It’s always an exciting time whenever a long-running action series announces a spin-off project.
Whether looking at Hobbes & Shaw, Furiosa, Deadpool, or Bumblebee, spin-off films have the potential of dazzling audiences just as wholeheartedly as its narrative forebears before it. With audiences expressing rampant excitement about the upcoming John Wick spin-off, Ballerina, we decided to take a look back at several fan-favorite action franchises that deserve their own spin-off movie, from animated Pixar epics to harrowing sci-fi survival thrillers.
Disney Pixar
There’s limitless potential behind Pixar’s The Incredibles, whether looking at a prospective project set during the “Glory Days” of superheroes’ in-universe golden era or a spin-off film set around one of its many unique characters. While we’d certainly enjoy seeing a project set around someone like Edna Mode or Voyd, our mind immediately wonders about the possibilities of a full-fledged Frozone spin-off. Casting Samuel L. Jackson as his icy-cool superhero alter ego, a film centered around Frozone could prove a welcome addition to The Incredibles’ larger cinematic universe, similar to Puss in Boots’ relationship to the larger Shrek series.
20th Century Fox
Yes, we know what you’re thinking: “A spin-off of a spin-off? Could that even work?” But just as audiences had long anticipated a film featuring Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with the Mouth as its lead character, so too can we imagine a spin-off built around Josh Brolin’s grizzled cyborg soldier, Cable. Making his debut in 2018’s Deadpool 2, Brolin instantly caught audiences’ attention with his tongue-in-cheek humor and hilariously deadpan delivery – something that led to plenty of memorable exchanges with Reynolds’ titular mercenary. Similarly, it’s fair to say viewers are hungry for more content featuring Channing Tatum’s iteration of Gambit from Deadpool & Wolverine (a project Tatum himself has expressed interest in for the past 10 years).
Lionsgate
Katniss Everdeen’s story might be over, but if its belated prequel (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) is any indication, there’s still plenty of room for additional Hunger Games-themed media. While we’re certainly excited for the upcoming Haymitch-centric film Sunrise on the Reaping, we’re also curious what an entire film set around the very first Hunger Games might look like. Though the inaugural event formed the narrative backbone to Songbirds and Snakes’ main storyline, there’s certainly plenty of opportunity for a more nuanced illustration of the first Hunger Games, along with a detailed portrayal of Panem’s initial formation.
Warner Bros.
We’ve already seen a spin-off trilogy focusing on Eddie Redmayne’s magical animal expert Newt Scamander, but it’s fair to say most fans would love to see additional films further exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That being said, what better character is there to focus on than a young Severus Snape, complete with his one-sided romance with Harry’s mother and his antagonist relationship with the Boy Who Lived’s father.
With the new HBO reboot on the way, it’s less than likely we’ll see any prequel films detailing Snape’s childhood or his repeated run-ins with James Potter and the Marauders. But still, we can always hold out hope of one day seeing a more in-depth exploration of their story, rather than the second-hand exposition delivered by the older Snape, Lupin, and Sirius.
Whether looking at Hobbes & Shaw, Furiosa, Deadpool, or Bumblebee, spin-off films have the potential of dazzling audiences just as wholeheartedly as its narrative forebears before it. With audiences expressing rampant excitement about the upcoming John Wick spin-off, Ballerina, we decided to take a look back at several fan-favorite action franchises that deserve their own spin-off movie, from animated Pixar epics to harrowing sci-fi survival thrillers.
The Incredibles
Disney Pixar
There’s limitless potential behind Pixar’s The Incredibles, whether looking at a prospective project set during the “Glory Days” of superheroes’ in-universe golden era or a spin-off film set around one of its many unique characters. While we’d certainly enjoy seeing a project set around someone like Edna Mode or Voyd, our mind immediately wonders about the possibilities of a full-fledged Frozone spin-off. Casting Samuel L. Jackson as his icy-cool superhero alter ego, a film centered around Frozone could prove a welcome addition to The Incredibles’ larger cinematic universe, similar to Puss in Boots’ relationship to the larger Shrek series.
Deadpool
20th Century Fox
Yes, we know what you’re thinking: “A spin-off of a spin-off? Could that even work?” But just as audiences had long anticipated a film featuring Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with the Mouth as its lead character, so too can we imagine a spin-off built around Josh Brolin’s grizzled cyborg soldier, Cable. Making his debut in 2018’s Deadpool 2, Brolin instantly caught audiences’ attention with his tongue-in-cheek humor and hilariously deadpan delivery – something that led to plenty of memorable exchanges with Reynolds’ titular mercenary. Similarly, it’s fair to say viewers are hungry for more content featuring Channing Tatum’s iteration of Gambit from Deadpool & Wolverine (a project Tatum himself has expressed interest in for the past 10 years).
The Hunger Games
Lionsgate
Katniss Everdeen’s story might be over, but if its belated prequel (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) is any indication, there’s still plenty of room for additional Hunger Games-themed media. While we’re certainly excited for the upcoming Haymitch-centric film Sunrise on the Reaping, we’re also curious what an entire film set around the very first Hunger Games might look like. Though the inaugural event formed the narrative backbone to Songbirds and Snakes’ main storyline, there’s certainly plenty of opportunity for a more nuanced illustration of the first Hunger Games, along with a detailed portrayal of Panem’s initial formation.
Harry Potter
Warner Bros.
We’ve already seen a spin-off trilogy focusing on Eddie Redmayne’s magical animal expert Newt Scamander, but it’s fair to say most fans would love to see additional films further exploring the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That being said, what better character is there to focus on than a young Severus Snape, complete with his one-sided romance with Harry’s mother and his antagonist relationship with the Boy Who Lived’s father.
With the new HBO reboot on the way, it’s less than likely we’ll see any prequel films detailing Snape’s childhood or his repeated run-ins with James Potter and the Marauders. But still, we can always hold out hope of one day seeing a more in-depth exploration of their story, rather than the second-hand exposition delivered by the older Snape, Lupin, and Sirius.