There is nothing like the excitement of watching a new episode of your favorite television series. You get to see what will happen to your favorite characters next and how the ongoing story will unfold. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Eventually, your favorite television series will have to end, and you will have to give up on the characters and stories.
Or do you? Sometimes, even though a series ends, there is still more of the story to tell. That is what has led to some popular television shows being adapted into feature films. You can see your favorite characters back in action once again, this time in a longer block of time and possibly with higher stakes. If you’re lucky, there might be multiple films to come out of your favorite series. You might even be able to convince some non-fans to tune in to the film, as it is now a more digestible format.
These television series did not want to say goodbye so soon, so they decided to transfer their tales to the wonderful medium of film.
1. Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2
"Sex and the City" was one of the most popular television shows of its time. The 6 seasons of 4 women going on dates, partying, and having fun in their 30s were watched obsessively by millions of fans. While the series had a complete ending, fans wanted more. That is what led to the Sex and the City movie. The film sees the women a little bit older and dealing with all sorts of new problems, including weddings, infidelity, and parenting. While it really connects to the series, a lot of the film can be watched without much background. It can be just a fun time watching a female-focused film. Then there is the sequel, Sex and the City 2. While this film was not received as well, it still has a lot of fun moments and goes all out. These films demonstrate to anyone, including people who have not watched the series, that, as long as you stick with your friends, you can handle whatever life throws your way. Rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.
2. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
To this day, television lovers cannot stop talking about the greatness of "Breaking Bad". The story of chemistry teacher Walter White and his student Jesse Pinkman starting a meth lab captivated audiences for years and is still on people’s minds today. People were obsessed with this story, and there was apparently more story to tell. That continuation came in the form of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The film follows Pinkman after the events of the series in the form of a thriller film. Pinkman has to try to escape his past and face the serious problems of his present. He doesn’t know how he can face all of these obstacles, but he will do anything for a good future. The film is a crime drama that can put anyone at the edge of their set. Even though the film is not as great as "Breaking Bad", it can still grip people with deep suspense. Stream on Netflix.
3. The Simpsons Movie
Since 1989, "The Simpsons" has been on our television screens and has been a source of entertainment for many people. Everyone likes to see what hijinks the Simpsons family will get into next. Some people did stop watching the show and claim that the quality has been dropping. However, they were brought back in for The Simpsons Movie. This film takes a normal half-hour sitcom and makes it into an hour-and-a-half of chaos. What will happen when the Simpson family cause the end of their town and they become ostracized by the community? The film has a lot of ups and downs that show the capability of the Simpsons. Even if you have never watched "The Simpsons" before, the energy is something to be appreciated. It may not have fully brought fans back to the series, but it kept their attention briefly. Stream on Disney+.
4. Downton Abbey and Downton Abbey: A New Era
It can always be exciting to travel back into history and to observe the old-fashioned standards for society. That is probably why "Downton Abbey" was so successful. The series centered around the drama in the life of a fictional upper-class family in a Yorkshire, England, estate in the early 20th century. Even though the family is not real, the show served as a time capsule for historical England. Also, despite the British location, it captured audiences around the world. Therefore, the writers decided to give the watchers some more drama with a film continuation after the series ended. The first Downton Abbey film centered around a royal visit that had all of the characters and kept all of the audience enthralled. After what was considered a faithful continuation, another film was made. Downton Abbey: A New Era saw all of the beloved characters once again, this time with new problems with real world changes happening in the background. This film did not do as well as the first one, but it still did pretty well at the box office. These films show just how significant "Downton Abbey" is in modern culture. Stream on Netflix and Peacock.
5. Entourage
"Entourage" demonstrated what it is like to be a part of the movie industry. Throughout its popular run, the HBO series showed the highs and lows of choosing an acting career and of making movies through various perspectives. Therefore, it is only natural that this series becomes a movie itself. The movie Entourage follows the fun characters of the series in the next entertainment chapter of their lives. They are back together and are once again ready to take on Hollywood as a team. In a way, the Entourage film is a movie about the making of a movie. The film even features some fun celebrity cameos for that special movie magic. The film did not receive the best of reviews, but it can still show anyone the power of friendship and the wild side of making movies. Rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.
6. Veronica Mars
Being a teenager is tough, but how much tougher would it be to be a private investigator at the same time? That is the plot for the popular series "Veronica Mars". This series captured young and old fans alike with its heightening drama and suspense. Unfortunately, the television series did not have an ending that the fans believe gave closure. That caused them to rally for a feature film continuation, and their wish was granted. Veronica Mars the film set out to give people the answers that they were looking for as well as bring them back to Veronica Mars’s wild world. The film received a lot of positive reviews, as critics and audiences liked the direction that this mystery film went. This film demonstrates that, as long as your story has fans with passion, anything is possible. Rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.
7. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
The mystery wrapped up in "Twin Peaks" was found to be really appealing to audiences. No one ever knew what would happen, and the creepy vibe made the whole show enthralling. Because of the show’s great acclaim, a movie had to be made to give the excited fans more stories from this world. However, this movie served a different purpose than some of the other ones on this list. While most of the other films on this list served as sequels to their television shows, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was a prequel to the beloved series. "Twin Peaks" centered around the solving of a murder, while Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was about the events in the days preceding that murder. Everyone knew what would happen, but they were still intrigued by this new story. The reviews for the film have been both positive and negative, but no one can deny the originality and risk when it came to making this prequel. Stream on Max.
8. Psych: The Movie + Sequels
Detective series have been popular for a long time, but "Psych" brought something different to the table. It was more comedic than the others with a more unique premise. What if you could convince everyone that you are a psychic to solve mysteries? This television series answered that question through the entertaining of hardcore fans for many years. Those fans are what lead to the development of a "Psych" film franchise. The first film, Psych: The Movie, takes place a few years after the end of the series and the characters have a new mystery to solve. After the decent reviews of the first film, the showrunners made a sequel, Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, with another new mystery. The film actually got better reviews than the first one. Then came the third film, Psych 3: This is Gus, which is a direct sequel to the previous film. There is also a fourth film for the franchise in the works, and there is no internal opposition to a fifth film. The ongoing film franchise demonstrates that the writers and actors have a lot of passion for the stories and the fans. Stream on Peacock.