.

8. Damien

USA, 2016.
Mysticism, thriller.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 0.

In the late 70s, the public was captivated by the Omen films about the young Antichrist, who was born into an ordinary family. After three original paintings, they even tried to restart the series, but unsuccessfully. And in 2016, a TV version of the story appeared. The project ignores all the tapes of the franchise, except the first one, and tells about Damien's growing up.

Unfortunately, Damien only lasted one season.

Prequels

Sometimes, especially in cases where the original story has come to a logical conclusion, the authors go the opposite way. They talk about the events leading up to the main plot. True, the action is often transferred to modern times or is gradually moving away from the canon.

1. Hannibal

USA, 2013-2015.
Thriller, drama.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 5.

In 1991, the film adaptation of Thomas Harris's The Silence of the Lambs captivated audiences and gave new life to the thriller genre. Later, the series continued and even released the prequel "Red Dragon" based on the novel by the same author.

But in 2013, Brian Fuller decided to show the events that happened before. No one here yet knows that Hannibal Lecter is a man-eating maniac. He even helps FBI agent Will Graham investigate some cases. True, she is playing her own game in parallel.

The third season of the series has already retold the book "Red Dragon". And then Fuller planned to reshoot The Silence of the Lambs. But the project was closed.

2. Bates Motel

USA, 2013-2017.
Thriller, drama.
Duration: 5 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 2.

Everyone knows the story of Norman Bates - a maniac with a split personality from the movie "Psycho" by Alfred Hitchcock. And the show gives you the opportunity to meet his mother and see how they acquired that very motel.

As with Hannibal, the final season is already retelling the events of the original film. Truth in a more modern and free interpretation.

3. Hot American summer: the first day of the camp

USA, 2015.
Comedy.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 4.

In 2001, a grotesque parody of youth comedy was released on the screens, telling about the last day of the teenagers' summer vacation in the camp. More than 10 years later, the director decided to show the audience the prequel and explained some incomprehensible moments. For example, the appearance of a talking tin can.

To heighten the comic, the main roles were again called by the same actors who, in the form of adolescents, look completely ridiculous.

4. The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones

USA, 1992-1996.
Adventures.
Duration: 2 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 3.

Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, is one of the brightest personalities in pop culture. And it is not surprising that after the success of the first trilogy, they decided to tell in more detail about his life.

The multi-part version is dedicated to the hero's early travels and the acquisition of the very knowledge and skills that were shown in the movies. Of course, Sean Patrick Flanery is inferior to Ford in charisma, but still the TV project turned out to be quite bright and dynamic.

Free variations on a theme

The most unusual approach is when only the atmosphere and individual details are taken from the original film. But the story itself looks completely new, and only minor references link it to the source.

1. Fargo

USA, 2014 - present.
Crime, drama, comedy.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 9, 0.

Formally, this project is based on the film of the same name by the Coen brothers. In fact, in the TV series "Fargo" you can find a lot of hints and other works of directors: from "The Big Lebowski" to "No Country for Old Men."

The series comes out in an anthology format, and the seasons are almost unrelated to each other. But in each of them there are necessarily crimes, showdowns of bandits and a lot of black humor.

2. World of the Wild West

USA, 2016 - present.
Science fiction, drama, thriller.
Duration: 2 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 8.

The 1976 film of the same name became a real hit at the time thanks to advanced special effects and an unusual plot. The film was shot by the author of the book "Jurassic Park" Michael Crichton according to his own script. The plot told about amusement parks inhabited by robots, indistinguishable from humans. And one day these machines rebelled.

In the new TV version, the story looks a little different. Much more time is devoted to the androids themselves, who are not aware of their essence. And the uprising only happens at the end of the first season.

3. Big jackpot

USA, 2017 - present.
Comedy, crime.
Duration: 2 seasons.
IMDb: 6, 9.

This project can rather be called a compilation of Guy Ritchie's early works, rather than a retelling of the film of the same name. Indeed, in some of the characters it is easy to see hints of characters in such films as "Lock, Stock and Two Barrels" or "Rock and Roll".

But in general, this is another funny crime story. At the beginning of the plot, the heroes find stolen gold, which leads to problems with the mafia.

New version of history

The easiest and most popular way to shoot a television project is to restart exactly the same story that was shown in the film. Most often, the authors in the first episodes very closely follow the plot of the original source, and then they begin to continue and expand it.

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

USA, 1997-2003.
Mysticism, drama, horror, comedy.
Duration: 7 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 2.

This example is an exception to the general rule. Just because the original film about the charming vampire hunter was not liked by anyone.

Now even few people remember that there was once a full-length picture with Christy Swanson in the title role. She flopped at the box office, and critics scolded her. But screenwriter Joss Whedon did not abandon his idea and relaunched the same plot in the form of a television series. This time Sarah Michelle Gellar became the vampire slayer.

The audience loved the serial version very much. Buffy has delighted fans for seven seasons.

2. Lethal weapon

USA, 2016-2019.
Detective, action, comedy.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 8, 0.

Eighties action fans love the original Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. True, each of its three sequels turned out to be weaker than its predecessors.

But the 2016 series brought the spirit of the original back to Lethal Weapon. This is again the story of the work and friendship of two different policemen: the hot-tempered Martin Riggs and the low-key Roger Murto. As in the first film, part of the plot is devoted to Riggs' attempts to find those involved in the death of his wife.

3.12 monkeys

USA, 2015-2018.
Science fiction, drama, thriller.
Duration: 4 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 7.

The famous science fiction film with Bruce Willis told about a dystopian future, where the virus destroyed most of the world's population, and drove the rest into the catacombs. To save the world, scientists send a criminal to the past, where he must prevent an epidemic.

The series begins with exactly the same story, only tells it in more detail. But gradually the plot moved away from the original, and by the last season began to resemble the movie "Time Loop" more, since a significant part of the action is devoted to moving into the past and the future.

4. Teen Wolf

USA, 2011-2017.
Drama, mysticism, horror.
Duration: 6 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 7.

The movie "Teen Wolf" with Michael J. Fox was very popular in the eighties. But over time, he was rarely remembered. And then the MTV channel decided to tell the same story again, only this time in a multi-part format.

In the center of the plot is a teenager named Scott (played by Tyler Posey in the series), who experiences all the standard problems of a high school student related to love and study. With only one difficulty: he is a werewolf.

5. Hannah

USA, 2019 - present.
Action, drama.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 6.

In 2011, Joe Wright's action movie was released. It is dedicated to a young girl who grew up under the supervision of her father in the wilderness. As it turns out later, she is actually the product of genetic experiments to breed a super soldier.

The 2019 series introduces a new version of Hannah. Her father’s former colleagues hunt for her in the same way. But the girl, despite her fragile appearance, can single-handedly defeat even professionals.

6. Her name was Nikita

Canada 1997-2001.
Action, drama.
Duration: 5 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 5.

After the success of Luc Besson's film about a girl who turned into a super agent, Canadians decided to shoot their own series on the same topic. Peta Wilson's new Nikita has been helping the state to get rid of enemies for five seasons and trying to solve personal problems.

And in 2010, the American channel The CW launched its own version of the project. This remake lasted four seasons.

7.10 reasons for my hate

USA, 2009-2010.
Comedy, melodrama, drama.
Duration: 1 season.
IMDb: 7, 4.

The 1999 film of the same name with Heath Ledger is essentially a free interpretation of The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. In the new version, they departed even further from the original, but still the basis remained the same.

The series is dedicated to two sisters, one of whom is a tough and independent feminist, and the other loves male attention. But it is the first that the local bully Patrick is trying to conquer.

8. Scream

USA, 2015 - present.
Thriller, horror.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 3.

In 1996, Scream rocked an endangered horror genre. It was an unusual deconstruction of the standard slashers in which a maniac stalks teenagers.

The picture received three sequels, and in 2015 MTV started the restart of the whole story. Again, in a small town, a criminal in a white mask is hunting young people, and the heroes are trying to unravel his identity. Moreover, the third season again resets all events and begins the story anew with other characters.

9. From Dusk Till Dawn

USA, 2014-2016.
Horror, drama, mysticism.
Duration: 3 seasons.
IMDb: 7, 0.

The legendary film, which director Robert Rodriguez shot with Quentin Tarantino, has already become a cinematic classic. But years later, the author was going to open his own TV channel El Rey. And to get the attention of the first original series, Rodriguez decided to make a new version of From Dusk Till Dawn.

Half of the first season is very similar to the film, only it tells everything in much more detail. But then the author went into completely different topics.

10. Wonders of Science

USA, 1994-1998.
Comedy, fantasy.
Duration: 5 seasons.
IMDb: 6, 8.

In 1985, director John Hughes released a film about two nerdy guys who, using a computer, created a stunningly beautiful girl Lisa.

Almost 10 years later, the story was restarted on television. The same characters were played by new actors, and the plot was made more fun: now Lisa has something like computer magic, which regularly leads to funny situations.