Top Movies Based on TV Shows

CHIPS was released this weekend, and as most people are aware it was based on a TV show from the late 70s to early 80s. Making movies based on TV shows has become quite a big trend, and we’re not talking about movies that tie in to the TV show here like the X-Files. We’re talking about a completely new remake. Here are our favourites.

21 Jump Street: The TV series was a serious crime drama about young-looking undercover officers specializing in youth crime. It lasted for 5 seasons and made Johnny Depp a star. The 2012 movie turned the series into a comedy, action movie starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. In this case it placed the officers in high-school to bring down a drug ring. It was more than a little ridiculous, but a lot of fun to watch. Too bad the sequel 22 Jump Street wasn’t as good.

The Equalizer: British actor Edward Woodward graced our TVs for 4 years playing a retired intelligence officer who helped people solve unsolvable problems. The 2014 movie starring Denzel Washington had very little common with the series other than the character’s name and his “retired” status. It’s good, fun action though, and watching it is a good way to unwind after a stressful week.

The Fugitive: The TV series ran for four year, as did it’s character Dr. Richard Kimble before he finally caught up to the one armed man in the finale. For the film Harrison Ford took over the lead role, and instead of taking 4 years to catch his man, he did it in 2 hours. The film was even nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. 

Mission Impossible: Tom Cruise took the popular 1960s spy series and has made it into a very profitable series of movies. So far there had been five films, each doing extremely well at the theatre, and a sixth is apparently on its way. There is very little to connect it to the TV show other than the theme song, the way the missions are assigned and a character in the first film, but they movies are so different from the TV series anyway that it doesn’t really matter. 

Starsky  Hutch: Like CHIPS, Starsky Hutch was at one time a popular series in the 70s. This 2004 also turned the more serious TV show into an action/comedy movie, and it worked. Starring Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller, the movie was directed by Todd Phillips before he made The Hangover series of films.