Spinoffs can be a tricky business, but that does not stop fans from wanting them. Every fan of a movie or television franchise wants more, and there’s usually a ready supply of interesting characters to follow off in a new direction.
However, many spinoffs of popular movies and shows never get off the ground or fail to find their audience and end after a season. On occasion, these spinoffs can take off and reach even greater heights than the original.
In the next few years, a multitude of shows and movies will be attempting ambitious spinoffs. Shows like Riverdale and Sons of Anarchy will be following new characters on a different adventure, while hit moves like John Wick and Bourne will be taking the leap from the big screen to the small one with plans for television series.
Well-loved movie franchises like Fast & Furious will be striking out with spinoff movies focusing on different characters and huge pop culture phenomena like Game of Thrones will also be branching out in the near future.
Even more spinoffs are rumored to be in the works, some of which could make for interesting and unique television and movies. The rumored spinoffs span from highly anticipated Star Wars stories to explorations of new branches for hits like House of Cards and Walking Dead.
A few of them are quite unexpected, ranging from new chapters of the Kingsman series to new life for one Black Mirror episode. Time will tell if these spinoffs will get made or find success, but fans can already start getting excited.
With that said, here are the 16 Spinoffs Currently In Development (And 12 Possibilities).
In Development: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (Riverdale)
After the success of Riverdale, television based on Archie Comics is branching out to a new Sabrina spinoff.
It won’t be exactly like the old Sabrina the Teenage Witch, as it is expected to be similar to Riverdale in tone and style.
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will be more of a classic horror story.
Although it is considered a spinoff of Riverdale, it is staying separate from Riverdale as it is premiering on Netflix while the original show is airing on the CW.
However, the creators are not ruling out an eventual crossover.
The new Sabrina will premiere on Netflix this year.
Possibility: Statesman (Kingsman: The Secret Service)
The Kingsman movies have found a large audience, and the continued success of the franchise had led to talk of multiple spinoff ideas.
Director Matthew Vaughn has revealed plans for a third movie, a prequel, a television series, and a spinoff movie. The spinoff movie will follow the Statesman, Kingsman’s American counterparts.
There are few details yet about the Kingsman television series, but this may prove to be an interesting spinoff project in the future.
The third installment of the series and the prequel film will come first and will be shot back to back, so it may still be some time before fans will see the television series or the Statesman spinoff.
In Development: The Purge Series (The Purge)
The terrifying Purge horror franchise will soon be producing a spinoff television series. The show will take a deeper look at the world in which the Purge takes place.
Executive producer James DeMonaco explained, “The real estate of the 10 hours of the TV allows us to use flashback, where we flashback out of the Purge world, into the regular lives, the non-Purge days, of this future America. We get to see who these people are when it’s not Purge Night and the events that led them to where they are on the particular Purge night that we are following.”
The Purge will premiere September 4, 2018 on USA and SYFY.
Possibility: Lando Calrissian (Star Wars)
Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian stole the show in Solo: A Star Wars Story. His popularity in the prequel was enough to spark rumors that Lando would be getting his own spinoff movie in the Star Wars Story franchise.
Disney has been playing their future plans close to the vest, so it’s hard to say if the plans for a Lando Calrissian movie will materialize.
If the plans did come together, Donald Glover is on board with it, stating that he would love to reprise his role.
It’s likely that other Star Wars Story movies would come before this, so there may be a long wait before Lando has a chance in the spotlight.
In Development: Hobbs and Shaw (Fast & Furious)
Fast & Furious has been one of the most popular franchises in recent years, but it’s going to be a while before another installment of the main series hits theaters.
Instead, fans can expect a spinoff movie featuring Hobbs and Shaw.
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham will be reprising their Fast & Furious roles and teaming up for an adventure on their own.
Director David Leitch says that the team-up movie is made in the style of an ’80s buddy movie. The film will also feature Idris Elba in the role of the villain taking on Hobbs and Shaw.
The movie is expected to premiere in August 2019.
In Development: Mayans MC (Sons of Anarchy)
Set after the finale of its parent series Sons of Anarchy, Mayans MC follows the future of the Mayans motorcycle gang as a new prospect joins the gang after getting out of prison.
The spinoff will include Emilio Rivera reprising his Sons of Anarchy role as Marcus Alvarez.
This spinoff was expected earlier, but it’s been through a troubled production. The series pilot that they had produced in 2017 was sent back for recasting and reshoots.
The show seems to be back on track now since it was officially picked up by FX in January.
Mayans MC will premiere this fall.
Possibility: Multiple Walking Dead Spinoffs
The Walking Dead has already produced one spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead, but the hit franchise doesn’t seem to be stopping there.
Showrunner Scott M. Gimple revealed that there are ideas in the works for even more spinoffs at AMC.
There are no details on those ideas yet, but they could include anything from a spinoff for current fan favorite characters to a new location in the world to explore to a prequel that could work in beloved characters that have not made it this far.
No one is ready to say what the next big project will be, but fans can certainly expect more from this franchise in the coming years.
In Development: Game of Thrones Prequel
As Game of Thrones gears up for its upcoming final season, it’s little surprise that HBO plans to have a spinoff series close on the heels of the finale of its pop culture sensation.
The spinoff will be a prequel to the events of the series, and it may begin filming as early as October of this year.
HBO’s synopsis says the plot will cover stories “from the horrifying secrets of Westeros’s history to the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East to the Starks of legend.”
There’s no official title yet, but George R.R. Martin weighed in to suggest the title The Long Night.
Possibility: Obi-Wan (Star Wars)
According to a growing network of rumors, the next Star Wars Story that fans can expect will center on Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Disney has never made an official announcement about the movie. However, reports are piling up suggesting that the Obi-Wan film is not only in the works, but is expected to start filming fairly soon.
Filming is still ongoing for Star Wars: Episode IX, but Obi-Wan is reportedly next on the schedule for filming.
The movie may start production as early as January this upcoming year with the main shoots beginning in April 2019. The famous Jedi’s standalone film may be close on the horizon.
In Development: Wellington Paranormal/What We Do In The Shadows (What We Do In The Shadows)
Riding Taika Waititi’s massive hit Thor: Ragnarok, his earlier mockumentary comedy What We Do in the Shadows has spawned not one, but two spinoffs TV series.
The first, Wellington Paranormal, is airing this summer in New Zealand and brings back much of the cast of the original movie, including Taika Waititi and his co-creator Jemaine Clement.
The second spinoff, What We Do in the Shadows, is a U.S.-based spinoff series set to premiere on FX in 2019, which is also produced by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement.
It’s still unclear what form the U.S. version will take, as it could be just an American remake or a spinoff set in the same universe as the New Zealand series.
Possibility: USS Callister (Black Mirror)
From out of left field comes rumors of a spinoff from a single episode of Black Mirror.
Some of the creators of the episode “USS Callister” have hinted that there could be a spinoff for the space adventure that ended on a rare hopeful note for the show.
Director Toby Haynes commented, “I was talking with Louise Sutton, who produced this and ‘Metalhead’, and she cooked up a brilliant idea of spinning it off into a TV series. I’d love to do a TV series of ‘USS Callister’ — it’s probably one of the best pilots for a space show, ever. And I made it! So I’m keen to see it as a TV series.”
In Development: Good Trouble (The Fosters)
The Fosters came to an end this summer, but a spinoff following Callie and Mariana will be coming soon on Freeform.
Good Trouble follows the siblings as they move to Los Angeles and start their journeys into adult life.
The executive remarked on the message of the series, “We’re seeing millennials in this country doing extraordinary things, making noise, taking action. Stirring up ‘good trouble’ as they grow, strive, and struggle to make the mess of their early twenties into the message.”
The premiere date is yet to be announced, but will probably be expected next year.
In Development: Star Wars Resistance
Following the successes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, Disney and Lucasfilm are premiering the new animated series Star Wars Resistance.
Unlike past series that bridged gaps relating to the prequels, Star Wars Resistance takes place between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
The plot will revolve around a young Resistance pilot’s mission to spy on the growing threat of the First Order.
Resistance will include established characters like Poe Dameron, Captain Phasma, and BB-8 alongside its new characters.
The show premieres this fall on the Disney Channel and Disney XD.
Possibility: Multiple Game of Thrones Spinoffs
Games of Thrones’ prequel series is not the only one in the works. The expansive world of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy series has spawned ideas for multiple spinoffs that may come in the future.
Series producers and writers have revealed that there are currently five Game of Thrones spinoffs in development.
It’s possible that none of these addition spinoffs will ever be greenlit, but there are plenty of ideas being worked on. It’s likely that all or most of these series would be prequels exploring the past of Westeros.
Details are scarce, but this franchise is unlikely to go away anytime soon.
In Development: The Continental (John Wick)
John Wick became a smash hit that surpassed expectations enough to garner a sequel and a third installment currently in the works, but the franchise will soon have a television series spinoff, as well.
The Continental will be set in the universe of the movies and, according to the announcement, “focuses on the inner-workings of the exclusive Continental Hotel, which serves as a refuge for assassins.”
Keanu Reeves is expected to appear in the show to reprise his role as John Wick at some point.
The show will match the movies’ dark, violent tone as it continues to explore the world of assassins.
Possibility: Multiple House of Cards Spinoffs
House of Cards had to quickly find new footing to continue airing after Kevin Spacey’s assault scandal, but it has forged ahead with its final, Spacey-less season six.
However, the showrunners don’t plan to stop after the conclusion of the political drama, and they are already exploring multiple spinoff ideas to continue the franchise.
The spinoff ideas are currently in early development.
One spinoff idea would follow Frank Underwood’s right hand man Doug Stamper in his shady behind-the-scenes exploits, but the other possibilities are unknown right now.
Given the continuing popularity of the show, even after losing one of its main stars, Netflix will likely keep the franchise going with one of these ideas.
In Development: Legacies (The Originals)
Just as The Vampire Diaries led to the spinoff The Originals, The Originals is now spawning a new spinoff.
As its parent series comes to an end, the CW has ordered the spinoff Legacies about a new generation.
The official announcement explains, “The story of the next generation of supernatural beings at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. Klaus Mikaelson’s daughter, 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson; Alaric Saltzman’s twins, Lizzie and Josie Saltzman; and other young adults come of age in the most unconventional way possible, nurtured to be their best selves…in spite of their worst impulses.”
Possibility: How I Met Your Father (How I Met Your Mother)
Some spinoff ideas never seem to go away. A How I Met Your Mother spinoff has been considered as a potential series since the original show was on the air.
The spinoff would focus on a mother telling the story of how she met their father to her kids, following the same story pattern as the original.
The first try at the spinoff, How I Met Your Dad, failed before it got off the ground. This attempt was led by the creators of the original show, but after that it passed to different hands.
Now, the studio has hired to write How I Met Your Father on spec, and CBS has expressed interest.
In Development: The Perfectionists (Pretty Little Liars)
Pretty Little Liars was one of Freeform’s biggest hit shows, and the network has no plans to let it end yet. The network has ordered a pilot for a spinoff series, The Perfectionists.
The series will follow Pretty Little Liars characters Alison and Mona to a new place that holds new mysteries.
The characters move to Beacon Heights, a town full of overachievers. The pressure of life there leads to a fatal encounter.
The network already tried to spin off Pretty Little Liars once with the series Ravenswood, which only ran for one season.
Time will tell if this addition to the franchise will fare better.
In Development: The Conners (Roseanne)
Following the scandal surrounding Roseanne Barr, the Roseanne revival was cancelled. Despite the loss of their main star, ABC decided to move forward with a Roseanne-free spinoff.
The network has orderedThe Conners to premiere this fall.
The spinoff was only able to move forward once the network ensured that Roseanne Barr would have no involvement in the new series and would not profit from it.
The show will feature all of the other iconic family members other than Roseanne. It’s unclear how they will handle the departure of the former center of the family and the series.
