Did you know The Naked Gun films actually come from a TV show called Police Squad!? Well, now you do.
In the endless ouroboros of reboots, spin-offs and re-imaginings, Hollywood has a habit of resurrecting old IP (often with mixed results).
Every so often, just like The Naked Gun, a film adaptation manages to completely eclipse the TV show it originated from – so much so, that most people forget the show ever existed.
Below, we revisit some of the most iconic film spin-offs that outgrew their small-screen origins.
The Naked Gun and other films that had unexpected TV origins:
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
Origin: Police Squad! (1982)
Director: David Zucker
Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán
Genre: Crime comedy, slapstick
Police Squad! was a short-lived spoof series by the same Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team that would go on to make The Naked Gun films. It ran for just six episodes on ABC before being unceremoniously axed. The reason? It was apparently ‘too smart for TV’ (The Hollywood Reporter).
Thankfully, it got a second life with The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, which transformed bumbling detective Frank Drebin into a silver screen comedy icon. The film’s success spawned two sequels and became a cult classic, embedding Nielsen’s deadpan delivery into comedy history.
Now, a reboot starring Liam Neeson as Frank Drebin, Jr. is imminently releasing in Australian cinemas.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Origin: Mission: Impossible (1966–1973)
Director: Brian De Palma
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Béart
Genre: Action, spy thriller
The original Mission: Impossible TV series was a serious Cold War-era procedural that ran for seven seasons on CBS, known for its elaborate plots and iconic theme music.
Enter Tom Cruise in 1996, with a high-octane reimagining that kickstarted what would become one of the most successful action franchises in cinema history. Now spanning eight films, the M:I movies have long outshone their TV predecessor.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Origin: Da Ali G Show (2000–2004)
Director: Larry Charles
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Pamela Anderson
Genre: Satirical mockumentary
Before Borat became a global sensation, he was a recurring character on Da Ali G Show, Sacha Baron Cohen’s satirical sketch series that aired on BBC’s Channel 4 and HBO for three seasons.
The leap to film gave Borat Sagdiyev a bigger platform – and a bigger culture shock. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan was a box office hit and Oscar nominee, cementing Baron Cohen’s status as a provocateur par excellence. The TV show remains a cult favourite, but the film turned the character into a household name (and national controversy).
Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Origin: Charlie’s Angels (1976–1981)
Director: McG
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu
Genre: Action comedy
The original Charlie’s Angels was a glamorous crime procedural that ran for five seasons, known for its campy plots and eye-candy appeal.
But the 2000 film reboot turned the franchise into a kinetic, hyper-stylised action comedy with a feminist edge. Featuring kung-fu fight scenes, explosive set pieces and serious star power, it reintroduced the Angels to a new generation.
A sequel (Full Throttle) followed in 2003, and though there have been other reboots since, none have quite matched the cultural moment captured by Diaz, Barrymore and Liu.
George of the Jungle (1997)
Origin: George of the Jungle (1967)
Director: Sam Weisman
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church
Genre: Family comedy, adventure
This one’s often mistaken as an original kids’ movie – but George of the Jungle actually began life as a goofy animated series created by Jay Ward (of Rocky and Bullwinkle fame), which ran for just 17 episodes.
The 1997 live-action film, starring Brendan Fraser as the vine-swinging himbo with a heart of gold, was a surprise hit. Its mix of physical comedy, fourth-wall breaking and wholesome humour made it a favourite for millennials. The TV cartoon is a footnote now – Fraser is George.
Dark Shadows (2012)
Origin: Dark Shadows (1966–1971)
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer
Genre: Gothic comedy, supernatural
Dark Shadows was a campy gothic soap opera that ran for five years and became a cult hit for its moody melodrama and vampire anti-hero, Barnabas Collins.
The 2012 Tim Burton film took that premise and turned it into a sardonic supernatural comedy. While not a critical darling, it introduced Dark Shadows to a new audience – and visually, leaned heavily into Burton’s signature stylings. As reviewed in IndieWire, the film’s tone divided viewers and critics, but it remains the more widely known version.
The Addams Family (1991)
Origin: The Addams Family (1964–1966)
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christina Ricci
Genre: Comedy, gothic
Before Netflix’s Wednesday and long before Tumblr made goth cool, there was The Addams Family – the delightfully macabre sitcom that ran for just two seasons in the 1960s.
The 1991 film reintroduced the iconic characters with sharper writing, bigger laughs, and a scene-stealing turn from Christina Ricci as Wednesday. It led to a sequel (Addams Family Values), a musical, and countless reinventions.
Despite the chokehold that re-runs of the series had on Australian television in the 90s, the Sonnenfeld films remain the definitive version for a lot of fans.
Honourable Mentions: Star Trek (though the TV-to-film trajectory is well-remembered), The Fugitive, and 21 Jump Street. Not all these adaptations forgot where they came from – but some of us definitely did.
