Although few theatrical franchises receive animated TV spinoffs likeBack to the Future,Beetlejuice, andGhostbustersdid, this ’80s trend predicted major change in 2020s Hollywood. While the blockbuster may have been born in the ‘70s with hits likeJaws,Star Wars, andAlien, the ‘80s was where the movie franchise truly flourished. The aforementioned hits all received sequels that expanded their fictional worlds and earned staggering sums at the box office, but the decade was also home to a slew of huge franchises that continue to this day. These include theGhostbustersmovies, theGremlinsseries, and theBack to the Futurefranchise.
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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was a huge box office hit, and its success proves that Tim Burton is better off staying away from mega budget blockbusters.
FromRambotoRobocoptoMad MaxtoIndiana JonestoThe Terminator, the ‘80s was a halcyon period for blockbuster franchises. Althoughsome of the best ‘80s moviesnever received a follow-up, the decade was nonetheless instrumental in popularizing the concept of sequels, reboots, spin-offs, prequels, and assorted other IP extensions. This is without even mentioningthe ‘80s horror franchiseswhose low budgets and high box office returns often resulted in them gaining upwards of half a dozen sequels.Nightmare On Elm Street,Friday the 13th,Halloween, andChildren of the Cornall reliably churned out follow-ups.
Many Major 1980s Movies Received Animated TV Sequels
Everything From Robocop To Rambo Received An Animated TV Spinoff
However, one thing that these R-rated horror franchises were less likely to spawn was animated TV spinoffs. FromThe Real GhostbusterstoRobocop, gaining an animated TV show spinoff aimed at children was a rite of passage for major ‘80s movie franchises. Some of these, likeRambo’s infamous TV spinoffThe Force of Freedom, diverged wildly from the tone of their source material.Even Troma’s infamously explicit and gruesomeThe Toxic Avengersomehow received a spinoff cartoon aimed at children, althoughToxic Crusadersaltered the style and tone of the original movie series beyond any recognition.
Many of these spinoffs allowed popular franchises with only a handful of theatrical outings a comparatively inexpensive way to expand their fictional universes. Shows likeThe Real Ghostbusters,Beetlejuice,Back to the Future,Teen Wolf,The Karate Kid, andPolice Academyoffered viewers chances to catch up with their favorite characters as they embarked on shorter weekly adventures. This made their respective movies more popular in the rental market by building on their stories. Others, likeRobocop,Toxic Crusaders, andRambo: The Force of Freedom, gave younger viewers an introduction to franchises that were otherwise aimed firmly at adults.
The 1980s' Animated Spinoff Boom Predicted How Modern Franchises Expand On Streaming Platforms
TV Spinoffs Expanded Fictional Universes Much Like Modern Streaming Shows
Although it might seem strange for a violent, R-rated franchise like theRobocopmovies to have a TV spinoff aimed at children, it is worth noting that these TV shows allowed franchises to enter the lucrative world of merchandising. Younger viewers were more likely to purchase toys and branded products, meaning even thoroughly grown-up franchises received cartoon spinoffs aimed at kids. In many ways, thenumerousStar Warsstreaming showsthat expanded the world of the franchise borrowed this approach. AlthoughStar Warswas at the forefront, franchises like DC, Marvel, and theJurassic Worldseries have since followed suit.
Back to the Future(1985)
Back to the Future(1991-1993)
Robocop(1987)
Robocop(1988)
Shows likeWandavisionand its subsequent spinoffAgatha All Along,Andor, andJurassic World: Camp Cretaceousexpand the world of their respective franchises, allowing viewers to catch up with characters who might otherwise not appear on the big screen for years at a time. In this regard,streaming spinoffs from contemporary cinematic universes operate a lot like animated TV shows did for ‘80s franchises. In both cases, these smaller-scale shows offer studios a comparatively inexpensive way to build the world of their franchises without relying entirely on large-scale, theatrically released feature films.
Many Animated Spinoffs Of 1980s Movies Hold Up Surprisingly Well Today
The Best ‘80s TV Spinoffs Felt Like An Extension Of Their Movie Counterparts
The other major similarity between many of these streaming shows and their ‘80s cartoon counterparts is that,ie as surprising as it might sound, both are usually true to the tone of their parent franchises.Many ‘80s animated TV spinoff shows are surprisingly good, withBeetlejuice,The Real Ghostbusters, andThe Karate Kidall nailing the tone of their respective movies. While shows likeRobocopmay stray far from their inspiration, they remain fun, well-animated, and engaging. Even the worst efforts of the era, such asRambo: The Force of Freedom, are good for providing a few laughs.
Many of them served the same purpose as contemporary streaming shows and are well worth revisiting as a result.
While not all of the ‘80s franchise spinoffs can be quite as impressive asBeetlejuice’s superb sequel series, many of them served the same purpose as contemporary streaming shows and are well worth revisiting as a result. For viewers who want to re-immerse themselves in the world ofBack to the Future,Beetlejuice, orGhostbustersmovies, revisiting their respective TV shows could prove just as effective as another umpteenth re-watch of the movies themselves.
