Last Updated on August 3, 2021
#1 – THE BIG LEBOWSKI
If you aren’t watching FARGO, you are missing out on the best Coen Brothers project that doesn’t involve the Coens themselves. The series perfectly carries on the brilliance of FARGO but with original stories that are only connected in tenuous ways. While I would doubt anyone could play Walter or The Dude the way John Goodman and Jeff Bridges did, maybe there is a way to tell more stories that follow the film without continuing that story. If FARGO can do it, I am sure there is a way to make it work with THE BIG LEBOWSKI.
#2 – THE MATRIX
The odds of The Wachowskis making another movie in THE MATRIX franchise are slim. Their recent box office blunders will likely make studios think twice about greenlighting projects for them, but maybe the siblings can produce a series set in their iconic world. Giving us a new lead character who has to navigate the dystopian world of The Matrix would be an ideal fit for a network like AMC or FX. I would definitely want to explore more about how The Matrix works and doing so over a thirteen episode season would provide enough room to do that.
#3 – PULP FICTION
Another film that could turn into an anthology series, Quentin Tarantino’s most famous film is broken into chapters that have a common thread connecting them. Do the same thing with a show and have a character or two who flow between stories to keep them connected and you have a series. HBO’s new series High Maintenance uses a similar conceit and with the right writers, this could be absolutely brilliant. Plus, since it is a contemporary setting, the possibilities are limitless as to what kind of stories you tell.
#4 – SIN CITY
Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller already broke their two films into episodic chapters and showed that the smaller stories within the whole are incredibly interesting. So, why not break those tales into individual episodes and turn it into a series? Presented anthology style, SIN CITY could have a season of completely separate tales that are only connected by a visual palette and the geographical setting. It may be expensive to produce, but I would watch a noir series set in this black and white universe.
#5 – ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
HBO’s series Ballers feels like Entourage with footballs. While the bro element may be a bit on the nose, the sports aspect is what really intrigues me. Friday Night Lights showed the drama of amateur football, so a show focused on the seedy underside of professional athletes could make for damn good viewing. Oliver Stone’s film may not be for everyone but it definitely captured a side of football that deserves a second look.
#6 – ELECTION
Alexander Payne’s black comedy may not seem like a natural fit for a television series, but HBO has proved that public school drama works as a series with their hilarious show Vice Principals. Each season could follow an election at a different school with an entirely new cast which would avoid the pitfalls of focusing on the same students each year. I would love to see if Matthew Broderick would appear as his character from the film or maybe a different teacher each season.
#7 – MEN IN BLACK
Like GHOSTBUSTERS, the plot behind MEN IN BLACK is perfect for the small screen. Taking a cue from police procedurals, you could turn the MIBs into a weekly show where they track down various intergalactic criminals. The budget may be a bit more limited than the movies, but special effects can work wonders these days. It would also allow more exploration of the characters and a wider net to present alien races and beings briefly glimpsed on the big screen.
#8 – THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Another film that has a sequel in development hell. This movie was the second iteration of Stieg Larsson’s novel, the first of which was made in Sweden and aired as a mini-series on French television. Taking a cue from there, the novels would work as self-contained seasons on a premium cable network. This would allow the narrative to remain intact without trying to condense it to a theatrical run time. Plus, it would be more cost-effective than trying to make it as a big budget thriller.
#9 – UNBREAKABLE
M. Night Shyamalan has long been teasing a potential sequel to his superhero film but it has yet to come to fruition. While the plot would be somewhat close to NBC’s Heroes, a series about David Dunn helping people as an unnamed hero while Mr. Glass/Elijah Price tries to stop him from behind bars could make for appointment television. Hell, Bruce Willis is looking for work these days…maybe he would join the series and reprise his role?
#10 – GHOSTBUSTERS
While I enjoyed this summer’s reboot of GHOSTBUSTERS, there is no doubt that it failed to capture what made the original movie a classic. Still, getting some Ghostbusters is better than none. With television reliant on formulas, GHOSTBUSTERS would be a perfect fit. Have a crew investigate new apparitions each week and you have yourself a series. Of course it would all be reliant on getting the right cast, but this could be a structure tailor made for the small screen.
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