Ten Films That We’d Love to See Become Successful TV Shows

Rush Hour. Uncle Buck. It seems like each day brings new reports of a movie being turned into a TV show with most upcoming projects like Fatal Attraction appearing unfit for TV (given that, well, we all know how THAT story ends—hide your bunnies!). Also, you can have your Scream TV series – it bears next-to-no resemblance to the films we love.

But what movies would make good TV shows? Here are ten that might be able to successfully make the leap from big screen to small screen.

1. Chinatown. Bear with us. Imagine HBO doing their own take on this classic, a look at the seedy underbelly of LA through the eyes of a private investigator. Think True Detective only with a film noir quality. Could Jon Hamm fill Nicholson’s shoes?
2. Groundhog Day. It already has a comforting, sitcom-like premise (each episode will bring the same routine the same way Kramer enters Jerry’s apartment without knocking), but imagine getting to learn more about the characters within the quirky town of Punxsutawney (especially since Bill Murray was trapped in the town for 34 years). Of course you’ll need a replacement for Phil Connors. Our suggestions: Hugh Laurie or John Cho.
3. To Wong Fu, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. A group of drag queens accidentally ends up in a small Midwestern town and change the lives of the residents for the better (does this already just scream Logo?). Now, who to cast? Hugh Dancy is pretty enough to be a woman—plus, Hannibal was canceled, so he’s looking for work. Also, Michael Pena could attempt the fill the heels of John Leguizamo.
4. Pleasantville. Two teens end up sucked into their favorite ‘50s TV show. This concept is ripe for episodes and character arcs. Jennette McCurdy could play the Reese Witherspoon role, Michael Cera the Tobey Maguire, and other townspeople could include Anna Friel (who rocked vintage garb on Pushing Daisies) and Octavia Spencer, who could be a character that starts a Civil Rights movement inspired by these transients from the future.
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In the movie, we only got 2.5 hours’ worth of grandpa-to-baby, but what about all of the stuff in between? Who doesn’t want to see an 80-year-old in kindergarten? The plot has so many possibilities when it comes to episodes. Cast Rob Lowe in this role, since he’s already like a real–life Benjamin.
6. Raiders of the Lost Ark. Twenty-five years ago, ABC tried to do the The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, starring Sean Patrick Flanery, but what about doing a show about adult Indiana Jones and the adventures he goes on? Shut everyone up and cast Chris Pratt and put it on AMC.
7. Peter Pan. Networks like Fox and CW are doing origin stories for characters like Batman and the Flash, but what about another beloved character who flies? And it wouldn’t even have to be an origin story. It could just be a look at the boy who never grows old and the adventures he finds himself in without Wendy.
8. Basic Instinct. There are many male anti-heroes on TV, but not enough female ones. This show would fix that, following Catherine Tramell and her series of misdeeds. Think Dexteress. Starring Eva Longoria in Sharon Stone’s role.
9. August Osage County. The days of The Cosby Show are gone. Dysfunctional families are hot right now (think: The Americans, Shameless), and there’s nothing more dysfunctional than this play-turned-movie. This family could get into A LOT of trouble, and while you won’t get Meryl to reprise her role, you could get Margo Martindale (The Millers was canceled) and maybe some new blood in the form of Hope Davis, Courteney Cox, Steve Buscemi, Anna Gunn, and Jessica Lange in the Meryl role.
10. The Player. Hollywood loves movies about itself, so why wouldn’t it like a TV series about the inner workings of the business? Robert Altman’s 1992 film was about an executive receiving death threats from a screenwriter, but this is probably just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what people will do to make it in Hollywood. Let’s hear more. Timothy Olyphant could play the Tim Robbins role.

What movie do you think would make a good TV show? Sound off in the comments.