Movie Spinoffs That Turned Out to Be Pretty Good

In life, we must all take risks, especially when it involves spinning new tales on beloved stories everyone may know about. While we’d like to explore this concept realistically and change a few things about ourselves, we’re talking about movie spinoffs in this case.

It’s the random shot in the dark, the one chance in a million, the potential moneymaker built on an established product. Hollywood loves them, and we’re sometimes sucked into the experience to cough up a few bucks for a seat at the cinema. However, it’s almost like rolling a dice to see which movie spinoffs end up as good or bad ones.

Luckily, some producers and filmmaking magicians sometimes convert a formula into something new and exciting. With so many to consider, these pictorial offshoots turned out to actually be pretty good.

Creed (2015)

Fixing a spinoff tale from the Rocky film series almost felt like a rookie was stepping into the ring. Ryan Coogler’s films attracted few audiences before he premiered Creed, with Fruitvale Station putting his name in viewers’ heads. Of course, with Sylvester Stallone passing the torch as Rocky Balboa himself, the presentation’s stadium lights shined.

Creed amassed a box office success story for itself, thus introducing a new hero for movie folks to remember. The boxing movie’s stars (Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, and Stallone) achieved acting recognition, as did Coogler for his direction. With two sequels expanding on Adonis Creed’s story, the first Creed proved movie spinoffs work, regardless of generational gaps.

A Shot in the Dark (1964)

The Pink Panther (1963) established a few characters fans already remember from afar. Sir Charles Lytton, Simone Clouseau, and the charming Inspector Jacques Clouseau appear elsewhere. The latter only played a supporting role in The Pink Panther, and Peter Sellers developed the Clouseau role in A Shot in the Dark one year later.

Where The Pink Panther centers on Lytton, A Shot in the Dark circles around Clouseau and his unique approach to detective work. With Lytton out of the picture, the “sequel” places a different protagonist in the driver’s seat, concluding this film acts as a spinoff.

The results produce a legacy for the Clouseau character.

The Cat Returns (2002)

Though Studio Ghibli’s projects aren’t directly connected with one another, The Cat Returns is a different story. The 2002 film expands on Baron Humbert von Gikkingen’s and Renaldo Moon’s (or Muta’s) presence after Whisper of the Heart (1995). While Haru Yoshioka stands as the main character, Gikkingen and Moon command noticeable roles.

The Cat Returns achieves both box office numbers and critical reception, straying away with more than $50 million against a $20 million budget. The Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer and Popcornmeters showcase above 80% admiration for the animated spinoff, providing excellent entertainment in Ghibli style.

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

Another animated gem from the 21st century showed how great certain properties can glide; in this case, it’s Batman. The 2017 Lego Movie spinoff sees the titular Caped Crusader diving into an adventure of his own. Batman’s animated venture pits the Dark Knight up against almost every member of his Rogues Gallery.

As such, The Lego Batman Movie scores a winning seat for itself as one of 2017’s most successful animated projects. Warner Bros. Pictures wonderfully delivers a fun time by achieving high ticket sales and award recognition. Its popularity helped move a sequel forward until Universal Pictures obtained the rights to use Lego content. This ultimately scrapped the sequel altogether.

Jack-Jack Attack (2005)

Whether folks label Jack-Jack Attack as a “tie-in” or “spinoff,” its charm electrifies every fiber of a Pixar presentation. The short film features the powerful pointy-haired baby (Eli Fucile) creating trouble for his babysitter (Bret Parker). Meanwhile, his family, the Incredibles, stay busy by saving the world from Syndrome (Jason Lee).

Pixar and Disney attached the Jack-Jack Attack short film with the DVD release of The Incredibles. The 2006 Hugo Awards nominated the Pixar creation for “Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form,” losing to Doctor Who‘s “The Empty Chair” and “The Doctor Dances” two-part event. Nevertheless, Jack-Jack Attack perfectly administers a sweet bite of adorable superhero action.

BURN-E (2008)

Another short Pixar flick we often think about is BURN-E, a tale spun from WALL-E‘s main narrative. This endearing dose of space peril extends the repair bot’s side of the story as they work to fix a spire. From the moment they’re left in space until they reach Earth, BURN-E fulfills a missing gap for curious fans.

Like Jack-Jack Attack, BURN-E stashes itself into WALL-E‘s cargo with the 2008 Blu-ray and DVD release. Though Pixar expertly animates tiny stories into short features, BURN-E successfully flies away with its spinoff launch.

Finding Dory (2016)

Continuing the events of Finding Nemo nearly seems impossible after audiences heroically join Pixar to rescue a lost clownfish. At the same time, the studio could expand and introduce another mystery, with Dory now in the hot seat. As a result, folks swim to Finding Dory as it premieres in 2016.

An incredible aquatic experience follows, seeing returning characters interacting with a wave of new ones. Finding Dory lands another one for Disney, earning more than a billion at the box office while impressing audiences and critics.

Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

The Fast and the Furious film franchise certainly engages in a stick shift in how it drives its stories. By steering in a completely different direction, the series pumps out Hobbs & Shaw. The spinoff features Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham fighting against Idris Elba’s Brixton Lore.

With Hobbs & Shaw, review aggregators like Metacritic display favorable numbers for the Fast and Furious spinoff. The spinoff’s success (as well as the rest of the action flick franchise) spills opportunities for further Fast and Furious entries.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

J.K. Rowling expanded the Wizarding World’s timeline once she partnered with Warner Bros. to debut a Harry Potter spinoff. The product Rowling, Warner Bros., and others involved conjured Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The wicked spinoff features a new cast set in 1926, many years before Harry steps into Hogwarts castle. In turn, Fantastic Beasts spawns a dormant series following numerous behind-the-scenes troubles. Despite the circumstances, the first Fantastic Beasts flick sees how magical the Wizarding World is without The Boy Who Lived.

The other two films received mixed reviews, highlighting the series’ inferior spell.

Supercop 2 (1993)

Now, what if you plaster Jackie Chan’s face onto the Supercop sequel and only stick him in for a cameo appearance? This certainly involves Michelle Yeoh after she stood alongside the action superstar in Police Story 3: Supercop (1992). While the Police Story series continues without Yeoh, she explores a case of her own with the Supercop 2 spinoff.

Looking back at Yeoh’s career, Supercop 2 delivers an absorbing kick to the head with the actress in the lead. Now an Academy Award-winning performer, Yeoh’s solo Supercop entry gives fans a pleasant throwback to check out once in a blue moon.

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

After John Krasinski successfully terrified moviegoers with A Quiet Place (2018), Paramount Pictures saw dollar signs and became vocal about a spinoff. In comes A Quiet Place: Day One, which depicts the original film’s universal troubles right from the absolute start. Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn star, as well as a supporting role by Djimon Hounsou from A Quiet Place Part 2 (2020).

By subverting the narrative to a different stretch of characters, the spinoff takes a risk by not featuring the Abbott family. Instead, A Quiet Place: Day One instills insane fear into audiences who become acquainted with some new faces. It’s an effective horror flick, garnering a positive reception and more than $260 million at the box office.

Get Him to the Greek (2010)

While some spinoffs feature returning characters in minor capacities, Get Him to the Greek handles the situation differently. The spinoff and sequel whiff up Russell Brand’s Aldous Snow from Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) for a drug-fueled voyage comprised of buddy comedy moments. It also features Jonah Hill in a new role, playing Aaron Green.

Though some of Get Him to the Greek‘s elements are poorly outdated, the comedy explores a tender side to rock ‘n’ roll and the music industry. Nicholas Stoller’s writing keeps the laugh bubbles bursting, and funny bits even get a little serious in some beats.

Deadpool (2016)

Hey, it’s your friendly internet friend, Deadpool here. Allow me to take over this writer’s crayon for a second and talk about my original 2016 origin movie. At a time when Fox became money-hungry bears looking to score extra profit off from X-Men properties, they looked to your handsome Merc with a Mouth and proceeded to shake the money bags.

And what do you know? My Deadpool solo venture (oh my, big words!) pockets more than $780 million from any nerdpool willing to laugh their brains away at cinema excellence. Of course, I had a sequel in 2018, and I brought Hugh back for Deadpool & Wolverine a few years later in 2024.

I know, you don’t have to thank me. I’m just looking out for the little guys. Kiss-kiss.

Logan (2017)

While we work on obtaining a restraining order against Deadpool, we suddenly flashback to Logan. The superhero Western tale of an aging Wolverine protecting young mutants from parasitic hunters. It’s a bleak world where mutants are nearly extinct, a world where acceptance isn’t tolerated.

Logan became the X-Men film franchise’s magnificent serving of action and drama. It’s the highest-rated X-Men flick of the series, sitting above Days of Future Past (2014). Oscar attention encircled Hugh Jackman’s performance and Logan’s script. Though Wolverine’s previous solo films did generally well, Logan rode off into the sunset with nearly $620 million in his satchel, supported by a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Birds of Prey (2020)

The only good things Suicide Squad (2016) produced were the afterthoughts on how to properly explore the film’s characters elsewhere. The film attracted little love from critics, leaving Margot Robbie to dress up as Harley Quinn for a separate project. This became the Birds of Prey spinoff, with Quinn leading a new team to fight against some psychopathic foes.

By inviting a fresh look into Harley Quinn’s colorful madness, critics praised Birds of Prey, yet ticket sales underperformed. The film missed its breakeven point, and further developments got pushed to the side.

Now, with the DCU underway, there’s no telling where these characters might end up.

Bumblebee (2018)

The Transformers films generated just enough dough to entice Paramount Pictures with a spinoff. Instead of rolling out additional robot battles for big spectacles, Bumblebee pits viewers in the passenger seat for a Michael Bay-less experience.

With director Travis Knight behind the wheel, Bumblebee astonishes audiences and critics with a delightful action movie sitting above many of the entries in the series. Not that it’s a fair criticism; it’s merely pointing out Bumblebee‘s critical achievements compared to his brothers-in-Cybertron-arms.

Machete (2010)

The rise of Machete’s story proves an engrossing one, led by Danny Trejo, Robert Rodriguez, and a few other figures. Before sheathing his own movie, the character appears in the Spy Kids features when he’s not slaughtering folks. To Rodriquez, the Spy Kids Machete differs from the Grindhouse film universe, yet Trejo admits he’s more of a homage to the same Isador Cortez.

Steam propelled to a crimson demand after Machete appeared in a fake trailer for the Grindhouse double feature. From there, the 2010 Machete premieres to fanfare acclaim and dubious reviews. Whether or not some folks fall for Machete’s glistening presence, the film holds fair ratings online.

Borat (2006)

Sacha Baron Cohen introduced his Borat Sagdiyev character on F2F and Da Ali G Show before shocking everyone with the 2006 mockumentary. By shedding a hilarious light on American standards, Borat journeys across America, causing havoc in many ways.

Borat‘s success not only stung many folks, but it also produced countless waves of critiques from the left and the right. On the critical and audience side, Borat became a comedic hit, eventually gifting Cohen several awards for his Borat portrayal. Very nice indeed, considering it birthed an infectious sequel with Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020).

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

While characters like Borat come from other properties, where does Zathura fly from? It’s technically a spinoff of the Jumanji tale, serving as the second entry in the film series. Creator Chris Van Allsburg connects both tales, yet the films hardly represent the astronomical bond between the stories.

Nevertheless, Zathura: A Space Adventure opens a new invasive board game for everyone to explore. Jon Favreau launches theatergoers a fantastic trip into the cosmos, returning home with a positive critical reception.

Annabelle: Creation (2017)

Freaky dolls always seem to find a home in the cinemas, and modern folks thank The Conjuring installments for keeping doll-makers in business. The films spawned Annabelle (2014), yet the attachment wasn’t there for the spinoff quite yet. Warner Bros. first needed to convert a few pages within the horror genre to spin a devilish sequel.

In comes Annabelle: Creation, which continues the inspired Raggedy Ann doll’s origin story with nightmare fuel. The scares terrify enough critics to see its potential, raising neck hairs to a welcoming 70% approval rating.

Its sequel, Annabelle Comes Home (2019), obtained similar ratings.

Penguins of Madagascar (2014)

The Madagascar franchise certainly came and went from the mid-2000s to mid-2010s. Only four primary films exist within the DreamWorks Animation-produced universe, and Penguins of Madagascar serves as its sole spinoff. Though the series’ focused animals sit on the sidelines, the film follows the hilarious gang of anthropomorphic penguins.

The Penguins of Madagascar (Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private) arguably became pivotal in the films, becoming audience favorites. Like how the Minions are presented today, the penguins embark on an adventure of their own, attaining box office sales and a warm reception in the process.

Cute and cuddly, case closed.

Puss in Boots (2011)

By excluding Shrek from the picture, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation purr an appealing spinoff with Puss in Boots. The film takes the established character from the Shrek installments and pits him in his solo fairy tale.

Puss in Boots (with Antonio Banderas returning to voice the fearless feline) pounces onto box office attention with hundreds of millions to carry away. The success of Puss in Boots leads to a television series and a sequel, continuing the character’s journey.

Rogue One (2016)

While the narrative for Rogue One acts as a prequel to Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), its focused set of characters, circumstances, and creative magic differentiate from the formula altogether. With a couple of Skywalkers in the picture, the first Star Wars spinoff lightspeeds away from the mainline sagas of Luke Skywalker and his father.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story scores one for the Republic, amassing more than a billion bucks for Disney at the box office. Positive reception rests on Rogue One‘s shoulders, hinting at a particular interest in other Star Wars stories.

Lightyear (2022)

Adapting Buzz Lightyear’s origin story under a different light shows how far some heroes can fly. With 2022’s Lightyear feature, Pixar establishes a vibrant voyage through space with Buzz Lightyear as the focused character.

While Lightyear attracted as many cadets to the theaters as possible (during post-COVID periods), the film triumphed in winning a positive reception. As Toy Story 5 enters the conversation, could this lead to other Buzz adventures across the stars? Only time can tell in this antimatter.