The phenomenon of TV series that are spun off of popular films dates back decades and continues to be prevalent during the streaming era. Over the last few years, there’s been a handful of series announced or are currently in development that will continue the lore of fan-favorite films through the television medium.
Fans will be able to explore different characters, locations, and stories that the series’ movie counterparts didn’t have the time to. From the underworld of Gotham to expanding the Wakandan lore, spin-off series will continue to make their presence felt in streaming. While some spin-off series of movies have a spotty track record, many of the spin-offs coming out soon seem to be headed in the right direction.
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Fans of the Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law-led Sherlock Holmes films are still awaiting the release of the third film in the series, which has been in the works for over a decade. In the meantime, RDJ has been persistent in reminding fans that the next movie is still happening alongside his role in producing two Sherlock Holmes spin-off series for HBO Max (per Deadline).
While it hasn’t been announced what the two series will exactly be about, viewers can expect an expansion of the Sherlock Holmes universe and a deeper understanding of the folklore behind the private detective.
John Wick (2014)
The John Wick series contains some of the best action films of the last decade with Keanu Reeves bringing another career-defining character to life. As John Wick: Chapter 4 is expected to release in early 2023, the spin-off series The Continental is also set to premiere in the same year, a prequel to the film series.
The Continental is a hotel in the John Wick universe that acts as a safe house for the criminals of the movies and the series will follow the hotel’s origins and rise to the status that it eventually achieved. Since the series is a prequel, Reeves is not expected to appear as John Wick, but it is a great opportunity to continue the world-building of the franchise.
It (2017)
2017’s IT saw a new on-screen adaptation of The Losers’ Club and Pennywise, receiving praise from both critics and viewers alike. Nostalgia factor is huge in a lot of contemporary media, and IT’s 80s setting elevated the atmosphere and story overall. While the sequel took place in a modern setting, the IT films’ spin-off show will take place in the 1960s and include the origin of Pennywise (per Digital Spy).
As of March 2022, the show is currently in development and while Stephen King won’t be involved in the show’s production, the It films’ director Andy Muschietti and screenwriter Jason Fuchs will take charge in leading the prequel series’ conception.
Black Panther (2018)
As viewers await the highly anticipated release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November 2022, there’s even more excitement in knowing that it won’t be the last time in the near future that the world of Wakanda will be explored. Disney announced that a Wakanda-based spin-off series will be coming to Disney+ with Ryan Coogler set to lead the way.
The spin-off based on the Black Panther films will continue to explore the lore of Wakanda, likely introduce new characters to the MCU, and pick up the story after Wakanda Forever emotionally celebrates the legacy of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Donald Glover has been a very busy man over the last few years, most notably wrapping up his critically acclaimed series Atlanta in late 2022. In what might be one of his most underrated roles, he played a young Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story and is set to reprise the role in a Disney+ spin-off series.
Lando is one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars universe and the series will see more of the character’s solo adventures with filmmaker Justin Simien developing the show. Solo: A Star Wars Story is one of the more divisive films in the franchise but the Lando spin-off may uplift the movie more in hindsight.
Parasite (2019)
Director Bong Joon-ho is considered one of the best contemporary filmmakers working currently and further cemented his place in cinema when he won Best Director, Picture, and Original Screenplay at the 92nd Academy Awards for Parasite. The film covered themes of class, family, and neocolonialism which will be continued in a spin-off series (per NME).
The spin-off is slated to be an original story in the world of Parasite, following new characters and sustaining the social satire that the film achieved so well. Bong Joon-ho will be teaming up with Adam McKay to bring the series to life as this is the second Joon-ho film to get a TV series, following 2013’s Snowpiercer.
Sonic The Hedgehog (2020)
While feature films based on video games don’t have the greatest track record overall, the Sonic the Hedgehog movies have been solid and are easily some of the best video game adaptations put to screen. Along with a third movie, the Sonic film series is getting a spin-off TV show following Knuckles the Echidna.
Idris Elba was an unexpected choice to voice Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 but was a pleasant surprise in what he brought to the character and will be returning to voice him for the series, currently in development for Paramount+.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
Suicide Squad’s release in 2016 was met with mixed reactions as the movie had its problems but had redeeming traits in characters like Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, and Rick Flag. The three would return in 2021’s The Suicide Squad among a new and more intriguing cast of characters, being better received than its predecessor by far and becoming one of the DCEU’s best films.
The Suicide Squad has already had a spin-off series released with Peacemaker’s first season dropping in 2022, but there are currently multiple other spin-offs on the table. Confirmed is an Amanda Waller series with Viola Davis in talks to reprise her role and continue her story following The Suicide Squad and her cameo in Peacemaker.
Dune (2021)
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune was easily one of the most anticipated films of 2021 and lived up to the high expectations that it had amassed. The lore of the movie and book that it’s based on lends itself to multiple parts as Dune: Part 2 began production this past July. A prequel spin-off series titled Dune: The Sisterhood following the Bene Gesserit was announced to premiere sometime after the second film on HBO Max.
The Bene Gesserit is the sisterhood of Paul Atredies’ mother Jessica whose background as a member of the group was key in the first film. Diving deeper into The Sisterhood will give viewers a better understanding of the politics and mystical abilities of the group, and possibly showcase the group’s origins as a whole as the show is reportedly set 10,000 years before Dune: Part One.
The Batman (2022)
As one of the most popular characters ever created, there’s no shortage of Batman-related media that fans can dive into. The character’s latest theatrical adventure in 2022’s The Batman proved itself to be one of the best on-screen depictions of the character, and arguably, one of the best superhero films of all time.
Director Matt Reeves intends to build a shared universe around The Batman and is starting to lay the groundwork with multiple spin-off series announced for HBO Max. Reeves revealed that Colin Farrell will be reprising his role from the film to play The Penguin in a series surrounding the character, as well as announcing an Arkham State Hospital-based series.
