20 Great Movies Based on TV Series

Every so often, the line separating television and film becomes blurred, with a select number of successful TV shows soon adapted into memorable movies. While some of these resulting films might not entertain viewers the same way as the original TV series, more than a few fantastic movies based on TV shows have seen a release over the years.

In some cases, these movies have earned as favorable a response from fans as the initial show, continuing to entertain fans from one entertainment medium to the next.

1. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

When Star Trek made its cinematic debut with its inaugural film, fans left the theaters shaking their heads in fuddled disappointment. When it came time for its 1982 sequel, however, the filmmakers constructed a satisfying follow-up to The Original Series, complete with the sudden return of staunch anti-Federation terrorist, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán). To date, it remains one of the most beloved movies based on TV, and set a high water mark for others to follow.

2. Serenity (2005)

Canceled after a mere single season, the NBC space Western Firefly soon found renewed life in the form of a cinematic continuation. With 2005’s Serenity, the series concludes the narrative adventures of its lead characters, building its main storyline around the fateful final clash between the Reavers, the Alliance, and the ragtag crew aboard the eponymous ship.

3. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

Leave it to Vince Gilligan to improve upon an already perfect conclusion to Breaking Bad. Providing an epic send-off to the 21st century’s most popular crime series, Gilligan focuses his creative efforts on Jesse’s (Aaron Paul) last misadventure, completing his transformation from an immature drug dealer into a hardened fugitive seeking redemption.

4. 21 Jump Street (2012)

One of the best comedy films of the 2010s, 21 Jump Street rebuilds its kitschy source material from the ground up. With its adult humor and ingenious meta-fictional comedy, the movie makes a habit of mocking the preceding 21 Jump Street teen series, even relying on some surprising cameos from the show’s original cast.

5. The Naked Gun (1988)

Yet another film series based on a canceled TV show, The Naked Gun carried on the wacky adventures of inept super cop Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen). With a bigger budget and more appreciative audience at its disposal, the three films in The Naked Gun trilogy delivered a non-stop barrage of absurdist jokes, ceaseless slapstick, and witty banter from one film to the next.

6. The Simpsons Movie (2007)

While the quality of The Simpsons’ writing may have declined over time, 2007’s The Simpsons Movie saw the series at its absolute best. With a high-stakes storyline revolving around a giant dome imprisoning the residents of Springfield, Matt Groening and company ushered in a Simpsons adventure that matched the series’ best ‘90s-era episodes.

7. The Bob’s Burgers Movie (2022)

Like the aforementioned Simpsons Movie, 2022’s The Bob’s Burgers Movie serves as a loving extension of the Bob’s Burgers TV series, adhering to the main characteristics associated with the show (the abundant humor, the addictive soundtrack, the colorful characters). An impressive follow-up in itself, the film also packs in an interesting whodunit plot line centered around a taut murder mystery.

8. Deadwood: The Movie (2019)

A show well ahead of its time, Deadwood’s cancellation in 2006 left audiences puzzled and outraged, especially given its favorable reception and repeated success at the annual Emmy Awards. Thirteen years later, David Milch’s hard-boiled Western returned with its conclusive chapter in Deadwood: The Movie. As sharp and well-written as the original TV show, Deadwood: The Movie spelled out the long-awaited return of numerous fan-favorite characters, from Timothy Olyphant’s grizzled Seth Bullock to Ian McShane’s foul-mouthed Al Swearengen.

9. The Muppets (2011)

Fans can spend the rest of time arguing about the absolute best Muppets movie, but one can make a serious case in favor of 2011’s The Muppets. A long-awaited return to form for the series, Disney’s impressive work on the film helped Jim Henson’s fuzzy creatures reassert their rightful place in pop culture, with every major Muppet character making an appearance here. 

10. Downton Abbey (2019)

As with the actual Downton Abbey TV series, it takes a patient viewer to handle a film as dialogue-driven as 2019’s Downton Abbey. Remaining true to its preceding TV series, the finished film’s minimalist tone might aggravate some, but diehard fans will no doubt glory in the dry humor of this wondrous British follow-up.

11. The Fugitive (1993)

Among the more successful movies based on TV shows, The Fugitive won renown when first released in 1993, earning a nomination for Best Picture at the 66th Academy Awards. Using the simple premise of a prisoner on the run as a jumping-off point, The Fugitive provides constant thrills and chills in its brisk two-hour runtime.

12. The Many Saints of Newark (2021)

While it may not have the same indelible writing as the original Sopranos TV series, The Many Saints of Newark’s captivating origin story for a young Tony Soprano (Michael Gandolfini) and his closest criminal associates make it all worthwhile. Led by a talented ensemble cast and a detailed portrait of 1960s Newark, The Many Saints of Newark makes for a welcome addition to David Chase’s epic crime universe.

13. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival in 1992, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me left audiences who wished to see a conclusion to David Lynch’s earlier series perplexed. Since then, the film has–like the preceding show itself–become a cult favorite among Lynch’s filmography, as well as serving as an important narrative tie-in to Twin Peaks: The Return 25 years later.

14. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)

With Trey Parker and Matt Stone churning out one-off South Park specials on a regular basis nowadays, fans might think about returning to the first full-fledged South Park spin-off with South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. A first-rate adult animated comedy, Bigger, Longer & Uncut employs the same satirical humor as the televised version of South Park.

15. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)

In its earliest incarnation, Nickelodeon intended The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie as a fond farewell to the anthropomorphic sponge and his absent-minded starfish best friend. While the series soon continued with additional seasons, the studio nevertheless delivered a more than satisfying movie based around the titular character and his quirky undersea pals.

16. Addams Family Values (1993)

If the first Addams Family movie disappointed viewers with its light-hearted comedic antics, the movie’s far better 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values, returned the series to its gothic roots. A major improvement over the original film, Addams Family Values recreated the macabre tone, dark humor, and colorful characters of the show and Charles Addams’ earlier comic strip, living on as one of the best Addams Family adaptations yet.

17. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

One of the greatest Batman movies most people have never seen, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm takes place in the same cartoon universe as the fan-favorite Batman: The Animated Series. Overhauling its narrative universe with a more adult atmosphere, the movie’s PG rating allowed the animators to push the envelope in terms of its family-friendly content.

18. Mission: Impossible (1996)

In reality, the later entries in the series tend to outshine the earliest chapters of Mission: Impossible. Yet no one can refute the claim that the initial 1996 film laid the groundwork for the entire franchise moving forward. Resurrecting the Mission: Impossible name for a new generation, the film offers a refreshing, tech-heavy alternative to the James Bond series, with Tom Cruise’s charismatic Ethan Hunt managing to rival the allure of 007.

19. Beavis and Butt-Head Do America (1996)

While fans continue to praise 2022’s Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe, most viewers tend to cite the initial 1996 Beavis and Butt-Head movie as their personal favorite. A chaotic satirical take on Bing Crosby and Bob Hope travel films, the movie’s epic scope ushers in sheer hilarity from start to finish.

20. Batman: The Movie (1966)

Like its iconic 1966 source material, Batman: The Movie offers a far more family-friendly version of the Caped Crusader than most other Batman movies out there. For this reason, some viewers might feel the movie both dated and cartoonish–but therein lies the reason to see the film in the first place.