The recent announcement that Les Grossman, the studio executive from the hit comedy Tropic Thunder, might get his own spin-off (per Deadline), necessarily brings to mind the many other iconic side characters who have frequently made their appearances in movies.
While some of these have faded into obscurity, others have risen to become almost as popular as the main characters alongside whom they appear. And, as the users of Reddit have helpfully pointed out, a number of these characters definitely deserve to appear in their own movies. It’s thus well worth taking a look at these side characters in order to truly appreciate their status.
Gandalf
Gandalf is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful characters in The Lord of the Rings. However, as important as he is, he doesn’t get a great deal of back story, so there is a huge amount of material that a potential movie could explore. Grantib1 writes: “I'd read all his biography.”
If a potential movie were fortunate enough to be able to get Ian McKellen to return for the role that he made his own, this would make for a very good follow-up to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. There is certainly plenty of information from the source material that would provide a solid foundation for a project.
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Few Star Wars villains have attained quite the status of Grand Admiral Thrawn. One of those who survived the fall of the Empire and caused a great deal of trouble for the New Republic, he has since been brought back into canon. It’s thus not surprising that many Redditors would want to see this ruthless and cunning villain brought to the big screen.
501st-AT7625 has this to say: Grand Admiral Thrawn. I'd love to see the Timothy Zahn books made into a sick series showing the rise of Thrawn and Ordinda Pryce before Rebels.” It’s easy to see how Zahn’s books would translate very well into a new Star Wars trilogy.
Alastor Moody
Many great wizards have appeared in Harry Potter, but few are quite as iconic as Alastor Moody. With his signature eye and his gruff demeanor, he was one of those who remained loyal to the end and actually gave his life in the defense of the good. Given the extraordinary life that he led, he would make for the subject of a fascinating movie in his own right, as Redditors have pointed out.
TannedCroissant writes: “It would be a great way to do a show about the Wizarding War, told from his perspective. Could bring in other members of the Order of the Phoenix as and when you feel like too.” A movie would finally do justice to his character, who received less screen time than many fans would have liked.
Mushu
Even though many side characters have appeared in Disney movies, few are quite as lively or as funny as Mushu of Mulan, played by the great Eddie Murphy. It’s clear from the movie’s story and dialogue that he has a very interesting backstory, so it would be fascinating to see what the writers at Disney could come up with to flesh out his identity.
Snake_juice_turnt puts it this way: “I think his origin story would be really fun, and any screen time spent in ancient China is time well spent imho.” If they could get Eddie Murphy to return, they would almost certainly have a hit on their hands.
Nick Fury
Nick Fury is arguably one of the most important characters in the MCU, and his influence can be felt in almost all of its most significant storylines. However, he is one of the few who doesn’t get his own backstory fully fleshed out in a movie form.
Puzzlehead-engineer writes: “I wanna see his journey to become the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D.” It would be fascinating to see his own development as a character, and it would give Samuel L. Jackson more time to fit into this beloved character.
Lucius Malfoy
Harry Potter is a fantasy universe that is filled with iconic and sinister villains, one of the most fascinating of whom is Lucius Malfoy. Though he is a side character without a great deal of backstory, this is precisely what would make him such a great subject for his own movie.
Edgarpicke outlines what his story might look like: “His tale of being a Death Eater, avoiding Azkaban, gaining tremendous wealth and political influence, hosting Voldemort, and then betraying all that for the love of his child.” Such a story would indeed fit in with the current vogue of giving even villains their own sympathetic backstories.
Darcy Lewis
Darcy Lewis is another of the MCU characters who appears frequently but has, of yet, not received any sort of development. This, despite the fact that she is an undeniably charming and funny individual, one who brightens up the screen whenever she appears.
BNDM03 writes: “Wanna see how she gets her Ph.D. and what's happened to her after WandaVision.” Given that she is something of a blank slate at present, this means that there are many things that can be done with her character, giving Kat Dennings more time to shine in the role.
Bert
Mary Poppins is a charming confection of a movie, featuring the incandescent singing charms of Julie Andrews and the irascible charm of a young Dick Van Dyke. His character Bert is a lovable side character, but the movie doesn’t really reveal much about his backstory or how he knows Mary Poppins.
As a result, he’s the ideal choice for a spinoff movie of his own. ArpeggioPoutine writes: “Guy has a new job every time we see him. And, how did he and Mary meet? How did he learn about her magic? Lots of questions to be answered.” There is clearly an appetite for learning more about this enigmatic but lovable character.
Inigo Montoya
The Princess Bride is an almost universally beloved fantasy movie, and it maintains its charm. In large part, this stems from its characters, all of whom breathe with life and vitality. This is particularly true of Inigo Montoya, who has become a fixture of popular culture and memes.
Daydreamintheflowers wants to see a movie about his life after the events of the movie, writing: “What’s his life going to be like now that his search for revenge has been fulfilled?” As is so often the case with classic movies, it’s the secondary characters who stay with the viewer for years afterward.
Ursula
Disney has always excelled at creating excellent villains, and few can match Ursula in terms of sheer villainy. Like all of the great villains, she is something of an enigma. While the viewer knows that there is bad blood between her and Triton, they’re not really given any details as to why this might be the case.
Drinkslinger1974 writes: “There’s a story there, one that connects her to Triton's castle, and I wanna see it!” Given the enormous success of Disney’s other attempts to give a backstory to their iconic villains, it’s easy to see how this movie might become a great success for the studio.