Movie franchises are growing more popular than ever, and spinoffs are under scrutiny, but some spinoff movies are good or even better than earlier films. While plenty still falls short of audience expectations, this makes it an even more welcome surprise when these films are better than viewers or critics anticipated. It helps when there are strong characters and well-known IPs to draw from in the development of spinoffs. However, the best spinoffs decenter the original characters and elevate new narratives that expand upon early themes while delving into new territory.

While sequels and spinoffs are different, they have much in common and face enormous pressure to perform after the success of a franchise’s first outing. However, there have been instances of movie sequels being nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, proving that they’re just as valuable. It’s a high-risk-high-reward situation, as a great spinoff could even develop into its own unique franchise, creating opportunities for crossovers and high profits. Studios like Marvel often come to mind when discussing spinoffs and franchise potential. However, there are plenty of spinoffs across genres that have gone down in history as fantastic.

10

Machete (2010)

After The Spy Kids Franchise and Grindhouse

For many moviegoers, watching the Spy Kids movies was an essential part of childhood, but Machete is a far cry from the family-friendly subject matter of those movies. The Machete character, played by Danny Trejo, can also be seen in a fictional trailer within the movie Grindhouse, which also features the work of Robert Rodriguez, who co-directed Machete. For a spinoff that’s such a divergence in tone and genre, Machete is surprisingly fun and easy to follow. At its core, Machete is an old-fashioned action movie made by people who love the gore and violence of the genre.

Looking at Machete as a successor to both the Spy Kids movies and Grindhouse to a lesser extent, it’s interesting to see how much can be extrapolated from just one character. Similarly to films like Spy Kids, Machete is meant to be an enjoyable thrill ride but for an older audience. Its connection to film history is one of Machete‘s strongest points, as references to action and Western movies can be seen throughout the story. Additionally, the look and feel of the project are cohesive and intentional in a way that many movies fail to capture.

9

Bumblebee (2018)

After The Transformers Franchise

Hailee Steinfeld was the perfect choice to lead Bumblebee, the origin story of the iconic Transformer who plays a pivotal role in the later movies. Many complaints lodged against the Transformers franchise revolve around the sexualization of its female characters and male-centric narratives in general. It’s likely that casting Steinfeld in the lead role as Charlie, Bumblebee’s first human ally on Earth, was an intentional divergence so that the Transformers franchise could enter a new era.

The upcoming G.I. Joe and Transformers crossover movie will be an exciting new iteration of the story and present an opportunity for the universe. While Bumblebee was set in the late 1980s and framed as a prequel, the next installment of Transformers can look toward the future. Bumblebee played a role in saving the franchise and priming it to enter the 2020s. With Steinfeld’s performance and the strong visual effects, Bumblebee should be a better-remembered addition to the Transformers canon.

8

The Lion King 1 1/2 (2004)

After The Lion King

The side characters, Timon and Pumbaa in The Lion King, were the comic relief and had the funniest lines in the movie. Voiced by Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, The Lion King 1 1/2 is almost a pure comedy, as none of the intense emotional beats that Simba experiences occurred from Timon and Pumbaa’s perspective. The movie begins with a backstory for both characters and encompasses some of their time together before Simba comes along. From there, it follows the story of The Lion King as Timon and Pumbaa provide commentary.

Of all of Disney’s straight-to-video sequels, The Lion King 1 1/2 is one of the best and easily the smartest. Part of this is because the movie is loosely based on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, the play by Tom Stoppard that tells the story of Hamlet from the perspective of these characters. Since The Lion King is based on Hamlet, this was a clever way to get additional content out of The Lion King franchise. This source material might seem like a high-minded conceit for a children’s film, but The Lion King 1 1/2 pulls it off.

7

Deadpool (2016)

After The X-Men Franchise

The release of Deadpool in 2016 was the peak of superhero movies leaning into self-awareness and winking at the audience. Deadpool did this literally with fourth-wall breaks and dramatic voiceover, giving the audience a sense that Wade (Ryan Reynolds) was in complete control of the narrative. Deadpool has long been a part of the X-Men comics, but he only appeared briefly in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. After that, a movie was developed that would be more true to the comic book character.

Audiences responded well to the style and characterization of Deadpool in the movie, and multiple sequels have been made following its premiere. It’s much more explicit and grotesquely violent than other X-Men movies and superhero films in general and was the first of its kind to do this in a mainstream release. After Deadpool soared at the box office and received warm reviews, plenty of other projects have tried to copy its formula, but few have succeeded.

6

Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

After The Fast and the Furious Saga

It was only a matter of time before The Fast and Furious saga expanded even further to include even more action-packed adventures and ensure that the franchise will continue. Jason Statham plays Deckard Shaw, previously a villain in the Fast movies, and Dwayne Johnson plays Luke Hobbs, an ally of Dom (Vin Diesel) and his family and a former CIA agent. However, the pair, formerly at odds, are forced to work together for the greater good, even if they don’t like it. In a fun spin on the buddy comedy, Hobbs & Shaw shows the progression of the Fast movies.

Though Diesel and the core characters of the Fast movies will always be iconic, some of the more recently added characters are just as interesting and deserve their own films. This concept was experimented with in Hobbs & Shaw to exciting results. As two heavy-weight action stars, it was a good bet that Johnson and Statham would draw audiences to the box office and make the film a success. Witnessing them put aside their differences and work together in amazing action sequences is one of the best parts of the movie.

5

Puss In Boots (2011)

After The Shrek Franchise

First introduced in Shrek 2 as a foil to Donkey, Puss in Boots was the perfect character to pick to lead a spinoff of the universe, making something new and exciting. After the success of Puss in Boots and its eventual transformation into a franchise, there will be a Donkey spinoff from Shrek to continue capitalizing on the popularity of the IP. Few expected Shrek to take hold of the cultural conversation the way it did in 2001, but its legacy remains strong. It didn’t take much to convince audiences to flock to the theaters for Puss in Boots.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is proof of the strength of the storytelling and characters within the movie’s lore. The first spinoff from 2011 laid the groundwork for additional narratives within Puss’ world, but it also saw the character grow and change from the one-dimensional cat from the Shrek films. It was especially smart to set the events of Puss in Boots before Shrek 2, allowing the movie to be an origin story and not disrupt the timeline of the Shrek projects. As time passes and more Shrek movies are released, Puss in Boots will still hold up.

4

This Is 40 (2012)

After Knocked Up (2007)

Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd make a charming and compelling couple approaching a mid-life crisis in This is 40, the spinoff/sequel to the 2007 movie Knocked Up. Both were directed by Judd Apatow and Knocked Up features Debbie (Mann) and Pete (Rudd) as side characters who juxtapose the central couple of the film. Several years later, their characters and family are revisited in This is 40, a movie about reigniting a fading spark in a long-term relationship and finding a balance between being a parent and being an individual.

Though it has its flaws, This is 40 was ahead of its time in depicting older couples reclaiming their sexuality. Recent movies like A Family Affair and The Idea of You feature this reclamation with older women and have grown in popularity because of how relatable these topics are. However, This is 40 is more deeply connected to how aging is taboo in so much of the media and how parents of children are often relegated to supporting roles. With witty dialogue, charming performances, and a surprisingly deep premise, This is 40 defies expectations.

3

The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

After The LEGO Movie

After the runaway success of The LEGO Movie, it was unlikely that the producers would let that project be the last that audiences saw of the LEGO universe. Movies about toys have far exceeded their IP and been transformed into moving pieces about life through projects like The LEGO Movie and, more recently, Barbie. However, The LEGO Movie told a complete narrative with little room for a sequel, so the next best thing was The LEGO Batman Movie. The film isn’t as moving as its predecessor, but it’s just as funny and visually stunning, touching upon loneliness as a concept.

Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, was a small character in The LEGO Movie but was immediately signaled out by fans of the film as one of the funniest parts. This led to the conception of The LEGO Batman Movie, arguably one of the best movies about Batman as a character. Instead of painting him as a lone-wolf vigilante with few emotions, Batman in The LEGO Batman Movie is sensitive and feels things deeply. He’s a more relatable character to audiences, elevating his rapport with the Joker. The LEGO Batman Movie walks the line between parody and genuine adaptation brilliantly.

2

Logan (2017)

After The X-Men Franchise

Darker and more introspective than many of the works that came before it, Logan might be the most moving installment of the X-Men franchise. Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, has always been a fan-favorite and a defacto protagonist of the X-Men movies, and in Logan, he finally gets the chance to grow old and reckon with his legacy. Logan would have been an amazing movie for Wolverine and his piece of the franchise to end on, but audiences will likely be glad to see him back in Deadpool & Wolverine. However, Logan fulfills a different niche than the Deadpool movies.

Logan differentiates itself from the classic superhero genre by drawing on elements of the Western genre and traditional dramas. Jackman is at his best as the aging Wolverine who is saddled with the loss and baggage of his past. It’s a refreshing take on the comic-book movie, and when it was released in 2017, audiences were more than ready for a departure from the traditional formula. Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards, Logan is easily one of the most critically acclaimed and highly regarded superhero movies of all time.

1

Creed (2015)

After The Rocky Franchise

The Rocky movies are classics in the sports genre, but Creed didn’t rely on this legacy to propel itself to greatness. Additionally, it wasn’t just the story that set Creed apart from its predecessors, but the performances. It can’t be stressed enough how pivotal Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Adonis is to the heart of the film. Though Sylvester Stallone reprises his role as Rocky, he doesn’t overshadow Adonis or his development as a boxer. The parallels between the two fighters are drawn, but Adonis is definitively his own person.

Creed immediately connected with audiences and translated the classic themes of Rocky to the present day, with more compelling underlying references. Its success was cemented by the following sequels, Creed II and Creed III, which followed a similar trajectory to the Rocky movies but remained distinct. One of the biggest problems that spinoff movies face is finding a way to justify their story and the inclusion of characters from the past. Thanks to an amazing script and stunning performances, Creed doesn’t have this problem.