5 Movie Spin-Offs That Sucked, 1 That Will, 1 That Won’t

Posted by Josh Radde (josh@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 25, 2009

Right now I’m listening to the new album “Get Guilty” by A.C. Newman (pretty awesome), who also serves as the lead man for the band The New Pornographers (which also has a place as side project for other artists like Neko Case). This past weekend Hugh Jackman did a noble, yet lame, job of hosting the Oscars, but many know him as the star of the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine, being a spin-off (and prequel) from the X-Men trilogy. And this weekend, a character from the Street Fighter video game (Chun Li) is getting her own film starring Smallville’s Kristen Kreuk. Spin-offs, side projects, and side character-based entries into pop culture are all around us right now.

In music, side projects or solo projects can often work nicely. Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison (who even went on to produce one of the greatest music videos of all-time, IMHO) proved that life existed beyond the Beatles. Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and Morrissey are examples of solo acts that even eclipsed the popularity of their previous groups. In TV, you see spin-offs get created to varying degrees of success. For every “Frasier” and “Boston Legal” that succeeds, there’s a “Joey” that falls by the wayside. The track record of spin-offs being both successful and ill-received makes it possible (if not probable) that an “Office” spin-off starring Rainn Wilson isn’t exactly doomed upon inception.

But for movies, it’s almost always negative. And before I list some of the spin-offs in film that have rubbed me the wrong way, let me first lay-out what I define as a movie spin-off, as opposed to a sequel. A sequel takes the same character(s) through an entirely new journey that either adds to or is perceived to enhance the original story; a spin-off takes (most likely) one side character through a storyline that is separate and independent of the source material the character originated from. For example, I consider Wolverine and Steet Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li spin-offs because even though they can be considered prequels, their stories are only one part of the larger story as a whole (although it can be argued that a large part of the X-Men trilogy was devoted to Logan finding out about his past); meanwhile, Terminator: Salvation will be a sequel (and prequel, interestingly) because it takes its lead character (John Connor) through a story that both enhances and pays homage to the three films that came before it, even though not one actor from the previous films will appear in it.

So, in lieu of my definition, I’d like to share 5 Movie Spin-Offs That Sucked:

1. Evan Almighty

What a dreadfully misguided film to make. Steve Carell reprises his minor character from Bruce Almighty, in a ridiculous modern day adaptation of Noah’s Ark. Even though Morgan Freeman is back as God, this is clearly Evan’s story, and it’s clearly separate of the events that unfolded in Jim Carrey’s earlier film. This was, without a doubt, one of the biggest commercial, comedic flops of all-time not made by someone named Eddie Murphy. Injury was added to insult when not only did this film garner horrible reviews but made $75 million less than it cost (not including the millions spent in advertising as well).

2. Elektra

Jennifer Garner’s character from Daredevil was given her own film. The result: a big, hearty yawn and a few cringes from yours truly. And if for nothing else, at least it gave us images like this, courtesy Sci-Fi Movie Page, to appreciate.

3. The Scorpion King

Remember when we could smell what the Rock was cooking, and it didn’t reek of kiddy fare like Race to Witch Mountain and The Game Plan? Dwayne Johnson’s first on-screen role where he wasn’t playing “The Rock” was in 2001’s The Mummy Returns. Based on the success of that film, he came back a year later to reprise King Mathayus in The Scorpion King. Now, if played correctly, this could’ve been a fun B-movie, but it seems to take itself too seriously for that distinction. The only time it seems to wink at itself is when The Rock gives the “People’s Eyebrow” one of the top 5 most annoying things professional wrestling’s legacy has left us (perhaps a future Top 5 list in and of itself).

4. Hannibal Rising

Without Anthony Hopkins, this is even more of a laughable spin-off. Also called a “prequel,” I believe what quantifies Rising as a spin-off is that it breaks from the mold of the three stories and four films the preceded it. In those films, Lecter (played first by Brian Cox, then with much more bite by Anthony Hopkins, [pun fully intended]) serves as a source to help an investigator solve a case. He supports the action, but he doesn’t carry the story (which is what makes Hopkins’ win for Best LEAD Actor a dubious decision to this day). In Hannibal Rising, he’s not only front and center, but it puts a stain on the incredible performances initially given by Hopkins and Cox.

5. American Pie Presents: Band Camp

Stifler’s brother (played by a guy whose real name is “Tad”) is the star of this straight-to-DVD movie. You’ll remember that Stifler’s brother plays a tiny role in the first two American Pie movies, portrayed by Eli Marienthal. Flash forward a few years: In order to live up to the “standards of the Stifmeister,” Matt Stifler wreaks havoc and creates a series of shenanigan-filled festivities that lead to burning genitals and making amateur videos of naked ladies while serving time in band camp. The film also brings back Eugene Levy as Mr. Levenstein (and Chris “Shermanator” Owen), but even he couldn’t save this film from disaster.

A Spin-Off That WILL Suck

S. Darko

Another movie listed as a “sequel” is S. Darko, starring Daviegh Chase as Samantha Darko, the character she played in the 2001 cult classic. The film, arriving on DVD in April, is about Samantha and her friend who have to stay in a small town when their car breaks down and she begins to have nightmares that foretell the coming of the end-of-the-world. Chase is the only actor returning from the first film and the only character returning except for Frank the Rabbit (except this time played by War of the Worlds actor Justin Chatwin). I don’t see how this plays as a sequel since the first film was not even about Samantha, she was just the weird little girl dancing in “Sparkle Motion.”

Straight-to-DVD is where most movie spin-offs inevitably go. The Hanson Brothers (not the band) were side characters in Paul Newman’s 1977 comedy Slap Shot, but then appeared in two other hockey-based films called Slap Shot 2 and 3. Sequels? Sorta. Spin-offs? Yes. Shitty? Definitely. Theatrically, AVP could technically be considered a spin-off from both the Alien and Predator franchises, but those are guilty pleasures at best and not altogether terrible, same with Freddy Vs. Jason (also, I can’t decide if crossovers fit into their own category or if they fit in this one).

However, this is not to say that no spin-off could be good. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back had some good laughs in it and a couple SNL spin-offs are classics today, like Blues Brothers and Wayne’s World–but then again, those aren’t spin-offs from other movies, just from the TV show. I have hope that Wolverine could actually be pretty good. Everything we’ve seen so far has indicated that the talented cast could deliver (can’t WAIT to see Liev Schrieber as Sabertooth) and that Hugh Jackman could return to his ass-kicking form from the first two X-Men films and ditch the subdued role he played in X3. Time will tell on this one, of course, but I think for once it’s a spin-off we can at least be optimistic about.

Are there any spin-offs you can think of that were good or bad? Any spin-offs you’d like to see made (rumored spin-offs include Venom and Magneto)?

Read more articles by Josh Radde