When a film becomes popular, it is only a matter of time before it shows back up in some form. Sometimes years and years after its initial release, films will come back with reboots, sequels, and in the case of this list, television shows.
Many successful television shows are first done as successful, or not, films. Here are ten shows that were movies first, and the IMDb rankings to show which of the two is higher scored on the service.
Teen Wolf: Movie 6.1 - Show 7.6
Before he was the focal point of MTV's acclaimed drama/thriller series, the titular teenage werewolf was a wacky basketball playing high-schooler portrayed by Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox. The melodrama of the series is nowhere to be found in the original film, which focuses on goofs and gags, instead.
The tonal differences between the two make this pair bizarre to say the least, and when it gets down to it, the only real similarity between the two is the shared title.
Lethal Weapon: Movie 7.6 - Show 7.9
Almost exactly thirty years before the launch of the buddy cop series, Lethal Weapon had just started as a wildly successful film series about two detectives who have very different ways of doing things.
The series is different from the film in its modernization and some of its elements being lighter in tone than the original film, but overall it is a worthy send-up, strengthened by the fact that both are similarly well scored.
From Dusk Till Dawn: Movie 7.2 - Show 6.9
The cult classic about criminals that hole up in a Mexican vampire bar was remade as a short series by the film's original director Robert Rodriguez himself. The show translates pretty well, with the signature style being present, and added characters actually strengthening the narrative.
Unfortunately, the show ultimately feels unnecessary, as it didn't last long enough to do much more than the film already covers.
10 Things I Hate About You: Movie 7.3 - Show 7.3
This show was almost not included as it was a very short-lived series, only lasting one single season back in 2009, but it felt too poetic to not mention when I saw the review scores.
The cult classic film, featuring heart-throb actors Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is sitting at a 7.3, and despite not being nearly as well-remembered, the show is sitting at the exact same score. Maybe the two have more in common than originally thought.
Heathers: Movie 7.2 - Show 5.6
The cult 80s classic Heathers was one of the unlikeliest properties to pop back up in today's climate, due to it dealing with controversial elements, despite its use of satire.
While the show has been somewhat successful and completed the seemingly impossible task of modernizing the classic story, the score for it doesn't hold a candle to the film, proving that this one was maybe better left alone.
The Exorcist: Movie 8.0 - Show 8.1
One of the most surprising successes on this list has to be the recent television adaptation of The Exorcist. When it was announced that a show was being based on what many consider the greatest classic horror film of all-time, hopes were not high.
Despite the massive hill it had to climb, the show delivered. It is a tense, scary, true to form horror show that earns its title. Whether or not it deserves to be one point higher than the film is still arguable.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Movie 5.6 - Show 8.2
Maybe the best example of this format working is Joss Whedon's classic series about a teenager destined to kill vampires. The ultra-popular show was based in part on Whedon's script that was made into a film years before.
The film does not have nearly as captivating characters as the show eventually would, and is easily the more forgettable of the two.
What We Do In The Shadows: Movie 7.7 - Show 8.4
This one is a wonderful example of how a concept can work for film and television, and still somehow be fresh on both. The sneak hit comedy film by Taika Waititi is a great mockumentary take on the classic vampire mythos, full of loveable characters.
The series manages to be the same thing, with an entirely different cast of characters. The humor is similar, making these two both worth exploring.
Westworld: Movie 7.0 - Show 8.7
In 1973, long before it was a hit HBO show, Westworld was a small-scale science fiction film directed by Michael Crichton. The core concept of the park is there, and other little pieces of the film's story have sprinkled into the series, but overall, the two are far different, with the series expanding on the world far more than the film did.
Fargo: Movie 8.1 - Show 8.9
The Coen brothers' 1996 dark comedy has become a cult classic, and now it lives on in the form of an FX anthology series. The show is maybe the perfect form of adaptation, taking nearly aspect of what makes the film work, without taking any of the actual characters or story.
The stories of the show are always original and wildly so, but still feel rooted in the world the movie imagines. The humor, violence, and unpredictability make it the most unforgettable crime series on television.