Sometimes great TV shows are transformed into movies. And some of them we didn’t even know used to be TV shows. Also, I was surprised by some when I did my research on this topic.
This list only contains films that are not a continuation or addition to the TV shows. Instead, they are films that have their own adaptation. In general, this means that the film is with new actors and that it has its own story.
Movies based on Television shows
21 Jumpstreet
Everyone probably already knows that the 21 Jump Street movie is based on a TV show. What’s really cool is that the original actors have a cameo in the film, namely Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise.
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are extremely funny as two police officers.
Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) are former classmates. In high school, Schmidt was a nerd and Jenko, a sportsman. But at the police academy, they meet again. Because Schmidt is not good at sports, and Jenko is not good at studying, they decide to become friends and help each other.
When they succeeded in school, they expect to be able to fight evil right away. However, they become park rangers. When a famous drug gang appears in the park, Jenko and Schmidt think they can handle them easily. But they screw it up, and because of it they get a new assignment. Both gentlemen have to report to an undercover project, 21 Jump Street, because of their youthful appearance. They have to go undercover as students in their former high school to detect dangerous drugs and stop the dealers.
Charlie Angels
Charlie’s Angels is a film from 2000, and it’s based on the television series of the same name from the 70s. The film appeared under the direction of McG. In October 2003, a sequel to the film was released called: Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. On top of that, there’s also a new reboot in 2019.
Vivian Wood hired Charlie Townsend because of kidnapping. Charlie reports his Angels that a young software magnate (Eric Knox) has been kidnapped by his competitor, Redstar Enterprises, and instructs them to investigate and solve the case.
Dora the Explorer
I never saw the film, although sometimes I used to watch the cartoon with my little sister. Just to be clear, I did this for her as a good brother, I am.
The movie is a live-action adaptation and is a comedy/adventure flick.
The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard is an American action/comedy film from 2005 and is based on the television series of the same name, The Dukes of Hazzard, from the 80s. The lead roles are played by Johnny Knoxville, Jessica Simpson and Seann William Scott.
The film is set in Hazzard County and revolves around cousins Bo and Luke Duke. They run a business in homemade liquor for their Uncle Jesse, together with their niece Daisy.
The Last Airbender
The Last Airbender is a fantasy film from 2010, based on the first season of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Some franchises shouldn’t be filmed as they have too much to cover. I can’t see how you can make a movie without leaving a lot of important stuff. Unfortunately, M. Night Shyamalan tried it, and he failed horribly.
The Equalizer
This film is based on the television series The Equalizer from 1985 – 1989. I honestly did not know that before making this list. However, the new film stars Denzel Washington as the main character. And, we all know Denzel is one of the best actors working today.
Robert McCall is a former commando who performed so-called “black operations” for the government. On top of that, he staged his own death in order to have a reclusive existence in Boston. However, this quiet existence comes to an end when he stands up for a young girl who forcibly works for a large prostitution network and thus gets the Russian mafia behind him.
The man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a 2015 American action comedy film directed by Guy Ritchie, based on the 1960s television series of the same name created by Sam Rolfe. And I still have to see it.
The film takes place during the Cold War. Napoleon Solo is a successful crook in the service of the CIA,and he is ordered to take Gaby Teller from East Berlin. She is the daughter of the disappeared German scientist Udo Teller. However, he’s opposed by Illya Kuryakin, a young and very strong KGB agent.
Mission Impossible
When I hear Mission Impossible, I think, “Tom Cruise.” However, did you know this was actually based on a television series? The Mission Impossible movies are based on the tv shows of the same name from the period 1966 to 1973, conceived and produced by Bruce Geller, with the music of Lalo Schifrin, including “Theme from Mission: Impossible”, which has become one of the most recognizable tunes in film music.
It all starts with the first film where Ethan Hunt is leading a mission that goes wrong. In addition, he is accused of murdering his colleagues and reselling state secrets. In order to track down the perpetrators, he makes a deal with a bunch of criminals in exchange for information. The best-known scene from the film is as Hunt (Tom Cruise) through a hatch on a cable hanging just above the ground in a room with numerous safeguards.
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is a romantic comedy from 2008 based on the television series Sex and the City. In summary, the film is about four girlfriends in New York discussing all kinds of stuff. There were a lot of discussions about romance and sexuality, mostly about single women.
Star Trek
The first Star Trek movie of the new franchise is the eleventh film in the Star Trek series conceived by Gene Roddenberry. J.J. Abrams directed the new film, and it premiered on May 7, 2009. Before that, the film received a lot of attention in the press.
It’s based on the highly popular television show, Star Trek. However, somehow they still made the movies connected to the other tv shows where they based on. That’s what I call a nice little homage.
Wild Wild West
Wild Wild West is an American film from 1999. Barry Sonnenfeld directed the film. Furthermore, Wild Wild West starred Will Smith and Kevin Kline, a perfect duo. The film’s screenplay is based on the television series The Wild Wild West that aired between 1965-1969. However, criticism bashed down the series but was nevertheless not a flop in the cinema. Worldwide, the film raised over 220 million dollars.
Do you know any other movies that are based on tv shows? Let me know in the comment section down below!
Topazzi World 
The Fugitive!
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Oh, yeah that’s also one
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