List of films based on television programs
This a list of television programs that were later adapted into theatrical-released films.
Programs with films which are prequels, sequels or based upon the series
Pilot episodes re-released as feature films
- The Amazing Spider-Man (Spider-Man)
- Angela Anaconda (opening segment of Digimon: The Movie)
- As Told by Ginger
- Battlestar Galactica (TV pilot edited into a big screen release)
- Bonkers (short film special episode, Pedal to the Medal)
- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979, TV pilot released as a movie when no networks picked it up)
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000)
- Dexter's Laboratory (short film special episode, Chicken Scratch)
- Gargoyles (Gargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken)
- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
- House of Mouse (Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse were television series finale direct-to-video animated film to the series and Mickey's House of Villains were pilot to the series respectively)
- Ironside
- The Legend of Tarzan (some episodes were compiled into the direct-to-video animated film Tarzan & Jane)
- Lilo & Stitch: The Series (Stitch! The Movie and Leroy & Stitch were the pilot and series finale to the series respectively)
- The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Footage from the TV series and its specials were compiled into three direct-to-video animated films, Seasons of Giving, A Very Merry Pooh Year and Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie)
- The Night Stalker
- The Pink Panther (short film special episode, Driving Mr. Pink)
- Recess (Recess Trilogy DVD: Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street, Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade and Recess: All Growed Down, Taking the Fifth Grade was originally conceived as the basis for the seventh and final season of the TV series, but when Disney abruptly concluded the series with no proper ending, the story was hastily retooled into the series finale direct-to-video and made-for-TV film of said name)
- The Road Runner Show (short film pilot episode, Adventures of the Road Runner, 1962)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars
- TaleSpin (Plunder & Lightning, 1990)
- The Three Musketeers (Knights of the Queen, 1954)
- Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (took place between Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo)
- Twin Peaks (TV pilot released as a film in Europe)
- The Untouchables (TV pilot edited into film for theatrical release as The Scarface Mob, 1962)
Many other series have released pilots or edited multi-part episodes as films overseas, including The Greatest American Hero and The X-Files.
Failed pilots
Some feature films began as a pilot episode for a TV series that was not picked up by any networks.
- Atlantis: Milo's Return (direct-to-video, 2003)
- Body Bags (TV, 1993)
- Belle's Magical World (direct-to-video, 1998)
- Cruel Intentions 2 (direct-to-video, 2001)
- Lum and Abner Abroad (1956)
- Mulholland Drive (2001)
- Nightmares (1983)
- Sabu and the Magic Ring (1957)
- Tales of Robin Hood (1951)
Many failed pilots have been aired as television films; see Category:Television pilots not picked up as a series.
Television films
The following are television films that never saw theatrical release.
Before main run of show
Some television films have functioned as pilots or backdoor pilots for a subsequent TV series.
- All Grown Up! (started off as a one-hour TV movie coinciding with Rugrats' 10th anniversary before being spun off into its own series)
- American Dad! (short film pilot episode, Inside the CIA)
- Cagney & Lacey
- ChalkZone (The Big Blow-Up)
- Chicago Story
- Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (Rescue Rangers: To the Rescue)
- Code of Vengeance
- Columbo (Prescription: Murder)
- The D.A.
- Darkwing Duck (Darkly Dawns the Duck)
- The Delphi Bureau (The Merchant of Death Assignment)
- DuckTales
- Ellery Queen
- The Family Holvak (The Greatest Gift, 1974)
- Fantasy Island
- Firehouse (Pilot first aired in 1973, a year before the series debuted in 1974)
- Griff (Man on the Outside)
- Harry O (Such Dust as Dreams Are Made On, 1973 and Smile Jenny, You're Dead, 1974)
- Hey Arnold! (short film pilot episode, 24 Hours to Live)
- The Incredible Hulk
- The Invisible Man
- Iron Horse (Scalplock)
- Jigsaw (Man on the Move)
- Knight Rider
- Little House on the Prairie
- The Love Boat (a trilogy of telefilms preceded the regular series by two years)
- Man from Atlantis
- Matt Helm
- Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (Murder Me, Murder You, 1983 and More Than Murder, 1984, the third film, The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, 1986 launched the sequel series, The New Mike Hammer)
- Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series (Mighty Ducks the Movie: The First Face-Off)
- Nakia
- The New Adventures of Flash Gordon (Originally conceived and produced as an animated made-for-TV movie, under the title Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All, it was later reconfigured into an animated TV series. After the said TV cartoon show version of Flash Gordon ended in 1981, the originally intended feature-length animated film eventually made it to television in 1982.)
- Night Gallery (1969)
- Outlaws
- Petrocelli (Night Games)
- The Phoenix
- Simon & Simon (Pirate's Key, 1978)
- Starsky & Hutch
- The Streets of San Francisco
- The Swiss Family Robinson
- Wonder Woman (The New Original Wonder Woman)
- Yogi's Gang (Yogi's Ark Lark, 1972)
Reunion films
Many American TV series have had TV films, usually filmed five or more years after the run of the original series, which reunite the cast of the series for a new plot. In some cases, there has been an entire string of such films, including for the detective shows Perry Mason (1957-1966; 30 films from 1985 to 1995), The Rockford Files, (1974-80; eight films from 1994 to 1999), and Hart to Hart (1979-1984; eight films from 1993 to 1996). In at least one case, with the 1988 Get Smart reunion film Get Smart, Again!, the success of the TV film eventually led to a brief 1995 revival of the series.
There have also been many television reunion specials, in which some or all of the original cast is brought together for interviews and clips.
Other
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (Sozin's Comet)
- Big Time Rush (Big Time Movie, 2012)
- Camp Lazlo (Where's Lazlo?, 2007)
- Codename: Kids Next Door (Operation I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S., Operation Z.E.R.O.)
- Dexter's Laboratory (Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip, 1999)
- The Facts of Life (The Facts of Life Go to Paris, The Facts of Life Down Under)
- The Fairly OddParents (Abra-Catastrophe!, Channel Chasers, Wishology, A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner!, A Fairly Odd Christmas, A Fairly Odd Summer, School's Out! The Musical, Fairy Idol, Fairly OddBaby)
- Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (the multi-part pilot episode House of Bloo's, and the two other multi-part episodes Good Wilt Hunting and Destination: Imagination, were all aired as feature-length made-for-TV movies)
- Goof Troop (Goof Troop Christmas)
- The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (Billy & Mandy's Big Boogey Adventure, Billy & Mandy: Wrath of the Spider Queen, Underfist: Halloween Bash)
- iCarly (iGo to Japan)
- The Famous Jett Jackson (Jett Jackson: The Movie, 2001)
- Kim Possible (Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time, Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama)
- The Littles (Liberty and the Littles, 1986)
- The Lone Ranger (The Lone Ranger Story)
- Lupin III
- My Life as a Teenage Robot (Escape from Cluster Prime)
- Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (the series finale was aired as a TV movie under the title Ned's Declassified Field Trip)
- Oishinbo (Oishinbo: Kyūkyoku Tai Shikō, Chōju Ryōri Taiketsu!!, 1992, Oishinbo: Nichibei Kome Sensō, 1993)
- Rocket Power (Rocket Power: Race Across New Zealand)
- Sabrina: The Animated Series and Sabrina's Secret Life (Sabrina: Friends Forever)
- Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Sabrina Goes to Rome, Sabrina Down Under)
- SpongeBob SquarePants (SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis, SpongeBob's Truth or Square)
- The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (The Suite Life Goes Hollywood, 2007)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Turtles Forever, 2009)
- Top Cat (Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats, 1988)
- Touch (Touch: Miss Lonely Yesterday, 1998, Touch: Cross Road, 2001)
- The Twilight Zone (Twilight Zone: Rod Serling's Lost Classics)
- Unfabulous (Unfabulous: The Perfect Moment)
- Wizards of Waverly Place (Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex)
- The Yogi Bear Show (Yogi's First Christmas, Yogi's Great Escape, Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose, Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears)
Programs re-edited for release as feature-length films
One or more episodes from the following television programs were edited together for release as a feature film. Some of the films add new material, and others do not.
Episodes released theatrically
- The 20th Century Fox Hour: The season one episode "Overnight Haul" was given a theatrical release in Australia as a standalone film.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation: Six episodes were released in theaters to coincide with the high-definition release of the series on Blu-ray
- Game of Thrones: The episodes "The Watchers on the Wall" and "The Children" were given a week-long IMAX release.
- Walt Disney anthology television series: Many select television films that aired in the anthology, including Guns in the Heather and The Omega Connection, were adapted for theatrical release in international territories.
Films re-edited as episodes for a television program
| Film | TV program | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Premiere | Title | Channel | Premiere | End |
| Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato | 1978 | Space Battleship Yamato II | Yomiuri TV | 1978 | 1979 |
| The Godfather trilogy | 1972-1990 | The Godfather Saga | NBC | 1977 | 1977 |
| Superman and the Mole Men | 1951 | Adventures of Superman | syndicated | 1952 | 1958 |
See also
References
- No te fallaré in labutaca.net (in Spanish)
- ThunderCats - HO The Movie
External links
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