Many shows that students enjoyed as children are being adapted into movies. This can benefit both audiences and the show creators. People enjoy watching a more mature version of something they watched as kids, and the movies attract many viewers.
Over time, many of these adaptations have been made, some of which have become classic pieces of cinema, while others have flopped and become something the fanbase tries to forget.
Sophomore Jayden Caltumo stated, “I used to be a big ‘Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir’ fan, so when it got a movie adaptation I was excited for it to bring back old memories. The nostalgia was what sold it for me, but it definitely wasn’t their best work.”
While many fans enjoyed the first “Scooby-Doo” movie, it garnered a mere 32% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. The Critics Consensus quoted it as “a tired live-action update, filled with lame jokes.”
Despite the movie’s poor reviews, it was renewed for a sequel, which did even worse.
Sometimes, these movies become cult classics and are enjoyed by fans for years to come. The 2011 Phineas and Ferb movie, “Phineas and Ferb: The Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension,” did just this. It was an immediate hit with the fanbase, receiving a whopping 100% on the Tomatometer and an 81% audience score on the Popcornmeter.
One critic claimed, “It takes the elements from the original show and mixes them all together into one and challenges itself! Completely changing character dynamics and everything.”
A couple of upcoming adaptations of popular TV shows are also being released this year. “Henry Danger: The Movie” was released on January 17 on Nickelodeon and Paramount+, respectively. Although it is not a TV show, a film adaptation of the popular “Dog Man” book series has also been announced.
Caltumo commented, “‘Dog Man’ should be a funny movie. I’ll be happy to see it. I was a ‘Henry Danger’ fan, but I think the actors have grown a little too much for it to feel the same. Maybe I’ll watch it, depending on the reviews.”
Another popular adaptation of a kids’ book series made into a movie is “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.” Fans received it fairly well, with an 87% on the Tomatometer but a slightly disappointing 63% on the Popcornmeter.
It can be hard for directors to give fans exactly what they want.
Videography teacher Mr. Prentice stressed, “[Film adaptations] should be true to the source material and have a good story to tell in two to three hours.”
As more beloved TV shows and even books get movie adaptations, the success of these adaptations varies greatly. Some resonate with the fanbase, while others miss the mark and leave fans heavily disappointed. Hopefully, upcoming adaptations can honor the source material while creating something enjoyable for fans.
