Movie franchises that are now successful TV shows
- Featured Film
Schenelle Dsouza- 11 minutes read
Schenelle Dsouza
One of the hottest conversations in the entertainment industry this week is the return of the beloved Twilight Saga! That’s right, a television series based on the best-selling books by Stephanie Meyer, is in early development at Lionsgate TV. Twilight was one of the biggest vampire film franchises of its time, and while it does still have a huge fan following, nothing compares to the fandom it had in the 2010s.
For those in the unknown, Twilight follows the story of a teenage (human) girl named Bella Swan played by Kristen Stewart who moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father. While there, she learns about the Cullens, a strange but well-known family, and falls in love with her new classmate, Edward Cullen aka Robert Pattinson. Over the course of the series, Bella learns about vampires and werewolves and becomes obsessed with wanting to turn into a vampire herself, all while getting stuck in a love triangle between Edward, the vampire and Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), the werewolf. The final nail in the coffin was the birth of Edward and Bella’s daughter Renesmee who Jacob imprints on and has a relationship with (as seen in Alice’s vision)!
And now continuing the saga, Lionsgate TV is all set to turn the movies into a series. The announcement of a reboot is a dream come true for original Twilight fans or at least some of them. While there are almost no details about the plot or characters involved, we do know that there won’t be any of the original characters. It was also reported that Stephanie Meyer will be involved in the production of the series. However, the expected date for the show’s release is still unknown.
Movie franchises turning to a TV series has become a trend in Hollywood especially with streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ that have rendered popular movie franchises like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars to be turned into shows. Take a look at some of the popular movies turned TV series on OTT below.
Ash vs Evil Dead
One of the best horror movies out there, the Evil Dead movie series had quite the fan following. Thrilling plots, eerie sounds, and real jumpscares – Evil Dead is miles ahead of the horror movies made today. Keeping the memory of the original movies alive, the series branched out to a successful, multi-season TV show. Reprising his previous role, Bruce Campbell returns as the heroic, chainsaw-handed monster fighter Ash Williams. Having aged somewhat gracefully, Ash successfully managed to evade the villains for the past thirty years although he knew they would return someday. And through an act of negligence, that day finally arrives when Ash unleashes a Deadite plague that threatens to destroy mankind.
Watch online on Starz
Cobra Kai
Karate Kid was undoubtedly one of the best action movies of its time. We’re talking about the 1984 film starring Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio, that laid the foundation for the many sequels that followed. Cobra Kai brings back Johnny Lawrence played by William Zabka, a now down-and-out martial artist. Wanting to seek redemption, Johnny reopens the infamous Cobra Kai dojo, which over the course reignites his rivalry with a now-successful Daniel LaRusso played by Ralph Macchio. With six seasons under its belt, Cobra Kai is touted to be one of the best tv reboots ever. Its ability to provoke nostalgia and re-ignite the love for karate is what makes the show stand out.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Lord of the Rings needs no introduction! The main plot of the story is the rings crafted by the unsuspecting Elves of Middle Earth under the careful eye of Sauron who created the One Ring by himself. The One Ring is connected to the Rings of Power which were meant to seduce the rulers of the world to evil so that Sauron may control them. Now if you’re new to the Lord of the Rings franchise and are wondering if you need to watch the movies to catch up, you don’t! The TV series takes place thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, taking viewers to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose and fell, unlikely heroes were tested, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. While ensemble cast includes a mix of both familiar and new characters as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil returning to Middle-earth.
Watch online on Amazon Prime Video
Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin
Pitch Perfect one was the musical we wanted after High School Musical. Amd while many continue to deny it, the series had quite the downfall after the first movie. But good news for fans of the film as the franchise turned in to a spin off series centred on original cast member Bumper Allen played by Adam Devine. Ten years after college, Bumper Allen lives a boring existence working as a security guard for his alma mater and singing a cappella as a hobby with the less-than-enthusiastic Tonehangers. However, a surprise phone call from an old acquaintance Pieter, convinces Bumper that it is not to late for him to make his musical career. With the help of an entourage of German collaborators, Bumper performs a hit single at the famous German Unity Day which helps him grows into the musical artist he’s always wanted to be.
Watch online on Peacock TV
Scream
Scream is one of the most successful horror film franchises of all time with the sixth installment of the movie being released last month. But that didn’t stop makers from rebooting the franchise for a tv show. Running from 2015 to 2015, the series was adequately successful yet an enjoyable watch nonetheless. The story follows a group of teenagers being targeted by a masked serial killer. Among them is the popular, yet intellectual teenage girl named Emma Duval who starts to question whether or not she is a good person after her classmates are targeted by a brutal, tech-savvy serial killer.
Watch online on Amazon Prime Video
The Mandalorian
